Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 82 schools in district

Charleston Development Academy

233 Line Street, Charleston, SC 29403Charleston 01 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–08Charter
139
Students
Total enrolled
$20,688
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 44% vs nat'l
10.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 31% vs nat'l
30/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 41% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 139 students in grades PK–08 in Charleston, South Carolina.
44% above average funding
District spends $20,688 per pupil, 44% more than the national average of $14,347.
Low opportunity neighborhood
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 30th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Charleston Development Academy is a small elementary in Charleston, South Carolina, serving grades PK–08 with 139 students. The district invests $20,688 per student — 44% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 10.7:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 100% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 30/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Charleston Development Academy

139
Total Students
10.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
100%
Free Lunch
13
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution68 male · 71 female
49%
51%
Male 49%Female 51%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility100%
National avg 52% · 139 students
Student Composition
98%
White2%
Black98%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 450144000838

Academic Outcomes at Charleston Development Academy

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
30
/ 100
Low opportunity neighborhood

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 30th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 2th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 29403

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$20,688Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$20,688
State avg
$17,188
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$9,103
Student Support$3,931
Administration$2,483
Operations$3,103
Other$2,069
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $20,688 spent per student, an estimated $9,165 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
28%
59%
State government
27.7%
Local (property tax)
59.0%
Federal programs
13.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $20,688/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 10.7:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Charter school — may offer specialized curriculum or alternative teaching approaches
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (30/100) — national median is 50
  • 100% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Orange Grove Charter SchoolMeeting Street ElementaryJennie Moore ElementaryCarolina Park Elementary
+12 more
↓
Middle
C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific ArtThomas C. Cario MiddleMoultrie MiddleLaing Middle
+2 more
↓
High School
Wando HighRB Stall HighWest Ashley HighLucy Garrett Beckham High
+4 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 08
Location—
CountyCharleston County
CharterYes
VirtualNo
DistrictCharleston 01 →
Phone: (843)722-2689
NCES ID: 450144000838
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Charleston seeking a charter elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Charleston 01
High
Wando High
2,596 students · 09–12
● 37 opp19% FRL
High
RB Stall High
1,952 students · 09–12
● 36 opp100% FRL
High
West Ashley High
1,935 students · 09–12
100% FRL
High
Lucy Garrett Beckham High
1,673 students · 09–12
● 42 opp20% FRL
High
James Island Charter High
1,589 students · 09–12
36% FRL
Mid
C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art
1,172 students · 06–08
70% FRL
Elem
Orange Grove Charter School
1,167 students · PK–08
● 55 opp23% FRL
Elem
Meeting Street Elementary
1,133 students · PK–08
● 33 opp100% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
233 Line Street, Charleston, SC 29403
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.