Enrollment
820
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lancaster, SC
Van Wyck Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Van Wyck Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450258001712
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 87
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Van Wyck Elementary earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of South Carolina schools.
- #1 of 6
- schools in Lancaster · Resource Index
- 59
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.7:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 23.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Van Wyck Elementary has class sizes larger than 82% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Van Wyck Elementary ranks #1 of 6 schools in Lancaster, SC.
School address
District: Lancaster 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450258001712 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
49.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.7:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.9%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-68% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Van Wyck Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Van Wyck Elementary
Van Wyck Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Lancaster, South Carolina, enrolling 820 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.7:1 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 23.9% free-meal eligibility runs 68% below the South Carolina average.
Enrollment of 820 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 94% of the 1,214 South Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 112 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #12, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 273 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance holds up well here: only 5.1% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 16.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Lancaster's public schools, it stands alongside Buford Elementary (792 students): Van Wyck Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.7:1 vs 19.3:1).
Lancaster 01 also operates Indian Land High (1,905 students) and Lancaster High (1,390 students) alongside Van Wyck 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 Van Wyck Elementary compares
Van Wyck 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 | 16.7:1 | ▲ 17% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.9% | ▼ 68% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 820 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.7:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
820
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 68% 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
16.7:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 82% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
5.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$11,853
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 273 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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 59.5%
Hispanic or Latino 15.4%
African American 12.4%
Two or More 6.7%
Asian 5.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 59.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.9, Van Wyck 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 Lancaster 01, which includes Van Wyck Elementary.
$11,853
Per student
-19%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.3%
State 46.8%
Federal 16.9%
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 Van Wyck Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Land High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lancaster High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Indian Land Intermediate | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Harrisburg Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Indian Land Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Van Wyck Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,905
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,390
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,181
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,161
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,102
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
Similar other schools in Lancaster
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Buford Elementary
Standard public school
792 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
North Elementary
Standard public school
645 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Erwin Elementary
Standard public school
418 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Clinton Elementary
Standard public school
412 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Brooklyn Springs Elementary
Standard public school
398 students 13.7:1 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 (~820 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Van Wyck Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Van Wyck Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Lancaster 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 Van Wyck Elementary
How many students attend Van Wyck Elementary?
Van Wyck Elementary has 820 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lancaster, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Van Wyck Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Van Wyck Elementary is 16.7:1, which is 17% 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 Van Wyck Elementary?
23.9% of students at Van Wyck Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Van Wyck Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Van Wyck Elementary is White at 59.5% of enrollment, in Lancaster, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Van Wyck Elementary?
Van Wyck Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (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 Van Wyck Elementary rank among schools in Lancaster?
By Resource Investment Index, Van Wyck Elementary ranks #1 of 6 schools in Lancaster, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Lancaster on the city page.
Is Van Wyck Elementary a good school?
Van Wyck Elementary earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% 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 Lancaster 01?
Besides Van Wyck Elementary, Lancaster 01 also operates Indian Land High (1,905 students), Lancaster High (1,390 students), and Indian Land Intermediate (1,181 students). See the Lancaster 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.