Enrollment
362
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Florence, SC
Theodore Lester Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Theodore Lester Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 450213001235
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Theodore Lester Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #8 of 10
- elementary schools in Florence · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.4:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Theodore Lester Elementary has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Theodore Lester Elementary ranks #8 of 10 elementary schools in Florence, SC.
School address
District: Florence 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450213001235 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.4:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Theodore Lester Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Theodore Lester Elementary
Theodore Lester Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Florence, South Carolina, enrolling 362 students.
At 13.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the South Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 14.3:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 100.0% lands close to the South Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 362 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 300 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #236, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (53%) and White (30%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 362 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 45.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 20.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 103 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 362 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Florence's elementary schools, it stands alongside Delmae Heights Elementary (988 students): Theodore Lester Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.4:1 vs 17:1).
Florence 01 also operates West Florence High (1,827 students) and South Florence High (1,580 students) alongside Theodore Lester 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 Theodore Lester Elementary compares
Theodore Lester 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 | 13.4:1 | ▼ 6% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 362 | top 76% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
362
Bigger than 42% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% above 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
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 41% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
45.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$13,158
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 362 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
16
in-school suspensions + 87 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 28.5 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
African American 52.5%
White 30.1%
Two or More 9.4%
Hispanic or Latino 7.2%
Asian 0.8%
Largest group: African American at 52.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.0, Theodore Lester 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 Florence 01, which includes Theodore Lester Elementary.
$13,158
Per student
-10%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.4%
State 46.0%
Federal 20.6%
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 Theodore Lester Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Florence High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Florence High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wilson High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Southside Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| John W. Moore Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Theodore Lester Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,827
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,580
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,373
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,138
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,056
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar elementary schools in Florence
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Delmae Heights Elementary
Standard public school
988 students 17:1 students per teacher
Lucy T. Davis Elementary
Standard public school
632 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Carver Elementary
Standard public school
615 students 15:1 students per teacher
Greenwood Elementary
Standard public school
530 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Royall Elementary
Standard public school
512 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Briggs Elementary
Standard public school
451 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~362 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Theodore Lester Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Theodore Lester Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Florence 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 Theodore Lester Elementary
How many students attend Theodore Lester Elementary?
Theodore Lester Elementary has 362 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Florence, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Theodore Lester Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Theodore Lester Elementary is 13.4:1, which is 6% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 15% 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 Theodore Lester Elementary?
100.0% of students at Theodore Lester Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Theodore Lester Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Theodore Lester Elementary is African American at 52.5% of enrollment, in Florence, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Theodore Lester Elementary?
Theodore Lester Elementary 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 Theodore Lester Elementary rank among elementary schools in Florence?
By Resource Investment Index, Theodore Lester Elementary ranks #8 of 10 elementary schools in Florence, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Florence on the city page.
Is Theodore Lester Elementary a good school?
Theodore Lester Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median. 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 Florence 01?
Besides Theodore Lester Elementary, Florence 01 also operates West Florence High (1,827 students), South Florence High (1,580 students), and Wilson High (1,373 students). See the Florence 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.