Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 32 schools in district

Forest Lake Elementary

6801 Brookfield Road, Columbia, SC 29206Richland 02 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
614
Students
Total enrolled
$18,376
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 28% vs nat'l
12.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 19% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 614 students in grades PK–05 in Columbia, South Carolina.
28% above average funding
District spends $18,376 per pupil, 28% more than the national average of $14,347.
12.5 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is well below the national average — smaller classes of 15.4:1.
About This School

Forest Lake Elementary is a large elementary in Columbia, South Carolina, serving grades PK–05 with 614 students. The district invests $18,376 per student — 28% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 70% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at Forest Lake Elementary

614
Total Students
12.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
70%
Free Lunch
49
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 Distribution304 male · 310 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility70%
National avg 52% · 432 students
Student Composition
23%
17%
53%
Asian3%
White23%
Hispanic / Latino17%
Black53%
Multiracial4%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 450339000969

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$18,376Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$18,376
State avg
$17,188
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,086
Student Support$3,491
Administration$2,205
Operations$2,756
Other$1,838
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $18,376 spent per student, an estimated $8,141 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
48%
42%
State government
47.7%
Local (property tax)
42.0%
Federal programs
10.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $18,376/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 12.5:1 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
E. L. Wright MiddleMuller Road MiddleSummit Parkway MiddleBethel-Hanberry Elementary
+17 more
↓
Middle
Kelly Mill MiddleDent MiddleLongleaf MiddleBlythewood Middle
↓
High School
Spring Valley HighBlythewood HighRidge View HighWestwood High
+1 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyRichland County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictRichland 02 →
Phone: (803)782-0470
NCES ID: 450339000969
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in 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 Richland 02
High
Spring Valley High
2,187 students · 09–12
● 40 opp49% FRL
High
Blythewood High
2,094 students · 09–12
● 35 opp39% FRL
High
Ridge View High
1,711 students · 09–12
● 40 opp60% FRL
High
Westwood High
1,684 students · 09–12
● 35 opp66% FRL
High
Richland Northeast High
1,359 students · 09–12
● 36 opp70% FRL
Elem
E. L. Wright Middle
1,354 students · KG–08
● 36 opp64% FRL
Elem
Muller Road Middle
1,246 students · KG–08
● 35 opp46% FRL
Elem
Summit Parkway Middle
1,154 students · KG–08
● 40 opp62% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
6801 Brookfield Road, Columbia, SC 29206
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.