Enrollment
1,906
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Guyton, GA
South Effingham High School
Federal NCES profile for South Effingham High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 130198001594
👥 S:T ratio 31
📚 AP courses 75
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 24
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Effingham High School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Georgia schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Georgia.
- #7 of 7
- public schools in Guyton · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.2:1
- large classes for Georgia
- 21.9%
- free-lunch eligible
South Effingham High School has class sizes larger than 86% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Effingham High School ranks #7 of 7 public schools in Guyton, GA.
School address
District: Effingham County · Georgia
NCES ID 130198001594 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
111.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.2:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.9%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-64% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Effingham High School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Effingham High School
South Effingham High School is a large high school in Guyton, Georgia, enrolling 1,906 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.2:1 is larger than about 86% of Georgia schools and 19% above the 14.4:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 21.9% free-meal eligibility runs 64% below the Georgia average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Georgia, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,906 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 131 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #72.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and African American (16%) (diversity index 56/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 15 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 381 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 457 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,906 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 15 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Effingham County also operates Effingham County High School (2,199 students) and South Effingham Middle School (1,161 students) alongside South Effingham High 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 High School compares
South Effingham High 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 | 17.2:1 | ▲ 19% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.9% | ▼ 64% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,906 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.2:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,906
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 64% 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
17.2:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 86% in Georgia - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
26.4%
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
$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
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 381 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
325
in-school suspensions + 132 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 17.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 24.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 15 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 63.3%
African American 15.6%
Hispanic or Latino 12.8%
Two or More 5.8%
Asian 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 63.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.5, South Effingham High School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 15
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Effingham County, which includes South Effingham High 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 High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effingham County High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Effingham Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Effingham County Middle School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ebenezer Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rincon Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Effingham High 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
- 1,161
- 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
- Enrollment
- 1,033
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar high 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 (~1,906 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Effingham High School's federal record.
- Compare South Effingham High 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 High School
How many students attend South Effingham High School?
South Effingham High School has 1,906 students enrolled. It is a high school in Guyton, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Effingham High School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Effingham High School is 17.2:1, which is 19% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Effingham High School?
21.9% of students at South Effingham High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Effingham High School?
The largest demographic group at South Effingham High School is White at 63.3% of enrollment, in Guyton, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Effingham High School?
South Effingham High School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does South Effingham High School rank among public schools in Guyton?
By Resource Investment Index, South Effingham High School ranks #7 of 7 public 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 public schools in Guyton on the city page.
Is South Effingham High School a good school?
South Effingham High School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Georgia schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Georgia. 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 High School, Effingham County also operates Effingham County High School (2,199 students), South Effingham Middle School (1,161 students), and Effingham County Middle School (1,150 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.