Forest Heights Elementary

Forest Heights Elementary is a low-enrollment primary school in Columbia, South Carolina, one of the schools within Richland 01. The school works with 435 students in grades pre-K through 5.

Across the 47 schools in Richland 01 (21,814 students total), Forest Heights Elementary accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Forest Heights Elementary logs that the largest single group is Black, at 72% of enrollment. Beyond that, the school lists 18% Hispanic, 6% multiracial, 4% White. By comparison, Richland County as a whole is about 47% Black, so the school skews considerably more Black than its surroundings.

Looking at the economic backdrop, The school reports having 36 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 12.1:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 13.3:1 average.

Around the school, the surrounding county (Richland County) records that median household income runs about $63,784, roughly 41% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 12% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Forest Heights Elementary is one of 104 public schools in Richland County (combined enrollment of about 60,410 students).

The closest other public school is Carolina School for Inquiry, roughly 1.4 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

Forest Heights Elementary operates from a countryside location.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count shrank 21%: 548 students in 2018 compared to 435 in 2025. Black enrollment moved from 84% to 72% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 13.4:1 in 2018 to 12.1:1 today.

On allk12, the feed for Forest Heights Elementary typically covers sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.