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#599 of 1,176 schools in SC

Joseph Keels Elementary

Elementary School · Richland 02 · Columbia, SC

A Richland 02 elementary school serving grades Pre-K – 5th.

7500 Springcrest Drive, Columbia, SC 29223

  • Math 39% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 38% proficient (2022)
  • 11.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.0Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-3.39 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics6.2Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency39% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency38% (2022 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency39% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)36% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected+2.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile46th
Resources & Environment7.1Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.1:1
District spending per student$14,024
Chronic Absenteeism32.2%

Students at Joseph Keels Elementary score 38% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 36%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. SC average.

Math Proficiency39%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency38%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 38 points across the 14-year record (2009–2022) and has held near 39% recently.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
74%
ELA
79%
2010
Math
56%
ELA
73%
2011
Math
58%
ELA
63%
2012
Math
51%
ELA
67%
2013
Math
55%
ELA
67%
2014
Math
36%
ELA
19%
2015
Math
22%
ELA
20%
2016
Math
28%
ELA
21%
2017
Math
31%
ELA
26%
2018
Math
37%
ELA
31%
2019
Math
37%
ELA
31%
2020*
Math
27%
ELA
26%
2021*
Math
27%
ELA
26%
2022
Math
39%
ELA
38%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 41% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 42% (multi-year average, 2009-2022)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from SC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

100%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Joseph Keels Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 49Car-Dependent
  • Bike 32Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,022/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Columbia), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$56,300

Median home value

$183,800

Median rent

$1,217/mo

College educated

36.1%

Homeownership

57.9%

Poverty rate

18%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 29223; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Jackson Creek ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.5PK–50.9 mi586Compare →
Mission Hope FoundationPrivate · tuition7.0privatePK–101.6 mi58Compare →
E. L. Wright MiddleEnrollment path unverified5.9K–81.8 mi1,285Compare →
Forest Lake ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.4PK–51.8 mi638Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Richland 02

Schools in district
32
Rank in district
#20 of 32
District spending per student
$14,024NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
15.0%Census SAIPE · 2024

Joseph Keels Elementary is listed in Richland 02; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Joseph Keels Elementary

Joseph Keels Elementary is a public elementary school in Columbia, SC, part of Richland 02, serving approximately 478 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 11.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.3 out of 10 and ranks #599 of 1,176 schools in SC. State assessment records show 41% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 42% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Joseph Keels Elementary

What grades does Joseph Keels Elementary serve?

Joseph Keels Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Joseph Keels Elementary?

Joseph Keels Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 478 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Joseph Keels Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Joseph Keels Elementary is 11.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Joseph Keels Elementary rank in SC?

Joseph Keels Elementary ranks #599 of 1,176 schools in SC.

What is Joseph Keels Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Joseph Keels Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.3 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Joseph Keels Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Joseph Keels Elementary has 41% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 42% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Joseph Keels Elementary a charter school?

No, Joseph Keels Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Joseph Keels Elementary a Title I school?

No, Joseph Keels Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Joseph Keels Elementary?

100.0% of students at Joseph Keels Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
478
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
43
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Richland County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
32.2%
Area population (ZIP 29223)
52,835
Area average commute
24.1 min
Area median age
37.2
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 29223; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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