Enrollment
114
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbia, SC
Carolina School for Inquiry
Federal NCES profile for Carolina School for Inquiry, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450336001463Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 77
📋 Attendance 14
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Carolina School for Inquiry earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of South Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in South Carolina.
- #16 of 43
- schools in Columbia · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Carolina School for Inquiry has class sizes larger than 94% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Carolina School for Inquiry ranks #16 of 43 schools in Columbia, SC.
School address
District: Richland 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450336001463 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
6.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Carolina School for Inquiry compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Carolina School for Inquiry
Carolina School for Inquiry is a high-poverty, small charter combined-grade school in Columbia, South Carolina, enrolling 114 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19:1 is larger than about 94% of South Carolina schools and 33% above the 14.3:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 100.0% lands close to the South Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 97% of South Carolina schools, with 114 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Among 27 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #22, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (91% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 17/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 114 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Richland 01 spends $18,122 per pupil, 24% above the South Carolina average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Columbia's public schools, it stands alongside Sc Connections Academy (6,152 students): Carolina School for Inquiry is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19:1 vs 27.8:1).
Richland 01 also operates A. C. Flora High (1,328 students) and Lower Richland High (1,218 students) alongside Carolina School for Inquiry.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Carolina School for Inquiry compares
Carolina School for Inquiry on the metrics families compare, against South Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs South Carolina | South Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19:1 | ▲ 33% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 114 | top 97% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
114
Bigger than 11% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% above the South Carolina average of 74.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19:1
students per teacher
- 33% above state mean
Top 94% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
34.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$18,122
per pupil, district-wide
- above South Carolina avg of $14,558
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 114 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 91.2%
White 3.5%
Two or More 2.6%
Hispanic or Latino 1.8%
Asian 0.9%
Largest group: African American at 91.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 16.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 16.6, Carolina School for Inquiry is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Richland 01, which includes Carolina School for Inquiry.
$18,122
Per student
+24%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
+9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 58.1%
State 28.3%
Federal 13.6%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Carolina School for Inquiry Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. C. Flora High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lower Richland High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Dreher High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Crayton Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Brennen Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Carolina School for Inquiry's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,328
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,218
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,144
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 952
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 805
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar other schools in Columbia
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Sc Connections Academy
Standard public school
6,152 students 27.8:1 students per teacher
Brennen Elementary
Standard public school
805 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Rice Creek Elementary
Standard public school
718 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Caughman Road Elementary
Standard public school
715 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Killian Elementary
Standard public school
699 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Sandlapper Elementary
Standard public school
671 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of South Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~114 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Carolina School for Inquiry's federal record.
- Compare Carolina School for Inquiry against another school. Compare schools
- Richland 01's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Carolina School for Inquiry
How many students attend Carolina School for Inquiry?
Carolina School for Inquiry has 114 students enrolled. It is a public school in Columbia, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Carolina School for Inquiry?
The student-teacher ratio at Carolina School for Inquiry is 19:1, which is 33% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 21% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Carolina School for Inquiry?
100.0% of students at Carolina School for Inquiry are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Carolina School for Inquiry?
The largest demographic group at Carolina School for Inquiry is African American at 91.2% of enrollment, in Columbia, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Carolina School for Inquiry?
Carolina School for Inquiry has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Carolina School for Inquiry rank among schools in Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, Carolina School for Inquiry ranks #16 of 43 schools in Columbia, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Columbia on the city page.
Is Carolina School for Inquiry a good school?
Carolina School for Inquiry earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of South Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in South Carolina. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Richland 01?
Besides Carolina School for Inquiry, Richland 01 also operates A. C. Flora High (1,328 students), Lower Richland High (1,218 students), and Dreher High (1,144 students). See the Richland 01 district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.