Enrollment
992
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Columbia, SC
Irmo Middle
Federal NCES profile for Irmo Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 450282000758
👥 S:T ratio 56
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Irmo Middle earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of South Carolina schools.
- #2 of 11
- middle schools in Columbia · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11:1
- small classes for South Carolina
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Irmo Middle has class sizes smaller than 87% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Irmo Middle ranks #2 of 11 middle schools in Columbia, SC.
School address
District: Lexington 05 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450282000758 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
90.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Irmo Middle compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Irmo Middle
Irmo Middle is a high-poverty, large middle school in Columbia, South Carolina, enrolling 992 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11:1, Irmo Middle is leaner than roughly 87% of South Carolina schools and 23% 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.
Enrollment of 992 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Among 145 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #9, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (44%) and White (34%) (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 248 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.6% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Discipline events run high: 334 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 992 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 14 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Columbia's middle schools, it stands alongside Dent Middle (1,059 students): Irmo Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11:1 vs 12.8:1).
Lexington 05 also operates Dutch Fork High (1,703 students) and Chapin High (1,617 students) alongside Irmo 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 Irmo Middle compares
Irmo 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 | 11:1 | ▼ 23% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 992 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11:1
Leaner classes than 83% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
992
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
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
11:1
students per teacher
- 23% below state mean
Top 13% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 87% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
24.6%
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
$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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 248 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
129
in-school suspensions + 205 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 33.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 14 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 44.3%
White 33.8%
Two or More 9.4%
Hispanic or Latino 8.6%
Asian 3.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 44.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.2, Irmo 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 Lexington 05, which includes Irmo Middle.
$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 Irmo Middle 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| Spring Hill High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chapin Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Irmo Middle'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 middle schools in Columbia
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Dent Middle
Standard public school
1,059 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Crayton Middle
Standard public school
952 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Longleaf Middle
Standard public school
796 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Hand Middle
Standard public school
755 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
St. Andrews Middle
Standard public school
627 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
Crossroads Intermediate
Standard public school
557 students 9.6:1 students per teacher
Similar middle 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 (~992 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Irmo Middle's federal record.
- Compare Irmo Middle 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 Irmo Middle
How many students attend Irmo Middle?
Irmo Middle has 992 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Columbia, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Irmo Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Irmo Middle is 11:1, which is 23% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 30% 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 Irmo Middle?
100.0% of students at Irmo Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Irmo Middle?
The largest demographic group at Irmo Middle is African American at 44.3% of enrollment, in Columbia, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Irmo Middle?
Irmo Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher 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 Irmo Middle rank among middle schools in Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, Irmo Middle ranks #2 of 11 middle 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 middle schools in Columbia on the city page.
Is Irmo Middle a good school?
Irmo Middle earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% 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 Irmo Middle, 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.