Gadsden Elementary

Gadsden Elementary is one of the very small K-5 schools in Gadsden, South Carolina, part of Richland 01, with 133 students on its rolls from grades pre-K through 5. Compared to the state average of about 526 students per school, that is 75% leaner than typical.

Gadsden Elementary is one of 47 schools operated by Richland 01, a district that teaches 21,814 students overall.

Demographically, Gadsden Elementary records that nearly all students (91%) are Black. Other groups include 5% White, 4% multiracial. That is noticeably more Black than the county at large, where the share is closer to 47%.

On the income-and-resources front, Gadsden Elementary reports 15 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 8.9:1. The state averages around 13.3:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical.

Across the wider county, Richland County reports that median household earnings sit near $63,784, 41% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 12% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Richland County runs 104 public schools (combined enrollment of about 60,410 students), of which Gadsden Elementary is one.

Webber School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 4.2 miles from this campus. 6 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a ten-mile radius, suggesting a relatively low-density school footprint.

The school occupies a low-density site.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Gadsden Elementary has edged down 20%, going from 167 students in 2018 to 133 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share grew from 0% to 5%. Class-load math has fell: from 11.5:1 in 2018 to 8.9:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around open house dates, ride-share offers, and field-trip permission slips. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.