Columbus (Christopher) High

Summary:

Columbus (Christopher) High is a public high school located in Downey, California, serving grades 10-12 with a total enrollment of 492 students. The school is part of the Downey Unified School District, which is ranked 562 out of 1,568 school districts in California and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite being part of the Downey Unified School District, Columbus (Christopher) High consistently ranks in the bottom quartile of California high schools, with a statewide ranking between 1,766 and 2,042 out of over 2,300 schools in recent years. The school has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating significantly below-average academic performance compared to other California high schools. Its test scores, graduation rates, and chronic absenteeism rates are all significantly worse than nearby high schools like Warren (Earl) High and Downey High, which are also part of the Downey Unified School District.

The data suggests that Columbus (Christopher) High is struggling to support and educate its most vulnerable student populations, including English Language Learners, Special Education students, and those from low-socioeconomic backgrounds. These students are performing significantly worse than their peers at the nearby high schools. Addressing the school's challenges, particularly in improving student engagement and academic achievement, will be crucial for providing better educational opportunities for the students of Columbus (Christopher) High.


Detail:

Public 10-12

 12330 Woodruff Ave.
       Downey, CA  90241-5610


(562) 904-3552

District: Downey Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
2042nd of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $42,443 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  17.6 Help
Number of students:  492

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
90.0%
African American:
4.9%
White:
3.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  79.5% Help


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 Compare Columbus (Christopher) High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Columbus (Christopher) High ranks worse than 87.9% of high schools in California. It also ranks last among 3 ranked high schools in the Downey Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.77. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Columbus (Christopher) High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (90%), African American (4.9%), White (3.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 79.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Downey Unified School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Columbus (Christopher) High is 17.6, which is the 2nd best among 3 high schools in the Downey Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Columbus (Christopher) High employs 27.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Columbus (Christopher) High is $42,443, which is the highest among 4 high schools in the Downey Unified School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Columbus (Christopher) High:

SchoolDigger ranks Columbus (Christopher) High 2042nd of 2323 California public high schools. (See Columbus (Christopher) High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:


Downey Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Downey Unified 562nd of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Columbus (Christopher) High

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Rank History for all students at Columbus (Christopher) High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 20.39 1260th 1653 23.8%
2005 18.04 1466th 1901 22.9%
2006 17.52 1537th 1968 21.9%
2007 17.29 1630th 2063 21.0%
2008 23.51 1382nd 2117 34.7%
2009 24.66 1644th 2238 26.5%
2010 20.38 1601st 2281 29.8%
2011 15.10 1846th 2367 22.0%
2012 20.64 1598th 2354 32.1%
2013 11.82 2022nd 2426 16.7%
2015 11.82 1706th 1994 14.4%
2016 14.37 1635th 2039 19.8%
2017 9.78 1859th 2021 8.0%
2018 10.47 1813th 2017 10.1%
2019 12.37 1901st 2133 10.9%
2022 16.02 1766th 2123 16.8%
2023 13.95 1872nd 2348 20.3%
2024 9.77 2042nd 2323 12.1%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Columbus (Christopher) High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.40 739th 938 21.2%
2019 28.56 805th 941 14.5%
2022 29.44 840th 1044 19.5%
2023 30.07 806th 1323 39.1%
2024 22.94 1191st 1350 11.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Columbus (Christopher) High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 17.86 1438th 1547 7.0%
2024 29.27 1000th 1534 34.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Columbus (Christopher) High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.11 1647th 1862 11.5%
2019 12.60 1734th 1937 10.5%
2022 19.59 1566th 1943 19.4%
2023 15.89 1764th 2247 21.5%
2024 11.03 1916th 2235 14.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Columbus (Christopher) High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 7.81 1657th 1760 5.9%
2019 9.67 1704th 1833 7.0%
2022 12.45 1663rd 1858 10.5%
2023 10.01 1898th 2118 10.4%
2024 9.12 1905th 2098 9.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Columbus (Christopher) High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.73 1636th 1834 10.8%
2019 12.24 1659th 1880 11.8%
2022 16.70 1588th 1916 17.1%
2023 15.40 1725th 2207 21.8%
2024 9.76 1903rd 2172 12.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Columbus (Christopher) High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.38 1541st 1742 11.5%
2019 13.00 1587th 1814 12.5%
2022 18.43 1521st 1861 18.3%
2023 16.22 1677th 2142 21.7%
2024 10.11 1854th 2125 12.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: California 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.

Columbus (Christopher) High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Columbus (Christopher) High

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 140 11 11 56 3 n/a n/a 0 221
1989 144 6 9 88 6 n/a n/a 0 253
1990 92 10 6 83 2 n/a n/a 0 193
1991 109 7 6 105 2 n/a n/a 0 229
1992 103 18 8 113 4 n/a n/a 0 246
1993 95 16 7 149 4 n/a n/a 0 271
1994 75 14 10 177 2 n/a n/a 0 278
1995 70 19 11 159 3 n/a n/a 0 262
1996 70 19 11 159 3 n/a n/a 0 262
1997 77 13 10 209 2 n/a n/a 0 311
1998 59 14 3 212 3 n/a n/a 0 291
1999 48 17 3 227 1 n/a n/a 0 296
2000 39 22 3 251 2 n/a n/a 0 317
2001 49 14 10 251 2 n/a n/a 0 326
2002 39 17 4 210 1 n/a n/a 0 271
2003 39 17 4 210 1 n/a n/a 0 271
2004 34 18 8 245 1 n/a n/a 0 306
2005 40 12 10 270 3 n/a n/a 0 335
2006 33 15 7 277 2 n/a n/a 0 334
2007 34 17 8 326 1 n/a n/a 1 387
2008 36 17 6 335 3 n/a n/a 0 397
2009 26 17 1 314 1 2 2 0 363
2010 29 10 2 314 1 0 0 0 356
2011 31 25 2 324 2 0 1 0 385
2012 28 18 3 337 0 0 0 0 386
2013 19 11 3 313 1 0 0 0 347
2014 25 12 0 283 2 0 1 0 323
2015 17 13 0 254 0 0 1 0 285
2016 17 7 1 230 0 0 0 0 255
2017 14 6 1 205 1 1 0 0 228
2018 18 15 3 256 0 0 1 0 293
2019 18 11 4 264 1 0 1 0 299
2020 17 13 4 259 2 0 0 0 295
2021 13 15 3 279 1 1 0 0 312
2022 16 16 1 301 0 1 1 0 336
2023 17 24 3 443 2 1 2 0 492

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 Columbus (Christopher) High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 221 11.6 19.0 n/a
1989 253 10.6 23.8 n/a
1990 193 11.8 16.3 n/a
1991 229 12.0 19.0 n/a
1992 246 12.2 20.1 15.9
1993 271 13.0 20.8 5.9
1994 278 12.0 23.2 12.2
1995 262 12.0 21.8 32.4
1996 262 12.0 21.8 32.4
1997 311 12.0 25.9 47.9
1998 291 13.0 22.4 35.4
1999 296 13.0 22.8 5.1
2000 317 13.0 24.4 3.8
2001 326 13.0 25.1 34
2002 271 13.0 20.8 47.6
2003 271 13.0 20.8 47.6
2004 306 13.0 23.5 43.8
2005 335 15.0 22.3 43
2006 334 15.0 22.3 46.7
2007 387 5.6 69.1 39.9
2008 397 9.4 42.2 57.7
2009 363 14.3 20.9 57
2010 356 17.0 20.9 46.6
2011 385 n/a n/a 66
2012 386 16.0 24.1 n/a
2013 347 19.5 17.7 72.6
2014 323 17.3 18.6 72.4
2015 285 17.0 16.7 53
2016 255 19.0 13.4 69.4
2017 228 16.8 13.5 69.7
2018 293 21.3 13.7 67.2
2019 299 20.2 14.8 58.9
2020 295 n/a n/a 68.8
2021 312 16.3 19.1 59.3
2022 336 19.3 17.3 74.1
2023 492 27.9 17.6 79.5

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 Columbus (Christopher) High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 221 11.6 19.0 n/a
1989 253 10.6 23.8 n/a
1990 193 11.8 16.3 n/a
1991 229 12.0 19.0 n/a
1992 246 12.2 20.1 15.9
1993 271 13.0 20.8 5.9
1994 278 12.0 23.2 12.2
1995 262 12.0 21.8 32.4
1996 262 12.0 21.8 32.4
1997 311 12.0 25.9 47.9
1998 291 13.0 22.4 35.4
1999 296 13.0 22.8 5.1
2000 317 13.0 24.4 3.8
2001 326 13.0 25.1 34
2002 271 13.0 20.8 47.6
2003 271 13.0 20.8 47.6
2004 306 13.0 23.5 43.8
2005 335 15.0 22.3 43
2006 334 15.0 22.3 46.7
2007 387 5.6 69.1 39.9
2008 397 9.4 42.2 57.7
2009 363 14.3 20.9 57
2010 356 17.0 20.9 46.6
2011 385 n/a n/a 66
2012 386 16.0 24.1 n/a
2013 347 19.5 17.7 72.6
2014 323 17.3 18.6 72.4
2015 285 17.0 16.7 53
2016 255 19.0 13.4 69.4
2017 228 16.8 13.5 69.7
2018 293 21.3 13.7 67.2
2019 299 20.2 14.8 58.9
2020 295 n/a n/a 68.8
2021 312 16.3 19.1 59.3
2022 336 19.3 17.3 74.1
2023 492 27.9 17.6 79.5

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 Columbus (Christopher) High

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $42,442

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Columbus (Christopher) 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 1901st of 2133 High schoolsRanks 1872nd of 2348 High schools
 9.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Columbus (Christopher) High)1820.8
 2.8%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Downey Unified)5462.2
 8.3%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Columbus (Christopher) High)0.82.6
 1.8%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Downey Unified)26.125.1
 1%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
11th Grade Science (Columbus (Christopher) High)1.65.9
 4.2%
   11th Grade Science (Downey Unified)21.326.8
 5.5%
   11th Grade Science (California)30.431.7
 1.3%
12th Grade Science (Columbus (Christopher) High)012.5
 12.5%
   12th Grade Science (Downey Unified)4.816.5
 11.7%
   12th Grade Science (California)25.626.9
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students299492
 64.5%
African American1124
 118.2%
American Indian12
 100%
Asian43
 25%
Hispanic264443
 67.8%
Pacific Islander01
White1817
 5.6%
Two or More Races12
 100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients58.9%79.5%
 20.6%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Columbus (Christopher) High

Columbus (Christopher) High ranks in the bottom 12.1% of California high schools.

Students at Columbus (Christopher) High are 90% Hispanic, 5% African American, 3% White.

In the 2022-23 school year, 492 students attended Columbus (Christopher) 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 California 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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