Enrollment
507
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · North Charleston, SC
Palmetto Scholars Academy
Federal NCES profile for Palmetto Scholars Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450390101542Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 68
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Palmetto Scholars Academy earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #2 of 18
- schools in North Charleston · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.9:1
- students per teacher
- 11.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Palmetto Scholars Academy has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Palmetto Scholars Academy ranks #2 of 18 schools in North Charleston, SC.
School address
District: Sc Public Charter School District · South Carolina
NCES ID 450390101542 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
11.4%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-85% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Palmetto Scholars Academy compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Palmetto Scholars Academy
Palmetto Scholars Academy is a lower-poverty, mid-sized charter combined-grade school in North Charleston, South Carolina, enrolling 507 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.9:1 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 11.4% free-meal eligibility runs 85% below the South Carolina average.
With 507 students, its enrollment sits close to the South Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 91% of the 1,214 South Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Against 38 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #8.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and African American (26%) (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 254 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
12.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Sc Public Charter School District spends $22,523 per pupil, 55% above the South Carolina average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among North Charleston's public schools, it stands alongside Meeting Street Elementary (1,133 students): Palmetto Scholars Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.9:1 vs 8.1:1).
Sc Public Charter School District also operates York Preparatory Academy (1,672 students) and Legacy Early College (1,592 students) alongside Palmetto Scholars Academy.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Palmetto Scholars Academy compares
Palmetto Scholars Academy on the metrics families compare, against South Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs South Carolina | South Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.9:1 | ▲ 4% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 11.4% | ▼ 85% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 507 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
507
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
11.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 85% below the South Carolina average of 74.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 63% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
12.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$22,523
per pupil, district-wide
- above South Carolina avg of $14,558
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 254 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 46.5%
African American 26.0%
Hispanic or Latino 13.2%
Asian 7.5%
Two or More 6.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 46.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.9, Palmetto Scholars Academy is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 3
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sc Public Charter School District, which includes Palmetto Scholars Academy.
$22,523
Per student
+55%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
+36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 5.8%
State 80.6%
Federal 13.6%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Palmetto Scholars Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| York Preparatory Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Legacy Early College | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bridges Preparatory School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| High Point Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Green Charter School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Palmetto Scholars Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,672
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 1,592
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,472
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,208
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 998
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in North Charleston
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Meeting Street Elementary
Standard public school
1,133 students 8.1:1 students per teacher
Charleston School of the Arts
Standard public school
1,102 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
A. C. Corcoran Elementary
Standard public school
743 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Eagle Nest Elementary
Standard public school
653 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Windsor Hill Arts Infused Elementary
Standard public school
622 students 11.7:1 students per teacher
Lambs Elementary
Standard public school
580 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of South Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~507 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Palmetto Scholars Academy's federal record.
- Compare Palmetto Scholars Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Sc Public Charter School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Palmetto Scholars Academy
How many students attend Palmetto Scholars Academy?
Palmetto Scholars Academy has 507 students enrolled. It is a public school in North Charleston, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Palmetto Scholars Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Palmetto Scholars Academy is 14.9:1, which is 4% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 5% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Palmetto Scholars Academy?
11.4% of students at Palmetto Scholars Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Palmetto Scholars Academy?
The largest demographic group at Palmetto Scholars Academy is White at 46.5% of enrollment, in North Charleston, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Palmetto Scholars Academy?
Palmetto Scholars Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Palmetto Scholars Academy rank among schools in North Charleston?
By Resource Investment Index, Palmetto Scholars Academy ranks #2 of 18 schools in North Charleston, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in North Charleston on the city page.
Is Palmetto Scholars Academy a good school?
Palmetto Scholars Academy earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Sc Public Charter School District?
Besides Palmetto Scholars Academy, Sc Public Charter School District also operates York Preparatory Academy (1,672 students), Legacy Early College (1,592 students), and Bridges Preparatory School (1,472 students). See the Sc Public Charter School District district page for the complete list.
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Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.