Richland County has three school districts: Richland School District One and Two and School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties. Richland School District Two is a suburban school district serving the rapidly growing northeast section of Richland County. Thirteen of its eighteen schools have been named national Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education's Excellence in Education Program. Three elementary schools and two middle schools have been named "Palmetto's Finest schools."
The following is a summary of data regarding Richland County School District Two as of the 2003–2004 school year.
Total enrollment: 18,969
Number of facilities elementary schools: 13
middle schools: 5
high schools: 4
other: 1 child development center with 5 satellites districtwide; 2 magnet schools; 1 secondary alternative school for non-violent, chronically disruptive students
Student/teacher ratio: 20.7:1
Teacher salaries average: $41,321
Funding per pupil: $7,547
Greater Columbia is home to 72 private and parochial schools.
Public Schools Information: Richland School District Two, 6831 Brookfield Road, Columbia, SC 29206; telephone (803)787-1910
Columbia is the home of ten institutions of higher learning, including the University of South Carolina (USC), which has gained regional recognition for its programs in law, marketing, geography, medicine, marine science, nursing, engineering, business administration, and social work. The Columbia campus of South University offers programs in accounting, business administration, computer information systems, medical assisting and paralegal/legal studies and a paralegal certificate program. Baptist-affiliated Benedict College, a traditionally African American college, offers four-year degrees in more than 30 majors. Columbia College, a Methodist-related women's liberal arts school, offers bachelor's of arts and science and master's of arts degrees in such areas as public affairs and human relations, business administration, and communications, as well as a coeducational Evening College and Graduate School. Allen University, an African Methodist Episcopal four-year college, offers liberal arts and teacher education. Midlands Technical College, a two-year multi-campus college, offers technical and academic training. Other local colleges are Newberry College, a Lutheran liberal arts college; Columbia International University and Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, both specializing in religious studies; and Columbia Junior College, offering associate degrees in eleven professional programs.
In addition to its main library, the Richland County Public Library has nine branches and a bookmobile. The library has more than 1.13 million volumes and subscribes to 2,840 periodical titles. It also has more than 45,554 audio materials and 30,630 visual materials. They include microforms, audio cassettes/tapes, compact discs, CD-ROM titles, maps, and art reproductions. Its special collections include a local history collection, large print books, and rare and out-of-print books. The library offers many programs for children and adults, including frequent lectures by authors. The library enjoys many programming partnerships with the University of South Carolina (USC), the Historic Columbia Foundation, and the Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington counties. Since 1987 it has co-sponsored the annual A(ugusta) Baker's Dozen—a Celebration of Stories with the College of Library and Information Science Department at USC. The celebration honors Augusta Baker and features well-known, award-winning authors and illustrators of children's books and outstanding storytellers each year.
Also located in Columbia is the South Carolina State Library, which houses nearly 250,000 volumes, more than 26,000 periodicals, plus microfilm, government publications, and audio visual materials. Its special collections include ERIC, Foundation Center Cooperating Collection, South Carolina collection, and state documents. A special feature of the library's web site home page is the South Carolina Reference Room, a guide to a broad range of information on state topics. The University of South Carolina campus library system has more than 2 million volumes and almost 17,000 periodical subscriptions.
Many of Columbia's research centers are affiliated within the University of South Carolina (USC). More than 80 institutes and centers comprise the University's research effort. In 2004, USC received $149 million in federal, state and private funding for its research, outreach and training programs. Notable among the funding recipients is the University's NanoCenter which is engaged in researching the applications of the world's smallest electronic circuits.
Public Library Information: Richland County Public Library, 1431 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29201; telephone (803)799-9084; fax (803)929-3448. South Carolina State Library, PO Box 11469, Columbia, SC 29211; telephone (803)734-8666.