Tyrrell Elementary

Tyrrell Elementary is an elementary campus of low-enrollment scale in Columbia, North Carolina, part of Tyrrell County Schools, caters to 196 students in grades pre-K through 5. That puts it 58% smaller than the typical public school in North Carolina, which averages around 467 students.

Tyrrell County Schools runs 3 schools in total, collectively educating 462 students. Tyrrell Elementary is one of those campuses.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Tyrrell Elementary reports that 36% of students identify as Black, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups; the rest looks like 30% White, 28% Hispanic, 7% multiracial. That composition is broadly in line with Tyrrell County as a whole.

Looking at the economic backdrop, The school currently runs with 20 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 10.1:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 14.9:1, putting Tyrrell Elementary tighter than the state norm the norm. About 98% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Tyrrell Elementary sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 48.8%; this one delivers 41.6%.

In the surrounding community, ACS estimates for Tyrrell County put the typical household earns roughly $41,685 per year, 13% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 14%. Tyrrell Elementary is one of 3 public schools in Tyrrell County (combined enrollment of about 462 students).

Nearest neighbor: Columbia High, around 0.4 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 2 other public schools cluster around Tyrrell Elementary. On composite proficiency, Tyrrell Elementary comes 3rd of 6 in the immediate cluster, behind the nearby-schools average of 46.4%.

Geographically, the school is in a countryside area.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Tyrrell Elementary has fell 36%, going from 304 students in 2018 to 196 in 2025. Over the same period, the Hispanic share climbed from 20% to 28%. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 13.2:1 in 2018 to 10.1:1 today.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.