Enrollment
46
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbia, SC
Pendergrass Fairwold School
Federal NCES profile for Pendergrass Fairwold School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450336000957
👥 S:T ratio 90
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 91
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pendergrass Fairwold School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of South Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in South Carolina.
- #5 of 43
- schools in Columbia · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 2.4:1
- small classes for South Carolina
- 93.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Pendergrass Fairwold School has class sizes smaller than 99% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pendergrass Fairwold School ranks #5 of 43 schools in Columbia, SC.
School address
District: Richland 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450336000957 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
2.4:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-83% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
93.5%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pendergrass Fairwold School compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pendergrass Fairwold School
Pendergrass Fairwold School is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Columbia, South Carolina, enrolling 46 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 2.4:1, Pendergrass Fairwold School is leaner than roughly 99% of South Carolina schools and 83% under the state's 14.3:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 93.5% lands close to the South Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 99% of South Carolina schools, with 46 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Its student body is predominantly African American (80% of enrollment) (diversity index 34/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 46 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 45.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Richland 01 spends $18,122 per pupil, 24% above the South Carolina average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Columbia's public schools, it stands alongside Sc Connections Academy (6,152 students): Pendergrass Fairwold School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (2.4:1 vs 27.8:1).
Richland 01 also operates A. C. Flora High (1,328 students) and Lower Richland High (1,218 students) alongside Pendergrass Fairwold School.
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 Pendergrass Fairwold School compares
Pendergrass Fairwold School 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 | 2.4:1 | ▼ 83% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 93.5% | ▲ 26% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 46 | top 99% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
2.4:1
Leaner classes than 100% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
46
Bigger than 5% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
93.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
2.4:1
students per teacher
- 83% below state mean
Top 1% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 99% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
45.7%
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
$18,122
per pupil, district-wide
- above South Carolina avg of $14,558
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 46 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 80.4%
White 8.7%
Hispanic or Latino 6.5%
Two or More 4.3%
Largest group: African American at 80.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.0, Pendergrass Fairwold School is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Richland 01, which includes Pendergrass Fairwold School.
$18,122
Per student
+24%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
+9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 58.1%
State 28.3%
Federal 13.6%
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 Pendergrass Fairwold School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. C. Flora High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lower Richland High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dreher High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Crayton Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brennen Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pendergrass Fairwold School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,328
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,218
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,144
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 952
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 805
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
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 (~46 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pendergrass Fairwold School's federal record.
- Compare Pendergrass Fairwold School against another school. Compare schools
- Richland 01'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 Pendergrass Fairwold School
How many students attend Pendergrass Fairwold School?
Pendergrass Fairwold School has 46 students enrolled. It is a special-education school in Columbia, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pendergrass Fairwold School?
The student-teacher ratio at Pendergrass Fairwold School is 2.4:1, which is 83% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 85% 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 Pendergrass Fairwold School?
93.5% of students at Pendergrass Fairwold School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pendergrass Fairwold School?
The largest demographic group at Pendergrass Fairwold School is African American at 80.4% of enrollment, in Columbia, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pendergrass Fairwold School?
Pendergrass Fairwold School 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 Pendergrass Fairwold School rank among schools in Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, Pendergrass Fairwold School ranks #5 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 Pendergrass Fairwold School a good school?
Pendergrass Fairwold School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of South Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in South Carolina. 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 01?
Besides Pendergrass Fairwold School, Richland 01 also operates A. C. Flora High (1,328 students), Lower Richland High (1,218 students), and Dreher High (1,144 students). See the Richland 01 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.