Joseph Keels Elementary

Joseph Keels Elementary, a mid-tier elementary campus in Columbia, South Carolina, run under Richland 02, educates 465 students, covering grades pre-K through 5.

Richland 02 runs 32 schools in total, collectively educating 28,841 students. Joseph Keels Elementary is one of those campuses.

Demographically, Joseph Keels Elementary records that the student body is overwhelmingly Black (83%); the rest looks like 9% Hispanic, 4% multiracial. That is visibly more Black than the county at large, where the share is closer to 47%.

On the resource side, On paper, Joseph Keels Elementary has 43 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 10.9:1. The state averages around 13.3:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical.

In the area at large, community-level numbers for Richland County indicate median household income runs about $63,784, 41% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 12%. Joseph Keels Elementary is one of 104 public schools in Richland County (combined enrollment of about 60,410 students).

The closest other public school is Jackson Creek Elementary, roughly 0.9 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

The campus sits in an outer-ring setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Joseph Keels Elementary has declined 15%, going from 549 students in 2018 to 465 in 2025. Class-load math has pulled in: from 12.2:1 in 2018 to 10.9:1 in 2025.

On allk12, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.