Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 82 schools in district

Laing Middle

2705 Bulrush Basket Lane, Mount Pleasant, SC 29466Charleston 01 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 06–08Non-Charter
1,012
Students
Total enrolled
$20,688
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 44% vs nat'l
17.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 13% vs nat'l
37/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 27% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,012 students in grades 06–08 in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
44% above average funding
District spends $20,688 per pupil, 44% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 37th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Laing Middle is a very large middle in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, serving grades 06–08 with 1,012 students. The district invests $20,688 per student — 44% above the national average of $14,347, with a 17.4:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. With only 21% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 37/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Laing Middle

1,012
Total Students
17.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
21%
Free Lunch
58
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (06–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution519 male · 493 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility21%
National avg 52% · 211 students
Student Composition
80%
13%
Asian2%
White80%
Hispanic / Latino3%
Black13%
Multiracial2%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 450144001217

Academic Outcomes at Laing Middle

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
37
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 37th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 15th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 29466

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
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 21% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (37/100) — national median is 50
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
+13 more
↓
Middle
C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific ArtThomas C. Cario MiddleMoultrie MiddleCamp Road Middle
+1 more
↓
High School
Wando HighRB Stall HighWest Ashley HighLucy Garrett Beckham High
+4 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades06 – 08
Location—
CountyCharleston County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictCharleston 01 →
Phone: (843)849-2809
NCES ID: 450144001217
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Mount Pleasant seeking a public middle 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
2705 Bulrush Basket Lane, Mount Pleasant, SC 29466
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.

Middle
1
How does the school support the transition from elementary?
Orientation programs, peer mentoring
2
What electives and clubs are available?
Arts, STEM, sports, extracurriculars
3
How are students grouped for core subjects?
Tracking policies can affect equity
4
What is the school's homework and study policy?
Look for balance and academic support
5
How is bullying and social pressure addressed?
Anti-bullying policies, counselor availability
6
What advanced or enrichment options exist?
Honors courses, gifted programs
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.