Enrollment
615
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · West Columbia, SC
White Knoll Elementary
Federal NCES profile for White Knoll Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450270001429
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 51
📋 Attendance 39
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
White Knoll Elementary earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% of South Carolina schools.
- #3 of 6
- schools in West Columbia · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.8:1
- small classes for South Carolina
- 38.0%
- free-lunch eligible
White Knoll Elementary has class sizes smaller than 81% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, White Knoll Elementary ranks #3 of 6 schools in West Columbia, SC.
School address
District: Lexington 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450270001429 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
52.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.8:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-49% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How White Knoll Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at White Knoll Elementary
White Knoll Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in West Columbia, South Carolina, enrolling 615 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 38.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 615 students, its enrollment sits close to the South Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Against 119 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #21.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and African American (23%) (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 246 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among West Columbia's public schools, it stands alongside South Carolina Virtual Charter School (2,180 students): White Knoll Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.8:1 vs 15.8:1).
Lexington 01 also operates Lexington High (2,536 students) and River Bluff High (2,117 students) alongside White Knoll 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 White Knoll Elementary compares
White Knoll 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 | 11.8:1 | ▼ 17% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.0% | ▼ 49% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 615 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.8:1
Leaner classes than 77% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
615
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% below the South Carolina average of 74.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
11.8:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 19% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 81% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
24.4%
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
$13,017
per pupil, district-wide
- below South Carolina avg of $14,558
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.5 FTE
Per 246 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.4 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
White 53.0%
African American 22.9%
Hispanic or Latino 15.4%
Two or More 7.3%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 53.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.8, White Knoll 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 Lexington 01, which includes White Knoll Elementary.
$13,017
Per student
-11%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.8%
State 51.0%
Federal 8.2%
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 White Knoll Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| River Bluff High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| White Knoll High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gilbert High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Beechwood Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to White Knoll Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,536
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,117
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 2,025
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 1,138
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,033
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar other schools in West Columbia
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
South Carolina Virtual Charter School
Standard public school
2,180 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Riverbank Elementary
Standard public school
996 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Herbert a. Wood Elementary
Standard public school
938 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Gray Collegiate Academy
Standard public school
935 students 24:1 students per teacher
Springdale Elementary
Standard public school
443 students 15.3:1 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 (~615 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on White Knoll Elementary's federal record.
- Compare White Knoll Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Lexington 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 White Knoll Elementary
How many students attend White Knoll Elementary?
White Knoll Elementary has 615 students enrolled. It is a public school in West Columbia, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at White Knoll Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at White Knoll Elementary is 11.8:1, which is 17% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 25% 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 White Knoll Elementary?
38.0% of students at White Knoll Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of White Knoll Elementary?
The largest demographic group at White Knoll Elementary is White at 53.0% of enrollment, in West Columbia, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for White Knoll Elementary?
White Knoll Elementary 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 White Knoll Elementary rank among schools in West Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, White Knoll Elementary ranks #3 of 6 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 schools in West Columbia on the city page.
Is White Knoll Elementary a good school?
White Knoll Elementary earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% 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 Lexington 01?
Besides White Knoll Elementary, Lexington 01 also operates Lexington High (2,536 students), River Bluff High (2,117 students), and White Knoll High (2,025 students). See the Lexington 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.