- Enrollment
- 1,434
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Waterloo, SC
Waterloo Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Waterloo Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450261000558
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 15
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Waterloo Elementary earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% of South Carolina schools.
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.1:1
- small classes for South Carolina
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
- 254
- students enrolled
Waterloo Elementary has class sizes smaller than 78% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Laurens 55 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450261000558 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-14 students YoY
Waterloo Elementary shrank from 271 students in 2022-23 to 257 in 2023-24 (-5.2%).
Teacher FTE added 21.0 → 26.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-14 students YoY 450261000558 · Waterloo, SC Other · SMALL · TRAD
254 enr · 12.1:1 · 100.0% lunch · RII 47
Nearest enrollment peer: Laurens District 55 High (1,434 students)
Waterloo Elementary shrank from 271 students in 2022-23 to 257 in 2023-24 (-5.2%). Teacher FTE added 21.0 → 26.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · South Carolina schools → · Find another →
Waterloo Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Laurens Distri
Laurens District 55 High
1,434 students
- Gray Court-Owi
Gray Court-Owings Elementary/Middle
715 students
- Hickory Tavern
Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle
623 students
- Laurens Elemen 465
Laurens Elementary
465 students
- E. B. Morse El 447
E. B. Morse Elementary
447 students
- This school 254
Waterloo Elementary
254 students
What this shows Waterloo Elementary reports 254 students on the CCD universe file.
How Waterloo Elementary compares
Waterloo Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs South Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs South Carolina | South Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.1:1 | ▼ 15% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 254 | top 87% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.1:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
254
Bigger than 26% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
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
12.1:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 22% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
33.9%
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
$14,216
per pupil, district-wide
- below South Carolina avg of $15,911
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 254 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 73.2%
African American 15.4%
Two or More 6.7%
Hispanic or Latino 3.9%
Asian 0.8%
Largest group: White at 73.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.4, Waterloo Elementary is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Laurens 55 reports $14,216 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Waterloo Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laurens District 55 High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gray Court-Owings Elementary/Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Laurens Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| E. B. Morse Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Waterloo Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 715
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 623
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 465
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 447
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~254 students)
Frequently asked questions about Waterloo Elementary
How many students attend Waterloo Elementary?
Waterloo Elementary has 254 students enrolled. It is a public school in Waterloo, SC. CCD year-over-year: 271 (2022-23) → 257 (2023-24), down 14.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Waterloo Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Waterloo Elementary is 12.1:1, which is 15% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 23% 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 Waterloo Elementary?
100.0% of students at Waterloo Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Waterloo Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Waterloo Elementary is White at 73.2% of enrollment, in Waterloo, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Waterloo Elementary?
Waterloo Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Laurens 55?
Besides Waterloo Elementary, Laurens 55 also operates Laurens District 55 High (1,434 students), Gray Court-Owings Elementary/Middle (715 students), and Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle (623 students). See the Laurens 55 district page for the complete list.