Enrollment
912
New York · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Buffalo, NY
South Buffalo Charter School
Federal NCES profile for South Buffalo Charter School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 360003604337Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Buffalo Charter School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New York median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New York schools.
- #12 of 20
- elementary schools in Buffalo · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 12:1
- students per teacher
- 65.2%
- free-lunch eligible
South Buffalo Charter School has class sizes near the New York median. Computed live against every New York school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Buffalo Charter School ranks #12 of 20 elementary schools in Buffalo, NY.
School address
District: South Buffalo Charter School · New York
NCES ID 360003604337 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
76.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12:1
vs 11.8:1 New York avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.2%
vs 56.2% New York avg
+16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Buffalo Charter School compares with New York and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Buffalo Charter School
South Buffalo Charter School is a higher-need, large charter elementary school in Buffalo, New York, enrolling 912 students.
At 12:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the New York median, within a few percentage points of the 11.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 65.2% lands close to the New York typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in New York, bigger than 90% of state schools at 912 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 4,801 scored New York schools.
Against 413 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #186.
Its student body is led by White (44%) and African American (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 304 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 50.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding South Buffalo Charter School spends $14,692 per pupil, 44% below the New York average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
South Buffalo Charter School is a single-school charter district, so South Buffalo Charter School operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Buffalo Charter School compares
South Buffalo Charter School on the metrics families compare, against New York and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New York | New York avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12:1 | ▲ 2% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.2% | ▲ 16% | 56.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 912 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
912
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% above the New York average of 56.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 59% in New York - lower ratio than 41% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
50.2%
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
$14,692
per pupil, district-wide
- below New York avg of $26,410
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 304 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 44 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 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
White 44.0%
African American 31.3%
Hispanic or Latino 20.3%
Asian 2.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.5%
Largest group: White at 44.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.6, South Buffalo Charter School is more mixed than the New York school average of 45.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South Buffalo Charter School, which includes South Buffalo Charter School.
$14,692
Per student
-44%
vs New York
Avg $26,410
-11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
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.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New York, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~912 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Buffalo Charter School's federal record.
- Compare South Buffalo Charter School against another school. Compare schools
- South Buffalo Charter School'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 Buffalo Charter School
How many students attend South Buffalo Charter School?
South Buffalo Charter School has 912 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Buffalo, NY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Buffalo Charter School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Buffalo Charter School is 12:1, which is 2% higher than the New York average of 11.8:1 and 24% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Buffalo Charter School?
65.2% of students at South Buffalo Charter School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New York average of 56.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Buffalo Charter School?
The largest demographic group at South Buffalo Charter School is White at 44.0% of enrollment, in Buffalo, NY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Buffalo Charter School?
South Buffalo Charter School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower 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 Buffalo Charter School rank among elementary schools in Buffalo?
By Resource Investment Index, South Buffalo Charter School ranks #12 of 20 elementary schools in Buffalo, NY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Buffalo on the city page.
Is South Buffalo Charter School a good school?
South Buffalo Charter School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New York median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New York 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 South Buffalo Charter School?
None; South Buffalo Charter School is a single-school charter district, and South Buffalo Charter School is its only campus.
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.