Robert Smalls Leadership Academy

43 W. K. Alston Drive
Beaufort, SC 29906

785 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 8th

School Overview

Robert Smalls International Academy, located in Beaufort, South Carolina, is a unique public school serving students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, it emphasizes a global-minded curriculum that encourages students to become active, compassionate, and lifelong learners. The school’s academic model is designed to foster critical thinking and cultural awareness, integrating international standards into the traditional state curriculum to prepare students for success in an increasingly interconnected world.

Beyond its rigorous academic focus, Robert Smalls International Academy is deeply rooted in its community, named in honor of the historic Beaufort figure Robert Smalls, who was an enslaved man who escaped to freedom and later served as a U.S. Congressman. The school culture emphasizes character development, service learning, and community involvement. With a dedicated faculty and a diverse student body, the academy strives to create an inclusive environment where students are challenged to reach their full potential through inquiry-based learning and collaborative projects.

785

Total Students

71.2

Full-Time Teachers

11.0

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Robert Smalls Leadership Academy
Demographic	Student Count
White	108
Hispanic	248
Black	358
Asian	13
Two or More	55
American Indian	1
Pacific Islander	2

Black
358 (45.6%)
Hispanic
248 (31.6%)
White
108 (13.8%)
Two or More
55 (7.0%)
Asian
13 (1.7%)
Pacific Islander
2 (0.3%)
American Indian
1 (0.1%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	Supplemental Virtual
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Beaufort 01
Phone:	(843)322-2500
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 8th
Total Students:	785
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	71.2
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	11.0
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	0
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 32

Kindergarten 42

Grade 1 42

Grade 2 43

Grade 3 51

Grade 4 47

Grade 5 44

Grade 6 148

Grade 7 153

Grade 8 183