Enrollment
797
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Charleston, SC
Philip Simmons High
Federal NCES profile for Philip Simmons High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 450117001681
👥 S:T ratio 40
📚 AP courses 70
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Philip Simmons High earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #3 of 5
- high schools in Charleston · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15:1
- students per teacher
- 18.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Philip Simmons High has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Philip Simmons High ranks #3 of 5 high schools in Charleston, SC.
School address
District: Berkeley 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450117001681 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
53.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-76% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Philip Simmons High compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Philip Simmons High
Philip Simmons High is a lower-poverty, mid-sized high school in Charleston, South Carolina, enrolling 797 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15:1 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 18.0% free-meal eligibility runs 76% below the South Carolina average.
Enrollment of 797 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Among 88 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #78, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (69%) and African American (21%) (diversity index 48/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 14 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 399 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Berkeley 01 spends $11,201 per pupil, 23% below the South Carolina average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Charleston's high schools, it stands alongside West Ashley High (2,069 students): Philip Simmons High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15:1 vs 18.6:1).
Berkeley 01 also operates Stratford High (2,605 students) and Cane Bay High (2,412 students) alongside Philip Simmons High.
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 Philip Simmons High compares
Philip Simmons High 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 | 15:1 | ▲ 5% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.0% | ▼ 76% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 797 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15:1
Leaner classes than 47% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
797
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 76% 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
15:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 64% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
25.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$11,201
per pupil, district-wide
- below South Carolina avg of $14,558
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 399 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
80
in-school suspensions + 48 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
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 68.5%
African American 21.3%
Hispanic or Latino 4.4%
Two or More 3.9%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 68.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.2, Philip Simmons High is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 14
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Berkeley 01, which includes Philip Simmons High.
$11,201
Per student
-23%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.7%
State 43.0%
Federal 13.3%
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 Philip Simmons High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stratford High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cane Bay High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Berkeley High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Goose Creek High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Berkeley Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Philip Simmons High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,605
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 2,412
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,047
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,973
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,477
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar high schools in Charleston
4 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
West Ashley High
Standard public school
2,069 students 18.6:1 students per teacher
James Island Charter High
Standard public school
1,612 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Charleston Advancement Academy High School
Standard public school
424 students 38.5:1 students per teacher
Burke High
Standard public school
342 students 5.8:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~797 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Philip Simmons High's federal record.
- Compare Philip Simmons High against another school. Compare schools
- Berkeley 01'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 Philip Simmons High
How many students attend Philip Simmons High?
Philip Simmons High has 797 students enrolled. It is a high school in Charleston, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Philip Simmons High?
The student-teacher ratio at Philip Simmons High is 15:1, which is 5% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Philip Simmons High?
18.0% of students at Philip Simmons High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Philip Simmons High?
The largest demographic group at Philip Simmons High is White at 68.5% of enrollment, in Charleston, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Philip Simmons High?
Philip Simmons High has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 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 Philip Simmons High rank among high schools in Charleston?
By Resource Investment Index, Philip Simmons High ranks #3 of 5 high schools in Charleston, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Charleston on the city page.
Is Philip Simmons High a good school?
Philip Simmons High earns 48/100 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 Berkeley 01?
Besides Philip Simmons High, Berkeley 01 also operates Stratford High (2,605 students), Cane Bay High (2,412 students), and Berkeley High (2,047 students). See the Berkeley 01 district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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.