Enrollment
510
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbia, SC
Harbison West Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Harbison West Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450282001345
👥 S:T ratio 61
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 63
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Harbison West Elementary earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 92% of South Carolina schools.
- #9 of 43
- schools in Columbia · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 9.8:1
- small classes for South Carolina
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Harbison West Elementary has class sizes smaller than 92% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Harbison West Elementary ranks #9 of 43 schools in Columbia, SC.
School address
District: Lexington 05 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450282001345 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
52.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
9.8:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Harbison West Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Harbison West Elementary
Harbison West Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Columbia, South Carolina, enrolling 510 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 9.8:1, Harbison West Elementary is leaner than roughly 92% of South Carolina schools and 31% under the state's 14.3:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
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.
With 510 students, its enrollment sits close to the South Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Against 384 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #78.
Its student body is led by African American (56%) and White (22%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 510 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
14.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Columbia's public schools, it stands alongside Sc Connections Academy (6,152 students): Harbison West Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (9.8:1 vs 27.8:1).
Lexington 05 also operates Dutch Fork High (1,703 students) and Chapin High (1,617 students) alongside Harbison West Elementary.
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 Harbison West Elementary compares
Harbison West Elementary 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 | 9.8:1 | ▼ 31% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 510 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9.8:1
Leaner classes than 90% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
510
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
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
9.8:1
students per teacher
- 31% below state mean
Top 8% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 92% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
14.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$14,775
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 510 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 37 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.0 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 55.9%
White 22.4%
Hispanic or Latino 9.2%
Two or More 8.0%
Asian 3.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 55.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.1, Harbison West Elementary is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lexington 05, which includes Harbison West Elementary.
$14,775
Per student
+1%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.4%
State 50.2%
Federal 9.4%
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 Harbison West Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dutch Fork High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chapin High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Irmo High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spring Hill High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chapin Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Harbison West Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,703
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 1,617
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 1,272
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,118
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
- Enrollment
- 1,007
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
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 (~510 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~9.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Harbison West Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Harbison West Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Lexington 05'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 Harbison West Elementary
How many students attend Harbison West Elementary?
Harbison West Elementary has 510 students enrolled. It is a public school in Columbia, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Harbison West Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Harbison West Elementary is 9.8:1, which is 31% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 38% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Harbison West Elementary?
100.0% of students at Harbison West Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Harbison West Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Harbison West Elementary is African American at 55.9% of enrollment, in Columbia, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Harbison West Elementary?
Harbison West Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 Harbison West Elementary rank among schools in Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, Harbison West Elementary ranks #9 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 Harbison West Elementary a good school?
Harbison West Elementary earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 92% of South Carolina schools. 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 Lexington 05?
Besides Harbison West Elementary, Lexington 05 also operates Dutch Fork High (1,703 students), Chapin High (1,617 students), and Irmo High (1,272 students). See the Lexington 05 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.