Enrollment
1,169
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Summerville, SC
Sand Hill Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Sand Hill Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450201001675
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sand Hill Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of South Carolina schools.
- #8 of 15
- schools in Summerville · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.6:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 36.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Sand Hill Elementary has class sizes larger than 93% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sand Hill Elementary ranks #8 of 15 schools in Summerville, SC.
School address
District: Dorchester 02 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450201001675 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
63.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.6:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+30% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.1%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sand Hill Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sand Hill Elementary
Sand Hill Elementary is a large combined-grade school in Summerville, South Carolina, enrolling 1,169 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.6:1 is larger than about 93% of South Carolina schools and 30% above the 14.3:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 36.1% free-meal eligibility runs 51% below the South Carolina average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Carolina, bigger than 91% of state schools at 1,169 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Among 101 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #85, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and African American (13%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 585 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
17.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Dorchester 02 spends $11,173 per pupil, 23% below the South Carolina average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Summerville's public schools, it stands alongside Cane Bay Elementary (1,161 students): Sand Hill Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.6:1 vs 17.1:1).
Dorchester 02 also operates Summerville High (3,361 students) and Ashley Ridge High (2,599 students) alongside Sand Hill 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 Sand Hill Elementary compares
Sand Hill 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 | 18.6:1 | ▲ 30% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.1% | ▼ 51% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,169 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.6:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,169
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% 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
18.6:1
students per teacher
- 30% above state mean
Top 93% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
17.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,173
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 585 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
70
in-school suspensions + 37 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.2 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
White 66.9%
African American 13.3%
Hispanic or Latino 9.6%
Two or More 9.2%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 66.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.7, Sand Hill Elementary is about as mixed as the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dorchester 02, which includes Sand Hill Elementary.
$11,173
Per student
-23%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.4%
State 53.8%
Federal 13.8%
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 Sand Hill Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summerville High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ashley Ridge High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fort Dorchester High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Beech Hill Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Edisto Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sand Hill Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,361
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,599
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 2,344
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,079
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,031
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
Similar other schools in Summerville
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Cane Bay Elementary
Standard public school
1,161 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Beech Hill Elementary
Standard public school
1,079 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Nexton Elementary
Standard public school
944 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
William M. Reeves Elementary
Standard public school
930 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Newington Elementary
Standard public school
862 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Knightsville Elementary
Standard public school
833 students 18.5:1 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 (~1,169 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sand Hill Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Sand Hill Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Dorchester 02'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 Sand Hill Elementary
How many students attend Sand Hill Elementary?
Sand Hill Elementary has 1,169 students enrolled. It is a public school in Summerville, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sand Hill Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sand Hill Elementary is 18.6:1, which is 30% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sand Hill Elementary?
36.1% of students at Sand Hill Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sand Hill Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Sand Hill Elementary is White at 66.9% of enrollment, in Summerville, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sand Hill Elementary?
Sand Hill Elementary 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 Sand Hill Elementary rank among schools in Summerville?
By Resource Investment Index, Sand Hill Elementary ranks #8 of 15 schools in Summerville, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Summerville on the city page.
Is Sand Hill Elementary a good school?
Sand Hill Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% 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 Dorchester 02?
Besides Sand Hill Elementary, Dorchester 02 also operates Summerville High (3,361 students), Ashley Ridge High (2,599 students), and Fort Dorchester High (2,344 students). See the Dorchester 02 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.