Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 31 schools in district

White Knoll Elementary

132 White Knoll Way, West Columbia, SC 29170Lexington 01 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
673
Students
Total enrolled
$16,643
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 16% vs nat'l
12.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 16% vs nat'l
39/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 23% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 673 students in grades PK–05 in West Columbia, South Carolina.
16% above average funding
District spends $16,643 per pupil, 16% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 39th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

White Knoll Elementary is a large elementary in West Columbia, South Carolina, serving grades PK–05 with 673 students. The district invests $16,643 per student — 16% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 41% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. A neighborhood opportunity score of 39/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at White Knoll Elementary

673
Total Students
12.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
41%
Free Lunch
52
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution355 male · 318 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility41%
National avg 52% · 277 students
Student Composition
55%
14%
22%
8%
Asian1%
White55%
Hispanic / Latino14%
Black22%
Multiracial8%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 450270001429

Academic Outcomes at White Knoll Elementary

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
39
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 39th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 22th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 29170

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$16,643Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$16,643
State avg
$17,188
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,323
Student Support$3,162
Administration$1,997
Operations$2,496
Other$1,664
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $16,643 spent per student, an estimated $7,373 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
51%
41%
State government
51.0%
Local (property tax)
40.8%
Federal programs
8.2%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $16,643/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Lake Murray ElementaryPleasant Hill ElementaryMidway ElementaryRocky Creek Elementary
+12 more
↓
Middle
Beechwood MiddleCarolina Springs MiddleLakeside MiddleGilbert Middle
+4 more
↓
High School
Lexington HighWhite Knoll HighRiver Bluff HighGilbert High
+2 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyLexington County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictLexington 01 →
Phone: (803)821-4500
NCES ID: 450270001429
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in West Columbia seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Lexington 01
High
Lexington High
2,410 students · 09–12
17% FRL
High
White Knoll High
2,204 students · 09–12
● 36 opp45% FRL
High
River Bluff High
2,197 students · 09–12
19% FRL
High
Gilbert High
1,118 students · 09–12
● 40 opp38% FRL
Mid
Beechwood Middle
1,014 students · 06–08
18% FRL
Mid
Carolina Springs Middle
914 students · 06–08
● 36 opp46% FRL
Elem
Lake Murray Elementary
901 students · PK–05
13% FRL
Elem
Pleasant Hill Elementary
898 students · PK–05
14% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
132 White Knoll Way, West Columbia, SC 29170
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.