Enrollment
718
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbia, SC
Rice Creek Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Rice Creek Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450339000042
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rice Creek Elementary earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #27 of 43
- schools in Columbia · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.3:1
- students per teacher
- 76.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Rice Creek Elementary has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Rice Creek Elementary ranks #27 of 43 schools in Columbia, SC.
School address
District: Richland 02 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450339000042 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
54.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.3:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.1%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Rice Creek Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Rice Creek Elementary
Rice Creek Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Columbia, South Carolina, enrolling 718 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 76.1% lands close to the South Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 718 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Against 122 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #51.
Its student body is led by African American (75%) and Two or More (9%) (diversity index 42/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 718 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
17.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Columbia's public schools, it stands alongside Sc Connections Academy (6,152 students): Rice Creek Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.3:1 vs 27.8:1).
Richland 02 also operates Spring Valley High (2,230 students) and Blythewood High (2,164 students) alongside Rice Creek 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 Rice Creek Elementary compares
Rice Creek 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 | 13.3:1 | ▼ 7% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.1% | ▲ 3% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 718 | top 31% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.3:1
Leaner classes than 64% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
718
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
76.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% 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
13.3:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 39% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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 718 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.5 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 74.9%
Two or More 9.1%
Hispanic or Latino 7.9%
White 5.3%
Asian 2.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 74.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.1, Rice Creek 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 Rice Creek 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 Rice Creek 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 | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rice Creek 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
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
Polo Road Elementary
Standard public school
665 students 12.8:1 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 (~718 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Rice Creek Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Rice Creek 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 Rice Creek Elementary
How many students attend Rice Creek Elementary?
Rice Creek Elementary has 718 students enrolled. It is a public school in Columbia, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rice Creek Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Rice Creek Elementary is 13.3:1, which is 7% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 15% 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 Rice Creek Elementary?
76.1% of students at Rice Creek Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rice Creek Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Rice Creek Elementary is African American at 74.9% of enrollment, in Columbia, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rice Creek Elementary?
Rice Creek Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Rice Creek Elementary rank among schools in Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, Rice Creek Elementary ranks #27 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 Rice Creek Elementary a good school?
Rice Creek Elementary earns 43/100 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 Rice Creek 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.