Lower Richland High

Summary:

Lower Richland High is a public high school in Hopkins, South Carolina, serving 1,244 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Richland 01 school district, which is ranked 53 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. The student population at Lower Richland High is predominantly African American, with over 80% of students identifying as such.

Despite consistent funding and attention, Lower Richland High has struggled to improve its academic outcomes over the past decade, consistently underperforming compared to state and district averages on end-of-course exams (EOCEPs). In 2023-2024, the school's proficiency rates were significantly lower than the state and district in subjects like Algebra 1 (45.96% vs. 72.5% state), English 1 (38.43% vs. 62.89% state), and U.S. History (24.13% vs. 58.77% state). The school has been ranked in the bottom quarter of South Carolina high schools for several years, with a 0-1 star rating from SchoolDigger. Additionally, the performance of African American, Hispanic, and low socioeconomic status students at Lower Richland High is particularly low, ranking in the bottom 25-30% of schools in the state for these subgroups.

Interestingly, the nearby schools in the Richland 01 district, such as C.A. Johnson High and Dreher High, also have high percentages of economically disadvantaged students but demonstrate significantly better academic performance than Lower Richland High. This suggests that factors beyond just socioeconomic status may be contributing to the school's poor performance, and a more comprehensive and targeted approach is needed to address the school's challenges and ensure equitable access to high-quality education for all students.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 2615 Lower Richland Boulevard
       Hopkins, SC  29061


(803) 695-3000

District: Richland 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
202nd of 235 South Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,123 Help


Feeder schools for Lower Richland High:

Elementary:    Caughman Road Elementary
    Gadsden Elementary
    Hopkins Elementary
    Horrell Hill Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Hopkins Middle
    Southeast Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  15.5 Help
Number of students:  1,244

Racial breakdown:

African American:
82.6%
Hispanic:
7.3%
White:
5.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


 See top rated South Carolina high schools

 Compare Lower Richland High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Lower Richland High ranks worse than 86% of high schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 4th among 7 ranked high schools in the Richland 01 School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.39. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (82.6%), Hispanic (7.3%), White (5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Lower Richland High is 15.5. 6 high schools in the Richland 01 School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Lower Richland High employs 80 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Lower Richland High is $16,123. 5 high schools in the Richland 01 School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Lower Richland High:

SchoolDigger ranks Lower Richland High 202nd of 235 South Carolina public high schools. (See Lower Richland High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Richland 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Richland 01 53rd of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Lower Richland High?

Rank History for Lower Richland High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Lower Richland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 23.46 172nd 187 8.0%
2006 33.98 166th 191 13.1%
2007 42.90 154th 191 19.4%
2008 14.18 169th 185 8.6%
2009 28.56 158th 188 16.0%
2010 15.55 178th 199 10.6%
2011 13.53 178th 199 10.6%
2012 36.57 142nd 202 29.7%
2013 11.77 182nd 203 10.3%
2014 14.49 188th 210 10.5%
2015 15.86 208th 232 10.3%
2016 10.93 211th 231 8.7%
2017 5.94 214th 223 4.0%
2018 9.61 191st 216 11.6%
2019 4.49 220th 225 2.2%
2021 12.28 203rd 227 10.6%
2022 4.19 223rd 226 1.3%
2023 5.33 231st 237 2.5%
2024 16.39 202nd 235 14.0%
See the entire list of South Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Lower Richland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.10 200th 214 6.5%
2019 6.61 215th 217 0.9%
2021 14.84 188th 213 11.7%
2022 7.79 217th 220 1.4%
2023 6.23 223rd 226 1.3%
2024 22.07 187th 229 18.3%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Lower Richland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.32 177th 210 15.7%
2019 4.84 209th 213 1.9%
2021 7.91 201st 213 5.6%
2022 4.29 215th 220 2.3%
2023 6.86 217th 223 2.7%
2024 14.99 200th 225 11.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Lower Richland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 6.20 134th 137 2.2%
2019 12.25 134th 143 6.3%
2022 13.06 125th 139 10.1%
2023 10.31 132nd 141 6.4%
2024 14.30 135th 145 6.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Lower Richland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 0.56 155th 156 0.6%
2024 0.23 156th 157 0.6%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Lower Richland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 6.39 204th 213 4.2%
2019 4.44 215th 218 1.4%
2021 14.16 188th 215 12.6%
2022 4.97 217th 224 3.1%
2023 5.45 223rd 229 2.6%
2024 18.96 191st 228 16.2%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Lower Richland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.73 151st 183 17.5%
2019 15.27 167th 184 9.2%
2021 35.73 115th 178 35.4%
2022 12.85 181st 190 4.7%
2023 14.54 187th 199 6.0%
2024 33.41 140th 194 27.8%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Lower Richland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 0.25 108th 108 0.0%
2023 4.99 116th 119 2.5%
2024 18.17 108th 121 10.7%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Lower Richland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 0.59 190th 191 0.5%
2024 25.10 154th 196 21.4%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: South Carolina Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Lower Richland High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: South Carolina State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Monday, June 8, 2020

Open Quote I’m a student at the school and I have to say, this is the worst high school I’ve gone to even though I haven’t been to any others. But the thing is, you don’t have to go to other high schools to know that this truly is the worst one. The teachers don’t really seem to care for their students unless you’re a class clown or that one “bad 6!tch” and have little to no control over them. The students are the fakest, rudest, hypocrites you will meet for miles. The lunch is okay I guess. The bathrooms are DISGUSTING. It seems like the janitors rarely do their jobs. All you hear about when you go to that school is who fought who, or, who got who pregnant, or some other irrelevant stuff, and the new grading system is kind of bad. The work they give you is alright. I know that teachers will have their opinions about students but they can at least wait until they get in the teacher’s lounge 😂. See I’m one of those good students who quietly sits in the back of the classroom and just can’t wait for the day to be over with so I can get home because the school is just that trashy. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Lower Richland High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 668 1076 19 14 5 n/a n/a 0 1782
1989 610 1070 12 23 42 n/a n/a 0 1757
1990 596 1146 2 26 6 n/a n/a 0 1776
1991 544 1117 9 14 4 n/a n/a 0 1688
1992 511 1158 5 14 2 n/a n/a 0 1690
1993 501 1206 5 16 1 n/a n/a 0 1729
1994 466 1217 2 20 1 n/a n/a 0 1706
1995 428 1299 5 22 3 n/a n/a 1 1758
1996 428 1299 5 22 3 n/a n/a 1 1758
1997 386 1366 10 17 2 n/a n/a 0 1781
1998 348 1391 11 16 1 n/a n/a 0 1767
1999 329 1365 6 23 2 n/a n/a 0 1725
2000 306 1402 6 22 3 n/a n/a 0 1739
2001 283 1318 5 22 1 n/a n/a 0 1629
2002 257 1375 6 18 3 n/a n/a 5 1664
2003 257 1375 6 18 3 n/a n/a 5 1664
2004 223 1398 5 25 3 n/a n/a 3 1657
2005 204 1346 6 15 1 n/a n/a 3 1575
2006 153 1277 6 15 2 n/a n/a 3 1456
2007 143 1283 8 23 3 n/a n/a 0 1460
2008 141 1311 8 22 5 n/a n/a 2 1489
2009 120 1296 3 19 5 n/a n/a 4 1447
2010 120 1233 4 26 5 n/a n/a 0 1388
2011 103 1195 0 22 4 2 24 0 1350
2012 94 1088 1 15 6 2 27 0 1233
2013 106 1027 2 14 4 2 32 0 1187
2014 99 1078 2 17 2 4 37 0 1239
2015 112 1065 3 21 3 1 50 0 1255
2016 79 1057 3 27 0 1 52 0 1219
2017 72 1008 3 28 0 1 55 0 1167
2018 69 1031 3 33 0 0 58 0 1194
2019 68 983 2 37 0 1 46 0 1137
2020 58 969 2 51 0 3 51 0 1134
2021 57 1026 2 61 1 4 49 0 1200
2022 56 1008 4 76 0 3 50 0 1197
2023 62 1028 4 91 0 2 57 0 1244

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Lower Richland High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1782 92.0 19.3 n/a
1989 1757 90.5 19.4 n/a
1990 1776 98.2 18.0 n/a
1991 1688 102.9 16.4 27.2
1992 1690 103.7 16.2 34.9
1993 1729 96.8 17.9 40.5
1994 1706 108.5 15.7 34
1995 1758 128.9 13.6 34
1996 1758 128.9 13.6 34
1997 1781 134.9 13.2 25.7
1998 1767 132.2 13.4 48.4
1999 1725 134.7 12.8 38.7
2000 1739 127.3 13.7 36.3
2001 1629 116.2 14.0 45.1
2002 1664 108.9 15.3 47
2003 1664 108.9 15.3 47
2004 1657 104.0 15.9 46.3
2005 1575 103.0 15.3 51.1
2006 1456 99.5 14.6 52
2007 1460 117.0 12.5 52.8
2008 1489 100.0 14.9 52.7
2009 1447 81.0 17.9 55.6
2010 1388 92.0 15.0 59.3
2011 1350 82.0 16.4 63.4
2012 1233 91.0 13.5 70.2
2013 1187 89.0 13.3 68.5
2014 1239 86.0 14.4 65.9
2015 1255 89.0 14.1 67
2016 1219 92.0 13.2 100
2017 1167 86.0 13.5 100
2018 1194 85.0 14.0 100
2019 1137 89.9 12.6 100
2020 1134 83.0 13.6 100
2021 1200 79.3 15.1 100
2022 1197 83.0 14.4 100
2023 1244 80.0 15.5 100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Lower Richland High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1782 92.0 19.3 n/a
1989 1757 90.5 19.4 n/a
1990 1776 98.2 18.0 n/a
1991 1688 102.9 16.4 27.2
1992 1690 103.7 16.2 34.9
1993 1729 96.8 17.9 40.5
1994 1706 108.5 15.7 34
1995 1758 128.9 13.6 34
1996 1758 128.9 13.6 34
1997 1781 134.9 13.2 25.7
1998 1767 132.2 13.4 48.4
1999 1725 134.7 12.8 38.7
2000 1739 127.3 13.7 36.3
2001 1629 116.2 14.0 45.1
2002 1664 108.9 15.3 47
2003 1664 108.9 15.3 47
2004 1657 104.0 15.9 46.3
2005 1575 103.0 15.3 51.1
2006 1456 99.5 14.6 52
2007 1460 117.0 12.5 52.8
2008 1489 100.0 14.9 52.7
2009 1447 81.0 17.9 55.6
2010 1388 92.0 15.0 59.3
2011 1350 82.0 16.4 63.4
2012 1233 91.0 13.5 70.2
2013 1187 89.0 13.3 68.5
2014 1239 86.0 14.4 65.9
2015 1255 89.0 14.1 67
2016 1219 92.0 13.2 100
2017 1167 86.0 13.5 100
2018 1194 85.0 14.0 100
2019 1137 89.9 12.6 100
2020 1134 83.0 13.6 100
2021 1200 79.3 15.1 100
2022 1197 83.0 14.4 100
2023 1244 80.0 15.5 100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Lower Richland High

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,351 (8.1%) $1,986 (12.0%) $3,337 (20.1%) $10,485 (63.2%) $2,771 (16.7%) $13,256 (79.9%) $16,592
2020 $831 (5.5%) $615 (4.1%) $1,446 (9.6%) $10,885 (71.9%) $2,801 (18.5%) $13,686 (90.4%) $15,132
2021 $820 (5.4%) $527 (3.5%) $1,347 (8.9%) $11,358 (75.2%) $2,401 (15.9%) $13,759 (91.1%) $15,106
2022 $642 (4.6%) $506 (3.6%) $1,147 (8.1%) $10,772 (76.5%) $2,157 (15.3%) $12,929 (91.9%) $14,076
2023 $846 (5.2%) $776 (4.8%) $1,622 (10.1%) $12,188 (75.6%) $2,313 (14.3%) $14,501 (89.9%) $16,123

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Lower Richland High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 220th of 225 High schoolsRanks 231st of 237 High schools
 0.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Lower Richland High)27.333.2
 5.9%
   End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Richland 01)55.558
 2.5%
   End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (South Carolina)68.668.3
 0.3%
End of Course Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (Lower Richland High)3226.3
 5.7%
   End of Course Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (Richland 01)49.740.6
 9.1%
   End of Course Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (South Carolina)67.259.1
 8.1%
End of Course English 1 (Lower Richland High)50.965.9
 15%
   End of Course English 1 (Richland 01)67.976.3
 8.4%
   End of Course English 1 (South Carolina)78.984
 5.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students11371244
 9.4%
African American9831028
 4.6%
American Indian00
Asian24
 100%
Hispanic3791
 145.9%
Pacific Islander12
 100%
White6862
 8.8%
Two or More Races4657
 23.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%


Schools Near Lower Richland High









Frequently Asked Questions about Lower Richland High

Lower Richland High ranks in the bottom 14.0% of South Carolina high schools.

Students at Lower Richland High are 83% African American, 7% Hispanic, 5% White, 5% Two or more races.

Lower Richland High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Caughman Road Elementary
Elementary : Gadsden Elementary
Elementary : Hopkins Elementary
Elementary : Horrell Hill Elementary
Elementary : Mill Creek Elementary
Elementary : Webber School
Middle : Hopkins Middle
Middle : Southeast Middle

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,244 students attended Lower Richland High.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the South Carolina Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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