Enrollment
422
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Anderson, SC
The South Carolina Preparatory Academy
Federal NCES profile for The South Carolina Preparatory Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450390901759Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 16
📋 Attendance 82
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
The South Carolina Preparatory Academy earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of South Carolina schools.
- #10 of 13
- schools in Anderson · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.1:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 41.0%
- free-lunch eligible
The South Carolina Preparatory Academy has class sizes larger than 98% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, The South Carolina Preparatory Academy ranks #10 of 13 schools in Anderson, SC.
School address
District: Charter Institute at Erskine · South Carolina
NCES ID 450390901759 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.1:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+48% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
41.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How The South Carolina Preparatory Academy compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at The South Carolina Preparatory Academy
The South Carolina Preparatory Academy is a mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Anderson, South Carolina, enrolling 422 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.1:1 is larger than about 98% of South Carolina schools and 48% above the 14.3:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 41.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 422 puts it in the smaller third of South Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Among 55 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #49, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 422 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.1% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Charter Institute at Erskine spends $6,927 per pupil, 52% below the South Carolina average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Anderson's public schools, it stands alongside Midway Elementary (675 students): The South Carolina Preparatory Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.1:1 vs 14.7:1).
Charter Institute at Erskine also operates Sc Connections Academy (6,152 students) and Cyber Academy of South Carolina (3,280 students) alongside The South Carolina Preparatory Academy.
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 The South Carolina Preparatory Academy compares
The South Carolina Preparatory Academy 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 | 21.1:1 | ▲ 48% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.0% | ▼ 45% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 422 | top 67% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.1:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
422
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
41.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% 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
21.1:1
students per teacher
- 48% above state mean
Top 98% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
7.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$6,927
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 422 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Charter Institute at Erskine, which includes The South Carolina Preparatory Academy.
$6,927
Per student
-52%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-58%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 2.7%
State 85.8%
Federal 11.5%
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 The South Carolina Preparatory Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sc Connections Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cyber Academy of South Carolina | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Carolina Virtual Charter School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gray Collegiate Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mevers School of Excellence | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to The South Carolina Preparatory Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 6,152
- Students per teacher
- 27.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 3,280
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,180
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 935
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 772
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools in Anderson
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Midway Elementary
Standard public school
675 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Concord Elementary
Standard public school
615 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Mclees Elementary
Standard public school
543 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Centerville Elementary
Standard public school
536 students 12.2:1 students per teacher
Nevitt Forest Elementary
Standard public school
530 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Whitehall Elementary
Standard public school
504 students 14.4:1 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 (~422 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on The South Carolina Preparatory Academy's federal record.
- Compare The South Carolina Preparatory Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Charter Institute at Erskine'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 The South Carolina Preparatory Academy
How many students attend The South Carolina Preparatory Academy?
The South Carolina Preparatory Academy has 422 students enrolled. It is a public school in Anderson, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at The South Carolina Preparatory Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at The South Carolina Preparatory Academy is 21.1:1, which is 48% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at The South Carolina Preparatory Academy?
41.0% of students at The South Carolina Preparatory Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the Resource Investment Index for The South Carolina Preparatory Academy?
The South Carolina Preparatory Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical 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 The South Carolina Preparatory Academy rank among schools in Anderson?
By Resource Investment Index, The South Carolina Preparatory Academy ranks #10 of 13 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 schools in Anderson on the city page.
Is The South Carolina Preparatory Academy a good school?
The South Carolina Preparatory Academy earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% 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 Charter Institute at Erskine?
Besides The South Carolina Preparatory Academy, Charter Institute at Erskine also operates Sc Connections Academy (6,152 students), Cyber Academy of South Carolina (3,280 students), and South Carolina Virtual Charter School (2,180 students). See the Charter Institute at Erskine 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.