Enrollment
409
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Anderson, SC
Southwood Academy for the Arts
Federal NCES profile for Southwood Academy for the Arts, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 450090001574
👥 S:T ratio 56
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 18
📋 Attendance 74
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwood Academy for the Arts earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of South Carolina schools.
- #1 of 4
- middle schools in Anderson · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.1:1
- small classes for South Carolina
- 51.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Southwood Academy for the Arts has class sizes smaller than 87% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southwood Academy for the Arts ranks #1 of 4 middle schools in Anderson, SC.
School address
District: Anderson 05 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450090001574 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.1:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
51.3%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southwood Academy for the Arts compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southwood Academy for the Arts
Southwood Academy for the Arts is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Anderson, South Carolina, enrolling 409 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.1:1, Southwood Academy for the Arts is leaner than roughly 87% of South Carolina schools and 22% under the state's 14.3:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 51.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 409 puts it in the smaller third of South Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Against 64 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #8.
Its student body is led by White (59%) and African American (23%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 409 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
10.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Anderson's middle schools, it stands alongside Robert Anderson Middle (1,134 students): Southwood Academy for the Arts is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.1:1 vs 12.7:1).
Anderson 05 also operates T. L. Hanna High (1,899 students) and Westside High (1,687 students) alongside Southwood Academy for the Arts.
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 Southwood Academy for the Arts compares
Southwood Academy for the Arts on the metrics families compare, against South Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs South Carolina | South Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.1:1 | ▼ 22% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 51.3% | ▼ 31% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 409 | top 69% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.1:1
Leaner classes than 82% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
409
Bigger than 49% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
51.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% below 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
11.1:1
students per teacher
- 22% below state mean
Top 13% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 87% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
10.3%
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
$12,323
per pupil, district-wide
- below South Carolina avg of $14,558
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 409 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 18 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 58.9%
African American 22.7%
Hispanic or Latino 12.5%
Two or More 5.1%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: White at 58.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.3, Southwood Academy for the Arts is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Anderson 05, which includes Southwood Academy for the Arts.
$12,323
Per student
-15%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.1%
State 47.8%
Federal 13.1%
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 Southwood Academy for the Arts Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| T. L. Hanna High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westside High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Robert Anderson Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glenview Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Midway Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southwood Academy for the Arts's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,899
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,687
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,134
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 677
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 675
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar middle schools in Anderson
3 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of South Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~409 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southwood Academy for the Arts's federal record.
- Compare Southwood Academy for the Arts against another school. Compare schools
- Anderson 05'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 Southwood Academy for the Arts
How many students attend Southwood Academy for the Arts?
Southwood Academy for the Arts has 409 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Anderson, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southwood Academy for the Arts?
The student-teacher ratio at Southwood Academy for the Arts is 11.1:1, which is 22% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 29% 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 Southwood Academy for the Arts?
51.3% of students at Southwood Academy for the Arts are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southwood Academy for the Arts?
The largest demographic group at Southwood Academy for the Arts is White at 58.9% of enrollment, in Anderson, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwood Academy for the Arts?
Southwood Academy for the Arts has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (higher 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 Southwood Academy for the Arts rank among middle schools in Anderson?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwood Academy for the Arts ranks #1 of 4 middle schools in Anderson, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Anderson on the city page.
Is Southwood Academy for the Arts a good school?
Southwood Academy for the Arts earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of South Carolina 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 Anderson 05?
Besides Southwood Academy for the Arts, Anderson 05 also operates T. L. Hanna High (1,899 students), Westside High (1,687 students), and Robert Anderson Middle (1,134 students). See the Anderson 05 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.