Columbia Elementary School

Summary:

Columbia Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Decatur, Georgia, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 412 students. The school is part of the DeKalb County School District, which is ranked 138 out of 203 districts in Georgia and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite the school's higher spending per student compared to the state average, Columbia Elementary consistently performs significantly below the DeKalb County and Georgia state averages in standardized test scores across all grade levels and subjects. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 10.5% of 3rd graders, 7.5% of 4th graders, and 28.8% of 5th graders were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 31.6%, 30.5%, and 40.8% for DeKalb County, respectively. The school has been ranked in the bottom 10% of Georgia elementary schools for the past several years, with a ranking of 1107 out of 1248 schools in the 2023-2024 school year, and a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The extremely high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at Columbia Elementary School (100%) is likely a significant factor in the school's low academic performance, as research has shown that students from low-income backgrounds often face additional challenges that can impact their educational outcomes. When comparing Columbia Elementary School to the nearby Kelley Lake Elementary School and Canby Lane Elementary School, both of which are within a 2-mile radius, the latter two schools have significantly higher proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics, highlighting the need for targeted interventions and support to help Columbia Elementary School improve its academic performance.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 3230 Columbia Woods Dr
       Decatur, GA  30032


(678) 874-0702

District: DeKalb County

SchoolDigger Rank:
1107th of 1,248 Georgia Elementary Schools


Students who attend Columbia Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Columbia Middle School
High:    Columbia High School

Student/teacher ratio:  11.8 Help
Number of students:  412

Racial breakdown:

African American:
91.5%
Hispanic:
6.3%
Two or more races:
1.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Columbia Elementary School ranks worse than 88.7% of elementary schools in Georgia. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 14.39. (See more...)
Finance
Schooldigger Rankings:

Columbia Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

DeKalb County:

SchoolDigger ranks DeKalb County 138th of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Columbia Elementary School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools GA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 7.67 1061st 1101 3.6%
2007 5.67 1093rd 1125 2.8%
2008 9.35 1077th 1134 5.0%
2009 7.65 1098th 1133 3.1%
2010 8.45 1127th 1183 4.7%
2011 5.29 1170th 1212 3.5%
2012 8.17 1126th 1201 6.2%
2013 5.77 1177th 1225 3.9%
2014 15.85 1089th 1231 11.5%
2015 11.65 1146th 1240 7.6%
2016 9.93 1168th 1233 5.3%
2017 10.79 1110th 1205 7.9%
2018 10.19 1123rd 1209 7.1%
2019 10.23 1139th 1234 7.7%
2021 9.44 1142nd 1214 5.9%
2022 11.63 1136th 1244 8.7%
2023 12.58 1133rd 1242 8.8%
2024 14.39 1107th 1248 11.3%
See the entire list of Georgia Elementary School Rankings!

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

Columbia Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    





Data source: Georgia Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Columbia Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 727 727
1991 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 618 618
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 603 603
1993 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 573 573
1994 2 587 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 589
1995 5 710 1 2 2 n/a n/a 0 720
1996 5 710 1 2 2 n/a n/a 0 720
1997 11 740 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 752
1998 5 702 0 4 2 n/a n/a 0 713
1999 7 698 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 706
2000 6 598 1 3 1 n/a n/a 0 609
2001 6 588 2 2 1 n/a n/a 0 599
2002 2 481 1 1 0 n/a n/a 0 485
2003 2 481 1 1 0 n/a n/a 0 485
2004 3 511 1 3 0 n/a n/a 0 518
2005 2 448 1 3 0 n/a n/a 7 461
2006 4 453 1 3 0 n/a n/a 4 465
2007 1 450 0 0 0 n/a n/a 5 456
2008 0 503 0 0 0 n/a n/a 8 511
2009 0 595 0 0 1 n/a n/a 6 602
2010 0 555 0 4 2 0 1 0 562
2011 4 541 0 7 2 0 1 0 555
2012 2 542 0 4 0 1 8 0 557
2013 3 562 0 5 0 1 6 0 577
2014 1 583 2 5 0 1 6 0 598
2015 1 584 2 6 0 0 2 0 595
2016 1 551 2 5 0 0 2 0 561
2017 1 568 2 6 7 0 4 0 588
2018 2 534 1 18 2 0 5 0 562
2019 2 545 1 13 3 0 9 0 573
2020 1 512 0 10 1 0 4 0 528
2021 0 411 0 10 1 0 2 0 424
2022 0 393 1 12 3 0 9 0 418
2023 0 377 1 26 2 0 6 0 412

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 Columbia Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 727 38.0 19.1 37.6
1991 618 38.0 16.2 45.1
1992 603 38.0 15.8 46.3
1993 573 35.0 16.4 55.1
1994 589 35.3 16.7 59.1
1995 720 39.0 18.5 75
1996 720 39.0 18.5 75
1997 752 43.0 17.5 81.6
1998 713 45.8 15.6 66.8
1999 706 42.1 16.8 82
2000 609 38.2 15.9 83.3
2001 599 33.0 18.2 85.1
2002 485 33.8 14.3 89.9
2003 485 33.8 14.3 89.9
2004 518 37.0 14.0 88.6
2005 461 32.8 14.1 88.5
2006 465 32.8 14.2 91.5
2007 456 33.8 13.5 92.9
2008 511 31.8 16.1 90.5
2009 602 37.8 15.9 93.5
2010 562 34.8 16.1 91.3
2011 555 32.8 16.9 93.5
2012 557 39.5 14.1 93.4
2013 577 35.3 16.3 97.6
2014 598 38.3 15.6 98.5
2015 595 40.0 14.8 98.5
2016 561 40.0 14.0 99.5
2017 588 40.2 14.6 100
2018 562 41.2 13.6 100
2019 573 40.7 14.0 100
2020 528 40.7 12.9 99.2
2021 424 40.7 10.4 99.3
2022 418 35.7 11.7 n/a
2023 412 34.7 11.8 100

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 Columbia Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 727 38.0 19.1 37.6
1991 618 38.0 16.2 45.1
1992 603 38.0 15.8 46.3
1993 573 35.0 16.4 55.1
1994 589 35.3 16.7 59.1
1995 720 39.0 18.5 75
1996 720 39.0 18.5 75
1997 752 43.0 17.5 81.6
1998 713 45.8 15.6 66.8
1999 706 42.1 16.8 82
2000 609 38.2 15.9 83.3
2001 599 33.0 18.2 85.1
2002 485 33.8 14.3 89.9
2003 485 33.8 14.3 89.9
2004 518 37.0 14.0 88.6
2005 461 32.8 14.1 88.5
2006 465 32.8 14.2 91.5
2007 456 33.8 13.5 92.9
2008 511 31.8 16.1 90.5
2009 602 37.8 15.9 93.5
2010 562 34.8 16.1 91.3
2011 555 32.8 16.9 93.5
2012 557 39.5 14.1 93.4
2013 577 35.3 16.3 97.6
2014 598 38.3 15.6 98.5
2015 595 40.0 14.8 98.5
2016 561 40.0 14.0 99.5
2017 588 40.2 14.6 100
2018 562 41.2 13.6 100
2019 573 40.7 14.0 100
2020 528 40.7 12.9 99.2
2021 424 40.7 10.4 99.3
2022 418 35.7 11.7 n/a
2023 412 34.7 11.8 100

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 Columbia Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017 $739 (6.8%) $10,200 (93.2%) $10,940
2018 $731 (6.3%) $10,962 (93.8%) $11,692
2019 $768 (5.9%) $12,302 (94.1%) $13,071

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Columbia Elementary School

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 1139th of 1234 Elementary schoolsRanks 1133rd of 1242 Elementary schools
 1.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Columbia Elementary School)18.115.4
 2.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb County)33.531.7
 1.8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)4238.6
 3.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Columbia Elementary School)25.315.4
 9.9%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (DeKalb County)40.133.8
 6.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Georgia)5245.6
 6.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Columbia Elementary School)13.414.5
 1.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb County)34.430.2
 4.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)4236.1
 5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Columbia Elementary School)18.831.7
 12.9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (DeKalb County)35.533.9
 1.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)4945.7
 3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Columbia Elementary School)19.57
 12.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb County)37.433.9
 3.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)4541.6
 3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Columbia Elementary School)19.57
 12.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (DeKalb County)30.525.3
 5.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)4137.4
 3.6%
5th Grade Science (Columbia Elementary School)6.91.8
 5.1%
   5th Grade Science (DeKalb County)33.927.9
 6%
   5th Grade Science (Georgia)4340
 3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students573412
 28.1%
African American545377
 30.8%
American Indian32
 33.3%
Asian11
Hispanic1326
 100%
Pacific Islander00
White20
 100%
Two or More Races96
 33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%


Schools Near Columbia Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Columbia Elementary School

In the 2022-23 school year, 412 students attended Columbia Elementary School.

Columbia Elementary School ranks in the bottom 11.3% of Georgia elementary schools.

Students at Columbia Elementary School are 92% African American, 6% Hispanic, 1% Two or more races.

Students who attend Columbia Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Columbia Middle School
High : Columbia High School


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