Enrollment
1,275
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Columbia, SC
E. L. Wright Middle
Federal NCES profile for E. L. Wright Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 450339000973
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 15
📋 Attendance 48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
E. L. Wright Middle earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #5 of 5
- elementary schools in Columbia · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.7:1
- students per teacher
- 64.5%
- free-lunch eligible
E. L. Wright Middle has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, E. L. Wright Middle ranks #5 of 5 elementary schools in Columbia, SC.
School address
District: Richland 02 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450339000973 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
87.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.5%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How E. L. Wright Middle compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at E. L. Wright Middle
E. L. Wright Middle is a higher-need, large elementary school in Columbia, South Carolina, enrolling 1,275 students.
At 14.7:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the South Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 14.3:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 64.5% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Carolina, bigger than 93% of state schools at 1,275 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Against 99 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #36.
Its student body is led by African American (58%) and White (16%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 425 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Discipline events run high: 511 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,275 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 6 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Columbia's elementary schools, it stands alongside Summit Parkway Middle (1,229 students): E. L. Wright Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.7:1 vs 16.6:1).
Richland 02 also operates Spring Valley High (2,230 students) and Blythewood High (2,164 students) alongside E. L. Wright Middle.
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 E. L. Wright Middle compares
E. L. Wright Middle 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 | 14.7:1 | ▲ 3% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.5% | ▼ 13% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,275 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,275
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% below 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
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 60% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 40% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
21.0%
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
$13,517
per pupil, district-wide
- below South Carolina avg of $14,558
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 425 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
262
in-school suspensions + 249 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 20.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 40.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 expulsions.
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 57.6%
White 15.8%
Hispanic or Latino 15.8%
Asian 5.6%
Two or More 4.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 57.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.3, E. L. Wright Middle is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Richland 02, which includes E. L. Wright Middle.
$13,517
Per student
-7%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.0%
State 47.7%
Federal 10.3%
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 E. L. Wright Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Valley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Blythewood High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westwood High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ridge View High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Richland Northeast High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to E. L. Wright Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,230
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,164
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,743
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,631
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,340
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Columbia
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Summit Parkway Middle
Standard public school
1,229 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Satchel Ford Elementary
Standard public school
721 students 16:1 students per teacher
Rosewood Elementary
Standard public school
338 students 12.1:1 students per teacher
Palmetto Achievement Center for Excellence Academy
Standard public school
216 students 8.3:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~1,275 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on E. L. Wright Middle's federal record.
- Compare E. L. Wright Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Richland 02'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 E. L. Wright Middle
How many students attend E. L. Wright Middle?
E. L. Wright Middle has 1,275 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Columbia, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at E. L. Wright Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at E. L. Wright Middle is 14.7:1, which is 3% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at E. L. Wright Middle?
64.5% of students at E. L. Wright Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of E. L. Wright Middle?
The largest demographic group at E. L. Wright Middle is African American at 57.6% of enrollment, in Columbia, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for E. L. Wright Middle?
E. L. Wright Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 E. L. Wright Middle rank among elementary schools in Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, E. L. Wright Middle ranks #5 of 5 elementary 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 elementary schools in Columbia on the city page.
Is E. L. Wright Middle a good school?
E. L. Wright Middle earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median. 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 02?
Besides E. L. Wright Middle, Richland 02 also operates Spring Valley High (2,230 students), Blythewood High (2,164 students), and Westwood High (1,743 students). See the Richland 02 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.