Enrollment
609
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sumter, SC
Pocalla Springs Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Pocalla Springs Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450390201452
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pocalla Springs Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of South Carolina schools.
- #7 of 11
- schools in Sumter · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Pocalla Springs Elementary has class sizes larger than 76% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pocalla Springs Elementary ranks #7 of 11 schools in Sumter, SC.
School address
District: Sumter 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450390201452 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pocalla Springs Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pocalla Springs Elementary
Pocalla Springs Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Sumter, South Carolina, enrolling 609 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16:1 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 100.0% lands close to the South Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 609 students, its enrollment sits close to the South Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Among 347 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #248, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (53%) and White (35%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 305 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Sumter 01 spends $11,507 per pupil, 21% below the South Carolina average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Sumter's public schools, it stands alongside Millwood Elementary (602 students): Pocalla Springs Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16:1 vs 14.7:1).
Sumter 01 also operates Sumter High School (2,122 students) and Crestwood High (1,105 students) alongside Pocalla Springs Elementary.
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 Pocalla Springs Elementary compares
Pocalla Springs Elementary 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 | 16:1 | ▲ 12% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 609 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16:1
Leaner classes than 38% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
609
Bigger than 73% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% above the South Carolina average of 74.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 76% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
41.9%
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
$11,507
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 305 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 72 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.5 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
African American 52.5%
White 35.1%
Two or More 6.1%
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 52.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.4, Pocalla Springs Elementary is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sumter 01, which includes Pocalla Springs Elementary.
$11,507
Per student
-21%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.0%
State 53.3%
Federal 19.7%
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 Pocalla Springs Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sumter High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Crestwood High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lakewood High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Alice Drive Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Furman Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pocalla Springs Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,122
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,105
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,013
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 783
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 700
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Sumter
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Millwood Elementary
Standard public school
602 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Alice Drive Elementary
Standard public school
530 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Oakland Primary
Standard public school
520 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Kingsbury Elementary
Standard public school
514 students 11.4:1 students per teacher
Willow Drive Elementary
Standard public school
504 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Crosswell Drive Elementary
Standard public school
481 students 14.1:1 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 (~609 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pocalla Springs Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Pocalla Springs Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Sumter 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 Pocalla Springs Elementary
How many students attend Pocalla Springs Elementary?
Pocalla Springs Elementary has 609 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sumter, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pocalla Springs Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Pocalla Springs Elementary is 16:1, which is 12% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 2% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Pocalla Springs Elementary?
100.0% of students at Pocalla Springs Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pocalla Springs Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Pocalla Springs Elementary is African American at 52.5% of enrollment, in Sumter, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pocalla Springs Elementary?
Pocalla Springs Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Pocalla Springs Elementary rank among schools in Sumter?
By Resource Investment Index, Pocalla Springs Elementary ranks #7 of 11 schools in Sumter, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Sumter on the city page.
Is Pocalla Springs Elementary a good school?
Pocalla Springs Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of South Carolina schools. 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 Sumter 01?
Besides Pocalla Springs Elementary, Sumter 01 also operates Sumter High School (2,122 students), Crestwood High (1,105 students), and Lakewood High (1,013 students). See the Sumter 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.