- Enrollment
- 695
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Gaston, SC
Sandhills Middle
Federal NCES profile for Sandhills Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 450279000751
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 1
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sandhills Middle earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 70% of South Carolina schools.
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 12.7:1
- small classes for South Carolina
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
- 495
- students enrolled
Sandhills Middle has class sizes smaller than 70% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Lexington 04 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450279000751 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+6 students YoY
Sandhills Middle held near 519 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+6 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 39.0 → 40.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+6 students YoY 450279000751 · Gaston, SC Middle · SMALL · TRAD
495 enr · 12.7:1 · 100.0% lunch · RII 30
Nearest enrollment peer: Swansea High (695 students)
Sandhills Middle held near 519 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+6 headcount). Teacher FTE added 39.0 → 40.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · South Carolina schools → · Find another →
Sandhills Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Swansea High
Swansea High
695 students
- Frances F. Mac
Frances F. Mack Intermediate
515 students
- Sandhills Prim
Sandhills Primary
509 students
- This school
Sandhills Middle
495 students
- Lexington Four
Lexington Four Early Childhood Center
495 students
- Sandhills Elem
Sandhills Elementary
491 students
What this shows Sandhills Middle reports 495 students on the CCD universe file.
How Sandhills Middle compares
Sandhills Middle held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs South Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs South Carolina | South Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.7:1 | ▼ 11% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 495 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.7:1
Leaner classes than 69% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
495
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
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
12.7:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 30% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
53.1%
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
$13,672
per pupil, district-wide
- below South Carolina avg of $15,911
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 495 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
134
in-school suspensions + 67 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 27.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 40.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Student demographics
White 41.2%
Hispanic or Latino 29.5%
African American 22.4%
Two or More 6.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 41.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.9, Sandhills Middle is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Lexington 04 reports $13,672 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Sandhills Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swansea High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Frances F. Mack Intermediate | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sandhills Primary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lexington Four Early Childhood Center | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sandhills Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sandhills Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 515
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 509
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 495
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 491
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~495 students)
Frequently asked questions about Sandhills Middle
How many students attend Sandhills Middle?
Sandhills Middle has 495 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Gaston, SC. CCD year-over-year: 513 (2022-23) → 519 (2023-24), nearly flat (+6).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sandhills Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Sandhills Middle is 12.7:1, which is 11% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 19% 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 Sandhills Middle?
100.0% of students at Sandhills Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sandhills Middle?
The largest demographic group at Sandhills Middle is White at 41.2% of enrollment, in Gaston, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sandhills Middle?
Sandhills Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Lexington 04?
Besides Sandhills Middle, Lexington 04 also operates Swansea High (695 students), Frances F. Mack Intermediate (515 students), and Sandhills Primary (509 students). See the Lexington 04 district page for the complete list.