Enrollment
683
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · South Boston, VA
South Boston Elementary
Federal NCES profile for South Boston Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 510177002759
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 32
📋 Attendance 10
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Boston Elementary earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Virginia schools.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in South Boston · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.9:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 92.9%
- free-lunch eligible
South Boston Elementary has class sizes larger than 81% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Boston Elementary ranks #3 of 4 public schools in South Boston, VA.
School address
District: Halifax County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510177002759 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
92.9%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Boston Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Boston Elementary
South Boston Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in South Boston, Virginia, enrolling 683 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 92.9% of students qualify for free meals, 61% above the Virginia average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 683 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 1,868 Virginia schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 303 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #270, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (55%) and White (27%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 342 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 17.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Halifax County Public Schools also operates Halifax County High (1,282 students) and Halifax County Middle (847 students) alongside South Boston 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 South Boston Elementary compares
South Boston Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.9:1 | ▲ 14% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 92.9% | ▲ 61% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 683 | top 33% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
683
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
92.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% above the Virginia average of 57.6%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 81% in Virginia - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
35.9%
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
$13,814
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 342 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 30 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.4 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
African American 55.2%
White 27.1%
Hispanic or Latino 8.6%
Two or More 6.4%
Asian 2.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 55.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.0, South Boston Elementary is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Halifax County Public Schools, which includes South Boston Elementary.
$13,814
Per student
-6%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 23.4%
State 58.8%
Federal 17.8%
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 South Boston Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halifax County High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Halifax County Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cluster Springs Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sinai Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Clays Mill Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Boston Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,282
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 847
- Students per teacher
- 10.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 572
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 243
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 236
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~683 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Boston Elementary's federal record.
- Compare South Boston Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Halifax County Public Schools'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 South Boston Elementary
How many students attend South Boston Elementary?
South Boston Elementary has 683 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in South Boston, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Boston Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at South Boston Elementary is 15.9:1, which is 14% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Boston Elementary?
92.9% of students at South Boston Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Boston Elementary?
The largest demographic group at South Boston Elementary is African American at 55.2% of enrollment, in South Boston, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Boston Elementary?
South Boston Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 South Boston Elementary rank among public schools in South Boston?
By Resource Investment Index, South Boston Elementary ranks #3 of 4 public schools in South Boston, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in South Boston on the city page.
Is South Boston Elementary a good school?
South Boston Elementary earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Virginia 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 Halifax County Public Schools?
Besides South Boston Elementary, Halifax County Public Schools also operates Halifax County High (1,282 students), Halifax County Middle (847 students), and Cluster Springs Elementary (572 students). See the Halifax County Public Schools 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.