Enrollment
325
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Orangeburg, SC
Whittaker Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Whittaker Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450391000869
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 4
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Whittaker Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most South Carolina schools.
- #5 of 5
- schools in Orangeburg · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.1:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Whittaker Elementary has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Whittaker Elementary ranks #5 of 5 schools in Orangeburg, SC.
School address
District: Orangeburg · South Carolina
NCES ID 450391000869 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.1:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Whittaker Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Whittaker Elementary
Whittaker Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Orangeburg, South Carolina, enrolling 325 students.
At 14.1:1, 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 325 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 263 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #199, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (89% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 20/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 325 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 65 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 325 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Orangeburg's public schools, it stands alongside Marshall Elementary (625 students): Whittaker Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.1:1 vs 16.9:1).
Orangeburg also operates Orangeburg Wilkinson High (992 students) and Lake Marion High School (692 students) alongside Whittaker 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 Whittaker Elementary compares
Whittaker 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 | 14.1:1 | ▼ 1% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 325 | top 81% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.1:1
Leaner classes than 56% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
325
Bigger than 36% 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
14.1:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 51% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 49% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
38.2%
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
$15,232
per pupil, district-wide
- above South Carolina avg of $14,558
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 325 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
29
in-school suspensions + 36 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 20.0 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.
Student demographics
African American 88.9%
Hispanic or Latino 6.8%
White 2.2%
Two or More 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 88.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 20.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 20.4, Whittaker Elementary is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Orangeburg, which includes Whittaker Elementary.
$15,232
Per student
+5%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.7%
State 46.7%
Federal 19.6%
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 Whittaker Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orangeburg Wilkinson High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lake Marion High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Edisto Primary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Marshall Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Edisto High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Whittaker Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 992
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 692
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 635
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 625
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 614
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools in Orangeburg
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Marshall Elementary
Standard public school
625 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Sheridan Elementary
Standard public school
450 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Rivelon Elementary
Standard public school
222 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Brookdale Elementary
Standard public school
215 students 12.6:1 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 (~325 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Whittaker Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Whittaker Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Orangeburg'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 Whittaker Elementary
How many students attend Whittaker Elementary?
Whittaker Elementary has 325 students enrolled. It is a public school in Orangeburg, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Whittaker Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Whittaker Elementary is 14.1:1, which is 1% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 10% 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 Whittaker Elementary?
100.0% of students at Whittaker Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Whittaker Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Whittaker Elementary is African American at 88.9% of enrollment, in Orangeburg, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Whittaker Elementary?
Whittaker Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Whittaker Elementary rank among schools in Orangeburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Whittaker Elementary ranks #5 of 5 schools in Orangeburg, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Orangeburg on the city page.
Is Whittaker Elementary a good school?
Whittaker Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median. It is also less 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 Orangeburg?
Besides Whittaker Elementary, Orangeburg also operates Orangeburg Wilkinson High (992 students), Lake Marion High School (692 students), and Edisto Primary (635 students). See the Orangeburg 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.