Saved Schools

Richland 2 Student Innovation Center (R2i2)

Richland Two Institute of Innovation (R2i2), nominated by Open Way Learning, is a high school in Columbia, South Carolina, that describes itself as a public district school serving learners from a primarily suburban area.

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Location Columbia, South Carolina

Governance Public District School

Grades High

Students 350

Locale Suburban

Director Alan Wolf

Demographics

Percentage of students*

7%

English Learners

59%

Free/Reduced Lunch

31%

Students with Disabilities

African American or Black 66%

American Indian/Alaska Native 1%

Asian 3%

Hawaiian or Pacific Islander —

Hispanic or Latino 13%

White 11%

2+ Races —

Why Richland 2 Student Innovation Center (R2i2) was nominated

R2I2 is setting the gold standard for how students can work directly with businesses and community organizations to not only apply academic skills they are learning as part of their high school experience, but to do so in a deeply learner-centered environment that enables them to develop success skills such as collaboration, creative problem solving, design thinking, and entrepreneurship that they will use for a lifetime. Such opportunities are available to all students in the Richland 2 district, with a particular emphasis on equity.

Student experience design

Students at the Student Innovation Center are encouraged to be creative, problem-solvers. They work collaboratively with an eye towards making positive change in their communities and beyond. Students are encouraged to collaborate, tap into their creativity, lead, discovery opportunity, fail forward, and make a positive global impact.

Core Practices

Core Practices Length of Use

Career Exploration
5+ years

Higher Education Partnerships
5+ years

Industry-recognized Credentials
5+ years

Industry Networking
5+ years

Project-based Learning
5+ years

All Practices

AI For Learning Materials

AI For Teacher Productivity

Assessments For Career Readiness

Assessments For Deeper Learning

Assessments For Social-emotional Skills

Career Advising & Support

College Advising & Support

Community And Workforce Partnerships

Family And Community Support Services

Competency/mastery-based Education

Grading Policies Focus On Mastery

Educators Have Industry Experience

Individual Learning Paths

1:1 Mentoring

Micro-credentials And Badging

Multi-tiered System Of Support (MTSS) In Academics

Multi-age Classrooms

Performance Based Assessment

SEL Curriculum

Students Access Their Own Data

Student-led Goal Setting

Self-paced Learning

Students Develop Projects

Universal Design For Learning

key reasons for innovating

Address chronic absenteeism

Respond to stakeholder demand or advocacy

Date Updated: 4/1/2026

*Canopy profile data is self-reported or sourced from NCES data, then verified by school leaders.