Enrollment
739
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Ridgeland, SC
Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence
Federal NCES profile for Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450252001487
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 26
📋 Attendance 41
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #2 of 3
- schools in Ridgeland · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.4:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence ranks #2 of 3 schools in Ridgeland, SC.
School address
District: Jasper 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450252001487 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence
Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Ridgeland, South Carolina, enrolling 739 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.4:1 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.
Enrollment of 739 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 262 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #201, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (46%) (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 370 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 14 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Ridgeland's public schools, it stands alongside Ridgeland Elementary (775 students): Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.4:1 vs 17.2:1).
Jasper 01 also operates Ridgeland Elementary (775 students) and Hardeeville Junior /Senior High (696 students) alongside Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence.
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 Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence compares
Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence 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 | 15.4:1 | ▲ 8% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 739 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
739
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
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
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 69% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
23.8%
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
$15,235
per pupil, district-wide
- above South Carolina avg of $14,558
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 370 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
26
in-school suspensions + 106 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 14 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
African American 46.7%
Hispanic or Latino 46.0%
White 5.4%
Two or More 1.9%
Largest group: African American at 46.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.7, Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jasper 01, which includes Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence.
$15,235
Per student
+5%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 52.2%
State 33.2%
Federal 14.6%
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 Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgeland Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hardeeville Junior /Senior High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hardeeville Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 775
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 696
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 691
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
Similar other schools in Ridgeland
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~739 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence's federal record.
- Compare Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence against another school. Compare schools
- Jasper 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 Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence
How many students attend Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence?
Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence has 739 students enrolled. It is a public school in Ridgeland, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence?
The student-teacher ratio at Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence is 15.4:1, which is 8% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 2% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence?
100.0% of students at Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence?
The largest demographic group at Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence is African American at 46.7% of enrollment, in Ridgeland, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence?
Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence rank among schools in Ridgeland?
By Resource Investment Index, Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence ranks #2 of 3 schools in Ridgeland, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Ridgeland on the city page.
Is Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence a good school?
Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence earns 34/100 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 Jasper 01?
Besides Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence, Jasper 01 also operates Ridgeland Elementary (775 students), Hardeeville Junior /Senior High (696 students), and Hardeeville Elementary (691 students). See the Jasper 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.