Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 36 schools in district

Palmetto Achievement Center for Excellence Academy

6015 N Main Street, Columbia, SC 29203SC Public Charter School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 02–08Charter
231
Students
Total enrolled
$25,770
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 80% vs nat'l
8.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 42% vs nat'l
35/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 31% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 231 students in grades 02–08 in Columbia, South Carolina.
80% above average funding
District spends $25,770 per pupil, 80% more 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

Palmetto Achievement Center for Excellence Academy is a mid-sized middle in Columbia, South Carolina, serving grades 02–08 with 231 students. The district invests $25,770 per student — 80% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 8.9:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 38% 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 Palmetto Achievement Center for Excellence Academy

231
Total Students
8.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
38%
Free Lunch
26
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (02–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution142 male · 89 female
61%
39%
Male 61%Female 39%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility38%
National avg 52% · 87 students
Student Composition
59%
29%
White59%
Hispanic / Latino6%
Black29%
Multiracial6%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 450390101743

Academic Outcomes at Palmetto Achievement Center for Excellence Academy

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 29203

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$25,770Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$25,770
State avg
$17,188
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$11,339
Student Support$4,896
Administration$3,092
Operations$3,866
Other$2,577
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $25,770 spent per student, an estimated $11,416 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
81%
State government
80.6%
Local (property tax)
5.8%
Federal programs
13.6%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $25,770/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 8.9:1 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 (35/100) — 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
East Point AcademyGREEN Charter School of SpartanburgLEAD AcademyLiberty STEAM Charter School
+7 more
↓
Middle
Tall Pines STEM AcademyYouth Leadership Academy
↓
High School
Fox Creek HighGreer Middle College Charter HighPalmetto Scholars AcademyGreenville Technical Charter High School
+4 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades02 – 08
Location—
CountyRichland County
CharterYes
VirtualNo
DistrictSC Public Charter School District →
Phone: (803)900-0664
NCES ID: 450390101743
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Columbia seeking a charter 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 SC Public Charter School District
Other
York Preparatory Academy
1,673 students · KG–12
● 42 opp41% FRL
Other
Legacy Early College
1,610 students · PK–12
● 35 opp100% FRL
Other
Bridges Preparatory School
1,271 students · KG–12
22% FRL
Other
High Point Academy
1,251 students · PK–12
● 37 opp69% FRL
Elem
East Point Academy
776 students · PK–08
● 47 opp50% FRL
High
Fox Creek High
659 students · 09–12
● 42 opp8% FRL
Other
Riverwalk Academy
628 students · KG–12
● 42 opp12% FRL
High
Greer Middle College Charter High
510 students · 09–12
● 38 opp2% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
6015 N Main Street, Columbia, SC 29203
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.