Enrollment
913
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Myrtle Beach, SC
St. James Middle
Federal NCES profile for St. James Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 450249001419
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
St. James Middle earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of South Carolina schools.
- #3 of 6
- middle schools in Myrtle Beach · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.6:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 52.0%
- free-lunch eligible
St. James Middle has class sizes larger than 81% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, St. James Middle ranks #3 of 6 middle schools in Myrtle Beach, SC.
School address
District: Horry 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450249001419 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
55.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.6:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
52.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How St. James Middle compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at St. James Middle
St. James Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, enrolling 913 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.6:1 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 52.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 913 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.
Against 166 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #31.
Its student body is led by White (72%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%) (diversity index 46/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 304 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
17.7% 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.
Discipline events run high: 301 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 913 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Myrtle Beach's middle schools, it stands alongside Ten Oaks Middle (1,264 students): St. James Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.6:1 vs 18.1:1).
Horry 01 also operates Carolina Forest High (3,176 students) and St. James High (1,826 students) alongside St. James Middle.
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 Middle compares
St. James Middle 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 | 16.6:1 | ▲ 16% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.0% | ▼ 30% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 913 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.6:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
913
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
52.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% 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
16.6:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 81% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
17.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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 304 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
185
in-school suspensions + 116 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 20.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 33.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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 71.6%
Hispanic or Latino 13.4%
Two or More 7.2%
African American 6.1%
Asian 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 71.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.0, St. James Middle 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 Middle.
$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 Middle 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Myrtle Beach High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to St. James Middle'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 middle schools in Myrtle Beach
5 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Ten Oaks Middle
Standard public school
1,264 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Myrtle Beach Middle
Standard public school
1,146 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Forestbrook Middle
Standard public school
816 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Ocean Bay Middle
Standard public school
801 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Socastee Middle
Standard public school
527 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
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 (~913 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on St. James Middle's federal record.
- Compare St. James Middle 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 Middle
How many students attend St. James Middle?
St. James Middle has 913 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Myrtle Beach, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at St. James Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at St. James Middle is 16.6:1, which is 16% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at St. James Middle?
52.0% of students at St. James Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of St. James Middle?
The largest demographic group at St. James Middle is White at 71.6% of enrollment, in Myrtle Beach, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for St. James Middle?
St. James Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (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 Middle rank among middle schools in Myrtle Beach?
By Resource Investment Index, St. James Middle ranks #3 of 6 middle 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 middle schools in Myrtle Beach on the city page.
Is St. James Middle a good school?
St. James Middle earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% 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 Middle, 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.