Enrollment
979
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Blythewood, SC
Kelly Mill Middle
Federal NCES profile for Kelly Mill Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 450339000927
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Kelly Mill Middle earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Blythewood · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.1:1
- students per teacher
- 60.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Kelly Mill Middle has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Kelly Mill Middle ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Blythewood, SC.
School address
District: Richland 02 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450339000927 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
65.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.3%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Kelly Mill Middle compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Kelly Mill Middle
Kelly Mill Middle is a higher-need, large elementary school in Blythewood, South Carolina, enrolling 979 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.1:1 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 60.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 979 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 156 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #12, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (68%) and White (13%) (diversity index 50/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 326 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
13.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 5 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Blythewood's elementary schools, it stands alongside Muller Road Middle (1,242 students): Kelly Mill Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.1:1 vs 17.7:1).
Richland 02 also operates Spring Valley High (2,230 students) and Blythewood High (2,164 students) alongside Kelly Mill 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 Kelly Mill Middle compares
Kelly Mill 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 | 15.1:1 | ▲ 6% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.3% | ▼ 19% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 979 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.1:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
979
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 65% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
13.7%
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
$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 326 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
83
in-school suspensions + 106 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 5 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 68.2%
White 13.0%
Hispanic or Latino 9.4%
Two or More 7.0%
Asian 2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 68.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.4, Kelly Mill Middle 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 Kelly Mill 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 Kelly Mill 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 | Similar 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 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Kelly Mill 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 Blythewood
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~979 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Kelly Mill Middle's federal record.
- Compare Kelly Mill 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 Kelly Mill Middle
How many students attend Kelly Mill Middle?
Kelly Mill Middle has 979 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Blythewood, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Kelly Mill Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Kelly Mill Middle is 15.1:1, which is 6% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Kelly Mill Middle?
60.3% of students at Kelly Mill Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Kelly Mill Middle?
The largest demographic group at Kelly Mill Middle is African American at 68.2% of enrollment, in Blythewood, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Kelly Mill Middle?
Kelly Mill Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (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 Kelly Mill Middle rank among elementary schools in Blythewood?
By Resource Investment Index, Kelly Mill Middle ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Blythewood, 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 Blythewood on the city page.
Is Kelly Mill Middle a good school?
Kelly Mill Middle earns 53/100 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 Kelly Mill 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.