Enrollment
465
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbia, SC
Joseph Keels Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Joseph Keels Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450339000970
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 7
📋 Attendance 12
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Joseph Keels Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of South Carolina schools.
- #37 of 43
- schools in Columbia · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.6:1
- small classes for South Carolina
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Joseph Keels Elementary has class sizes smaller than 82% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Joseph Keels Elementary ranks #37 of 43 schools in Columbia, SC.
School address
District: Richland 02 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450339000970 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.6:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Joseph Keels Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Joseph Keels Elementary
Joseph Keels Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Columbia, South Carolina, enrolling 465 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
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 465 students, its enrollment sits close to the South Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Among 370 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #280, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 28/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 465 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Columbia's public schools, it stands alongside Sc Connections Academy (6,152 students): Joseph Keels Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.6:1 vs 27.8:1).
Richland 02 also operates Spring Valley High (2,230 students) and Blythewood High (2,164 students) alongside Joseph Keels 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 Joseph Keels Elementary compares
Joseph Keels 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 | 11.6:1 | ▼ 19% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 465 | top 61% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.6:1
Leaner classes than 79% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
465
Bigger than 57% 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
11.6:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 18% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 82% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
35.3%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 465 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 47 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.1 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 84.0%
Hispanic or Latino 9.6%
Two or More 4.2%
White 1.5%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: African American at 84.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.3, Joseph Keels Elementary 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 02, which includes Joseph Keels Elementary.
$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 Joseph Keels Elementary 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 | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ridge View High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Richland Northeast High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Joseph Keels Elementary'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 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 (~465 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Joseph Keels Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Joseph Keels Elementary 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 Joseph Keels Elementary
How many students attend Joseph Keels Elementary?
Joseph Keels Elementary has 465 students enrolled. It is a public school in Columbia, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Joseph Keels Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Joseph Keels Elementary is 11.6:1, which is 19% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 26% 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 Joseph Keels Elementary?
100.0% of students at Joseph Keels Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Joseph Keels Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Joseph Keels Elementary is African American at 84.0% of enrollment, in Columbia, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Joseph Keels Elementary?
Joseph Keels Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 Joseph Keels Elementary rank among schools in Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, Joseph Keels Elementary ranks #37 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 Joseph Keels Elementary a good school?
Joseph Keels Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% 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 Richland 02?
Besides Joseph Keels Elementary, 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.