Enrollment
863
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Guyton, GA
South Effingham Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for South Effingham Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130198001954
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 67
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Effingham Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median.
- #2 of 4
- schools in Guyton · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.1:1
- students per teacher
- 17.1%
- free-lunch eligible
South Effingham Elementary School has class sizes near the Georgia median. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Effingham Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 schools in Guyton, GA.
School address
District: Effingham County · Georgia
NCES ID 130198001954 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
61.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.1:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
17.1%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Effingham Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Effingham Elementary School
South Effingham Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Guyton, Georgia, enrolling 863 students.
At 14.1:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Georgia median, within a few percentage points of the 14.4:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 17.1% free-meal eligibility runs 72% below the Georgia average.
Enrollment of 863 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 286 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #159.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and Hispanic or Latino (14%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 863 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
13.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Guyton's public schools, it stands alongside Sand Hill Elementary School (881 students): South Effingham Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.1:1 vs 14.9:1).
Effingham County also operates Effingham County High School (2,199 students) and South Effingham High School (1,906 students) alongside South Effingham Elementary School.
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 Effingham Elementary School compares
South Effingham Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Georgia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Georgia | Georgia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.1:1 | ▼ 2% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 17.1% | ▼ 72% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 863 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.1:1
Leaner classes than 56% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
863
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
17.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% below the Georgia average of 60.7%
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
14.1:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 51% in Georgia - lower ratio than 49% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
13.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$11,725
per pupil, district-wide
- below Georgia avg of $13,863
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 863 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 31 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.7 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 60.4%
Hispanic or Latino 13.6%
African American 13.4%
Asian 6.3%
Two or More 5.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 60.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.1, South Effingham Elementary School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Effingham County, which includes South Effingham Elementary School.
$11,725
Per student
-15%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.1%
State 52.1%
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 South Effingham Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effingham County High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Effingham High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Effingham Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Effingham County Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ebenezer Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Effingham Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,199
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,906
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,161
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,150
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,039
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Guyton
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Georgia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~863 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Effingham Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare South Effingham Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Effingham County'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 Effingham Elementary School
How many students attend South Effingham Elementary School?
South Effingham Elementary School has 863 students enrolled. It is a public school in Guyton, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Effingham Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Effingham Elementary School is 14.1:1, which is 2% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 10% 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 South Effingham Elementary School?
17.1% of students at South Effingham Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Effingham Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at South Effingham Elementary School is White at 60.4% of enrollment, in Guyton, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Effingham Elementary School?
South Effingham Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Effingham Elementary School rank among schools in Guyton?
By Resource Investment Index, South Effingham Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 schools in Guyton, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Guyton on the city page.
Is South Effingham Elementary School a good school?
South Effingham Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia 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 Effingham County?
Besides South Effingham Elementary School, Effingham County also operates Effingham County High School (2,199 students), South Effingham High School (1,906 students), and South Effingham Middle School (1,161 students). See the Effingham County 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.