Enrollment
884
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Myrtle Beach, SC
St. James Elementary
Federal NCES profile for St. James Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450249001341
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 74
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
St. James Elementary earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of South Carolina schools.
- #6 of 10
- schools in Myrtle Beach · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.8:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 45.1%
- free-lunch eligible
St. James Elementary has class sizes larger than 74% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, St. James Elementary ranks #6 of 10 schools in Myrtle Beach, SC.
School address
District: Horry 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450249001341 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
56.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.1%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How St. James Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at St. James Elementary
St. James Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, enrolling 884 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.8:1 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 45.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 884 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Among 145 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #11, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (75%) and Hispanic or Latino (11%) (diversity index 42/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 295 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
10.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 16.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Myrtle Beach's public schools, it stands alongside River Oaks Elementary (1,426 students): St. James Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.8:1 vs 18.1:1).
Horry 01 also operates Carolina Forest High (3,176 students) and St. James High (1,826 students) alongside St. James 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 St. James Elementary compares
St. James Elementary 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 | 15.8:1 | ▲ 10% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.1% | ▼ 39% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 884 | top 18% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
884
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% 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
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 74% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
10.4%
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
$12,785
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 295 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
52
in-school suspensions + 30 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.3 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 74.5%
Hispanic or Latino 11.1%
Two or More 7.4%
African American 4.9%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 74.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.4, St. James Elementary is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Horry 01, which includes St. James Elementary.
$12,785
Per student
-12%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.9%
State 36.1%
Federal 16.0%
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 St. James Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Forest High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| St. James High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Conway High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Socastee High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Myrtle Beach High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to St. James Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,176
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,826
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,724
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,720
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,673
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar other schools in Myrtle Beach
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
River Oaks Elementary
Standard public school
1,426 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Carolina Forest Elementary
Standard public school
1,336 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
Ocean Bay Elementary
Standard public school
1,181 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Forestbrook Elementary
Standard public school
930 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Lakewood Elementary
Standard public school
866 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Socastee Elementary
Standard public school
850 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~884 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on St. James Elementary's federal record.
- Compare St. James Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Horry 01'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 St. James Elementary
How many students attend St. James Elementary?
St. James Elementary has 884 students enrolled. It is a public school in Myrtle Beach, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at St. James Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at St. James Elementary is 15.8:1, which is 10% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at St. James Elementary?
45.1% of students at St. James Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of St. James Elementary?
The largest demographic group at St. James Elementary is White at 74.5% of enrollment, in Myrtle Beach, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for St. James Elementary?
St. James Elementary 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 St. James Elementary rank among schools in Myrtle Beach?
By Resource Investment Index, St. James Elementary ranks #6 of 10 schools in Myrtle Beach, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Myrtle Beach on the city page.
Is St. James Elementary a good school?
St. James Elementary earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% 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 Horry 01?
Besides St. James Elementary, Horry 01 also operates Carolina Forest High (3,176 students), St. James High (1,826 students), and Conway High (1,724 students). See the Horry 01 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.