Enrollment
755
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Fort Mill, SC
Sugar Creek Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Sugar Creek Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 58/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450390001529
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 25
📋 Attendance 85
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sugar Creek Elementary earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of South Carolina schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most South Carolina schools.
- #3 of 5
- schools in Fort Mill · Resource Index
- 58
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.6:1
- small classes for South Carolina
- 35.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Sugar Creek Elementary has class sizes smaller than 82% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sugar Creek Elementary ranks #3 of 5 schools in Fort Mill, SC.
School address
District: York 04 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450390001529 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
65.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.6:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.8%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-52% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sugar Creek Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sugar Creek Elementary
Sugar Creek Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Fort Mill, South Carolina, enrolling 755 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 35.8% free-meal eligibility runs 52% below the South Carolina average.
Enrollment of 755 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 93% of the 1,214 South Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 125 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #10, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (38%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 378 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.1% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Fort Mill's public schools, it stands alongside Kings Town Elementary (809 students): Sugar Creek Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.6:1 vs 13:1).
York 04 also operates Fort Mill High (2,115 students) and Nation Ford High (1,921 students) alongside Sugar Creek 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 Sugar Creek Elementary compares
Sugar Creek 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 | 11.6:1 | ▼ 19% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.8% | ▼ 52% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 755 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.6:1
Leaner classes than 79% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
755
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 52% below the South Carolina average of 74.0%
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
11.6:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 18% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 82% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
6.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$11,810
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 378 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.1 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 38.0%
Hispanic or Latino 26.0%
Asian 17.1%
African American 10.6%
Two or More 8.3%
Largest group: White at 38.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.1, Sugar Creek Elementary is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for York 04, which includes Sugar Creek Elementary.
$11,810
Per student
-19%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 48.2%
State 44.3%
Federal 7.5%
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 Sugar Creek Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Mill High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Nation Ford High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Catawba Ridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pleasant Knoll Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gold Hill Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sugar Creek Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,115
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 1,921
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 1,704
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 916
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 61/100
- Enrollment
- 877
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 61/100
Similar other schools in Fort Mill
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Kings Town Elementary
Standard public school
809 students 13:1 students per teacher
Fort Mill Elementary
Standard public school
729 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
Riverview Elementary
Standard public school
711 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
River Trail Elementary
Standard public school
704 students 13:1 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 (~755 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sugar Creek Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Sugar Creek Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- York 04'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 Sugar Creek Elementary
How many students attend Sugar Creek Elementary?
Sugar Creek Elementary has 755 students enrolled. It is a public school in Fort Mill, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sugar Creek Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sugar Creek Elementary is 11.6:1, which is 19% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 26% 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 Sugar Creek Elementary?
35.8% of students at Sugar Creek Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sugar Creek Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Sugar Creek Elementary is White at 38.0% of enrollment, in Fort Mill, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sugar Creek Elementary?
Sugar Creek Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 58/100 (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 Sugar Creek Elementary rank among schools in Fort Mill?
By Resource Investment Index, Sugar Creek Elementary ranks #3 of 5 schools in Fort Mill, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Fort Mill on the city page.
Is Sugar Creek Elementary a good school?
Sugar Creek Elementary earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of South Carolina schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 York 04?
Besides Sugar Creek Elementary, York 04 also operates Fort Mill High (2,115 students), Nation Ford High (1,921 students), and Catawba Ridge High School (1,704 students). See the York 04 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.