Carolina School for Inquiry

Carolina School for Inquiry is listed by the National Center for Education Statistics as an elementary school in Columbia, South Carolina. It reported 114 students in pre-K through 6 in 2024-25. Elementary schools in South Carolina have about 526 students on average; enrollment here is 78% lower.

Carolina School for Inquiry falls under Richland 01, which has 47 schools enrolling 21,814 students.

Black students account for 91% of the school's enrollment. Beyond that, enrollment is 4% White and 3% multiracial. The Black share of the county population is lower, at 47%. Its diversity index, the chance that two randomly chosen students belong to different racial or ethnic groups, is 17%.

Classroom staffing at Carolina School for Inquiry totals 12 full-time-equivalent teachers, and the student-to-teacher ratio is 9.5:1. The average for elementary schools in South Carolina, 13.3:1, is higher.

In Richland County, home to about 422,117 people, the median household earns about $63,784 a year, a bachelor's degree or higher is held by about 41% of adults, and the share of residents below the poverty line is 12%. Public schools in Richland County number 104, with about 60,410 students.

Carolina School for Inquiry is about 1.4 miles from Forest Heights Elementary, its nearest public school. Within five miles are at least 8 other public schools.

Carolina School for Inquiry falls in the Suburb: Large locale category, used for schools in a suburban area outside a principal city, within an urbanized area with a population of 250,000 or more. NCES lists Carolina School for Inquiry as a charter school.

The 2020-21-to-2024-25 change in enrollment was a 20% decline, from 142 to 114. The ratio was 14.2:1 in 2020-21 and 9.5:1 in 2024-25.

This page collects posts and questions about Carolina School for Inquiry, such as open houses, carpools, and field trips. Current and former families are welcome to add their experience.