Enrollment
400
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · West Columbia, SC
Saluda River Academy for the Arts
Federal NCES profile for Saluda River Academy for the Arts, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 450273000733
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Saluda River Academy for the Arts earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #6 of 14
- public schools in West Columbia · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.8:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Saluda River Academy for the Arts has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Saluda River Academy for the Arts ranks #6 of 14 public schools in West Columbia, SC.
School address
District: Lexington 02 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450273000733 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Saluda River Academy for the Arts compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Saluda River Academy for the Arts
Saluda River Academy for the Arts is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in West Columbia, South Carolina, enrolling 400 students.
At 13.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the South Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 14.3:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
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.
Enrollment of 400 puts it in the smaller 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 343 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #102.
Its student body is led by White (39%) and African American (29%) (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 400 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 17.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among West Columbia's elementary schools, it stands alongside Congaree Elementary (352 students): Saluda River Academy for the Arts is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.8:1 vs 12.6:1).
Lexington 02 also operates Airport High (1,272 students) and Brookland-Cayce High (1,212 students) alongside Saluda River Academy for the Arts.
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 Saluda River Academy for the Arts compares
Saluda River Academy for the Arts 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 | 13.8:1 | ▼ 3% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 400 | top 71% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
400
Bigger than 47% 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
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 46% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
18.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,320
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 400 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.8 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
White 38.5%
African American 29.3%
Hispanic or Latino 20.5%
Two or More 7.3%
Asian 3.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.3%
Largest group: White at 38.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.7, Saluda River Academy for the Arts is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lexington 02, which includes Saluda River Academy for the Arts.
$14,320
Per student
-2%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 41.1%
State 41.7%
Federal 17.2%
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 Saluda River Academy for the Arts Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airport High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brookland-Cayce High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Riverbank Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cayce Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Herbert a. Wood Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Saluda River Academy for the Arts's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,272
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,212
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 996
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 977
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 938
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar elementary schools in West Columbia
1 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 (~400 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Saluda River Academy for the Arts's federal record.
- Compare Saluda River Academy for the Arts against another school. Compare schools
- Lexington 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 Saluda River Academy for the Arts
How many students attend Saluda River Academy for the Arts?
Saluda River Academy for the Arts has 400 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in West Columbia, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Saluda River Academy for the Arts?
The student-teacher ratio at Saluda River Academy for the Arts is 13.8:1, which is 3% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 12% 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 Saluda River Academy for the Arts?
100.0% of students at Saluda River Academy for the Arts are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Saluda River Academy for the Arts?
The largest demographic group at Saluda River Academy for the Arts is White at 38.5% of enrollment, in West Columbia, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Saluda River Academy for the Arts?
Saluda River Academy for the Arts has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Saluda River Academy for the Arts rank among public schools in West Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, Saluda River Academy for the Arts ranks #6 of 14 public schools in West Columbia, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in West Columbia on the city page.
Is Saluda River Academy for the Arts a good school?
Saluda River Academy for the Arts earns 47/100 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 Lexington 02?
Besides Saluda River Academy for the Arts, Lexington 02 also operates Airport High (1,272 students), Brookland-Cayce High (1,212 students), and Riverbank Elementary (996 students). See the Lexington 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.