Enrollment
835
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Central, SC
R. C. Edwards Middle
Federal NCES profile for R. C. Edwards Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 450333000897
👥 S:T ratio 29
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 17
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
R. C. Edwards Middle earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of South Carolina schools.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Central · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.8:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 52.1%
- free-lunch eligible
R. C. Edwards Middle has class sizes larger than 90% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, R. C. Edwards Middle ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Central, SC.
School address
District: Pickens 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450333000897 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.8:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
52.1%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How R. C. Edwards Middle compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at R. C. Edwards Middle
R. C. Edwards Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Central, South Carolina, enrolling 835 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.8:1 is larger than about 90% of South Carolina schools and 24% above the 14.3:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 52.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 835 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Among 169 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #135, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (73%) and African American (9%) (diversity index 44/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 418 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Pickens 01 spends $10,622 per pupil, 27% below the South Carolina average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 198 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 835 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Pickens 01 also operates Easley High (1,862 students) and Pickens High (1,226 students) alongside R. C. Edwards Middle.
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 R. C. Edwards Middle compares
R. C. Edwards Middle 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 | 17.8:1 | ▲ 24% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.1% | ▼ 30% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 835 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.8:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
835
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
52.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% below 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
17.8:1
students per teacher
- 24% above state mean
Top 90% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
25.4%
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
$10,622
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 418 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
90
in-school suspensions + 108 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 23.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 73.4%
African American 8.9%
Two or More 7.7%
Hispanic or Latino 6.8%
Asian 3.2%
Largest group: White at 73.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.2, R. C. Edwards Middle is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pickens 01, which includes R. C. Edwards Middle.
$10,622
Per student
-27%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.4%
State 47.7%
Federal 14.9%
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 R. C. Edwards Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easley High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pickens High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| D. W. Daniel High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Richard H. Gettys Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Clemson Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to R. C. Edwards Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,862
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,226
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,222
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,217
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 794
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar middle 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 (~835 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on R. C. Edwards Middle's federal record.
- Compare R. C. Edwards Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Pickens 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 R. C. Edwards Middle
How many students attend R. C. Edwards Middle?
R. C. Edwards Middle has 835 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Central, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at R. C. Edwards Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at R. C. Edwards Middle is 17.8:1, which is 24% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at R. C. Edwards Middle?
52.1% of students at R. C. Edwards Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of R. C. Edwards Middle?
The largest demographic group at R. C. Edwards Middle is White at 73.4% of enrollment, in Central, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for R. C. Edwards Middle?
R. C. Edwards Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 R. C. Edwards Middle rank among public schools in Central?
By Resource Investment Index, R. C. Edwards Middle ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Central, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Central on the city page.
Is R. C. Edwards Middle a good school?
R. C. Edwards Middle earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% 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 Pickens 01?
Besides R. C. Edwards Middle, Pickens 01 also operates Easley High (1,862 students), Pickens High (1,226 students), and D. W. Daniel High (1,222 students). See the Pickens 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.