Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 24 schools in district

R. C. Edwards Middle

1157 Madden Bridge Road, Central, SC 29630Pickens 01
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 0608Non-Charter
840
Students
Total enrolled
$12,307
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
14% vs nat'l
17.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
15% vs nat'l
35/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
31% vs nat'l
Large public school
Serves 840 students in grades 06–08 in Central, South Carolina.
14% below average funding
District spends $12,307 per pupil, 14% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 35th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

R. C. Edwards Middle is a large middle in Central, South Carolina, serving grades 06–08 with 840 students. The district invests $12,307 per student — 14% below the national average of $14,347, with a 17.7:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 54% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. A neighborhood opportunity score of 35/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at R. C. Edwards Middle

840
Total Students
17.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
54%
Free Lunch
48
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (0608) are served by this school
Gender Distribution438 male · 402 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility54%
National avg 52% · 452 students
Student Composition
74%
9%
Asian5%
White74%
Hispanic / Latino6%
Black9%
Multiracial7%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 450333000897

Academic Outcomes at R. C. Edwards Middle

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
35
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 35th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 9th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 29630

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$12,307Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$12,307
State avg
$17,188
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,415
Student Support$2,338
Administration$1,477
Operations$1,846
Other$1,231
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $12,307 spent per student, an estimated $5,452 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
48%
37%
State government
47.7%
Local (property tax)
37.4%
Federal programs
14.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (35/100) — national median is 50
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades06 – 08
Location
CountyPickens County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (864)397-4200
NCES ID: 450333000897
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Central seeking a public middle school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

Location
1157 Madden Bridge Road, Central, SC 29630
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.