Enrollment
537
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Saluda, SC
Saluda Middle
Federal NCES profile for Saluda Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 450346000981
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 46
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Saluda Middle earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #1 of 5
- public schools in Saluda · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.4:1
- students per teacher
- 82.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Saluda Middle has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Saluda Middle ranks #1 of 5 public schools in Saluda, SC.
School address
District: Saluda 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450346000981 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.4:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
82.2%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Saluda Middle compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Saluda Middle
Saluda Middle is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Saluda, South Carolina, enrolling 537 students.
At 13.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the South Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 14.3:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 82.2% lands close to the South Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 537 students, its enrollment sits close to the South Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Among 77 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #5, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (47%) and White (33%) (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 269 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
17.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 17.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Saluda 01 also operates Saluda High (714 students) and Saluda Primary (474 students) alongside Saluda 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 Saluda Middle compares
Saluda 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 | 13.4:1 | ▼ 6% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 82.2% | ▲ 11% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 537 | top 51% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
537
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
82.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% 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
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 41% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,073
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 269 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
39
in-school suspensions + 25 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.9 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
Hispanic or Latino 47.1%
White 33.1%
African American 18.1%
Two or More 1.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 47.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.6, Saluda Middle is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Saluda 01, which includes Saluda Middle.
$12,073
Per student
-17%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.3%
State 55.4%
Federal 17.2%
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 Saluda Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saluda High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Saluda Primary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hollywood Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Saluda Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Saluda Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 714
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 474
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 403
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 397
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
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 (~537 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Saluda Middle's federal record.
- Compare Saluda Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Saluda 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 Saluda Middle
How many students attend Saluda Middle?
Saluda Middle has 537 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Saluda, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Saluda Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Saluda Middle is 13.4:1, which is 6% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 15% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Saluda Middle?
82.2% of students at Saluda Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Saluda Middle?
The largest demographic group at Saluda Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 47.1% of enrollment, in Saluda, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Saluda Middle?
Saluda Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (higher 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 Saluda Middle rank among public schools in Saluda?
By Resource Investment Index, Saluda Middle ranks #1 of 5 public schools in Saluda, 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 Saluda on the city page.
Is Saluda Middle a good school?
Saluda Middle earns 55/100 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 Saluda 01?
Besides Saluda Middle, Saluda 01 also operates Saluda High (714 students), Saluda Primary (474 students), and Hollywood Elementary (403 students). See the Saluda 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.