Enrollment
489
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbia, SC
L. W. Conder Elementary
Federal NCES profile for L. W. Conder Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450339000968
👥 S:T ratio 56
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 2
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
L. W. Conder Elementary earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of South Carolina schools.
- #34 of 43
- schools in Columbia · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.9:1
- small classes for South Carolina
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
L. W. Conder Elementary has class sizes smaller than 88% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, L. W. Conder Elementary ranks #34 of 43 schools in Columbia, SC.
School address
District: Richland 02 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450339000968 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
45.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.9:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How L. W. Conder Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at L. W. Conder Elementary
L. W. Conder Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Columbia, South Carolina, enrolling 489 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.9:1, L. W. Conder Elementary is leaner than roughly 88% of South Carolina schools and 24% 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 489 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.
Against 381 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #238.
Its student body is led by African American (53%) and Hispanic or Latino (38%) (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 489 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Columbia's public schools, it stands alongside Sc Connections Academy (6,152 students): L. W. Conder Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.9:1 vs 27.8:1).
Richland 02 also operates Spring Valley High (2,230 students) and Blythewood High (2,164 students) alongside L. W. Conder 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 L. W. Conder Elementary compares
L. W. Conder 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 | 10.9:1 | ▼ 24% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 489 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.9:1
Leaner classes than 84% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
489
Bigger than 60% 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
10.9:1
students per teacher
- 24% below state mean
Top 12% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 88% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
29.0%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 489 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 53.3%
Hispanic or Latino 38.3%
White 3.7%
Two or More 3.7%
Asian 1.0%
Largest group: African American at 53.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.6, L. W. Conder 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 Richland 02, which includes L. W. Conder 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 L. W. Conder 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 L. W. Conder 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 (~489 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on L. W. Conder Elementary's federal record.
- Compare L. W. Conder 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 L. W. Conder Elementary
How many students attend L. W. Conder Elementary?
L. W. Conder Elementary has 489 students enrolled. It is a public school in Columbia, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at L. W. Conder Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at L. W. Conder Elementary is 10.9:1, which is 24% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 31% 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 L. W. Conder Elementary?
100.0% of students at L. W. Conder Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of L. W. Conder Elementary?
The largest demographic group at L. W. Conder Elementary is African American at 53.3% of enrollment, in Columbia, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for L. W. Conder Elementary?
L. W. Conder Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 L. W. Conder Elementary rank among schools in Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, L. W. Conder Elementary ranks #34 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 L. W. Conder Elementary a good school?
L. W. Conder Elementary earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% 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 L. W. Conder 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.