Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 8 schools in district

J. Paul Truluck Creative Arts and Science Magnet

319 Carlisle Street, Lake City, SC 29560Florence 03 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 06–12Non-Charter
521
Students
Total enrolled
$15,242
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 6% vs nat'l
13.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 12% vs nat'l
36/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 28% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 521 students in grades 06–12 in Lake City, South Carolina.
Near-average funding
District spends $15,242 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 36th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

J. Paul Truluck Creative Arts and Science Magnet is a large high in Lake City, South Carolina, serving grades 06–12 with 521 students. The district invests $15,242 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.6:1 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 36/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at J. Paul Truluck Creative Arts and Science Magnet

521
Total Students
13.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
100%
Free Lunch
38
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (06–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution245 male · 276 female
47%
53%
Male 47%Female 53%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility100%
National avg 52% · 521 students
Student Composition
42%
47%
White42%
Hispanic / Latino6%
Black47%
Multiracial4%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 450219001709

Academic Outcomes at J. Paul Truluck Creative Arts and Science Magnet

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
36
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 36th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 13th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 29560

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$15,242Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$15,242
State avg
$17,188
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,706
Student Support$2,896
Administration$1,829
Operations$2,286
Other$1,524
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $15,242 spent per student, an estimated $6,752 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
50%
20%
State government
49.8%
Local (property tax)
19.8%
Federal programs
30.4%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 13.6:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (36/100) — 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
Lake City Early Childhood CenterJ. C. Lynch ElementaryScranton ElementaryMain Street Elementary
+1 more
↓
Middle
Ronald E. McNair Jr. High
↓
High School
Lake City High
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades06 – 12
Location—
CountyFlorence County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictFlorence 03 →
Phone: (843)374-8685
NCES ID: 450219001709
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Lake City seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Florence 03
High
Lake City High
592 students · 09–12
● 36 opp100% FRL
Elem
Lake City Early Childhood Center
379 students · PK–02
● 36 opp100% FRL
Elem
J. C. Lynch Elementary
370 students · PK–06
● 36 opp100% FRL
Elem
Scranton Elementary
364 students · PK–06
● 36 opp100% FRL
Elem
Main Street Elementary
334 students · 03–06
● 36 opp100% FRL
Elem
Olanta Elementary
224 students · PK–06
● 36 opp100% FRL
Mid
Ronald E. McNair Jr. High
209 students · 07–08
● 36 opp100% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
319 Carlisle Street, Lake City, SC 29560
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.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
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.