Columbus Community High School

Summary:

Columbus Community High School is a public high school serving 201 students in grades 9-12 in Columbus Junction, Iowa, which is part of the Columbus Community School District. The school faces significant academic challenges, as evidenced by its declining statewide ranking, low test scores, and high percentage of economically disadvantaged students.

Columbus Community High School's test scores in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are consistently lower than the state averages and the scores of nearby schools like Muscatine High School, Washington High School, and Louisa-Muscatine Junior/Senior High School. The school has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 52.53% to 60.2% over the past three school years, which is a key indicator of the socioeconomic status of the student population and can contribute to the school's academic challenges.

Despite having a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 9.6 to 10.5 over the past three school years, Columbus Community High School's statewide ranking has steadily declined over the past several years, from 284 out of 320 Iowa high schools in 2017-2018 to 257 out of 338 in 2023-2024. The school's SchoolDigger rating has also fluctuated between 0 and 2 stars out of 5, indicating ongoing academic challenges that may require targeted interventions and support programs to address the unique needs of the school's diverse student population.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1004 Colton St
Columbus Junction, IA 52738

(319) 728-2231

District: Columbus Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
257^th of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $18,475

Feeder schools for Columbus Community High School:

Elementary:	Roundy Elementary School
Middle:	Columbus Community Junior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 9.7

Number of students: 203

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

64.0%

White:

28.6%

Asian:

3.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 57.1%

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Compare Columbus Community High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Columbus Community High School ranks worse than 76% of high schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 35.6. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Columbus Community High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (64%), White (28.6%), Asian (3.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 57.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Columbus Community High School is 9.7. (See more...)

Compare Columbus Community High School employs 20.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Columbus Community High School is $18,475.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Columbus Community High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Columbus Community High School 257^th of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See Columbus Community High School in the ranking list.)

Columbus Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Columbus Community School District 270^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Columbus Community High School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	3.90	338^th	351	3.7%
2013	9.98	332^nd	351	5.4%
2014	7.74	306^th	322	5.0%
2015	0.84	315^th	324	2.8%
2016	8.06	302^nd	320	5.6%
2017	2.85	312^th	325	4.0%
2018	21.22	284^th	320	11.3%
2019	6.48	315^th	327	3.7%
2021	6.05	313^th	327	4.3%
2022	40.23	220^th	332	33.7%
2023	37.26	245^th	336	27.1%
2024	35.60	257^th	338	24.0%

See the entire list of Iowa High School Rankings!

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

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Columbus Community High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	195	0	1	14	0	n/a	n/a	210
1989	182	2	0	21	0	n/a	n/a	205
1990	202	1	0	26	0	n/a	n/a	229
1991	188	5	0	40	0	n/a	n/a	233
1992	198	3	0	40	0	n/a	n/a	241
1993	213	4	0	57	0	n/a	n/a	274
1994	215	2	1	57	0	n/a	n/a	275
1995	224	2	0	68	0	n/a	n/a	294
1996	224	2	0	68	0	n/a	n/a	294
1997	202	1	1	72	0	n/a	n/a	276
1998	181	1	0	84	0	n/a	n/a	266
1999	178	1	0	74	0	n/a	n/a	253
2000	165	0	0	92	0	n/a	n/a	257
2001	180	0	0	91	0	n/a	n/a	271
2002	168	2	0	91	0	n/a	n/a	261
2003	168	2	0	91	0	n/a	n/a	261
2004	181	1	0	125	0	n/a	n/a	307
2005	183	1	0	135	0	n/a	n/a	319
2006	170	1	0	154	0	n/a	n/a	325
2007	150	3	0	158	0	n/a	n/a	311
2008	128	4	1	174	0	n/a	n/a	307
2009	135	4	2	174	0	n/a	n/a	315
2010	109	1	0	197	1	0	4	312
2011	96	1	2	198	1	0	7	305
2012	94	2	2	188	0	0	8	294
2013	87	1	8	159	1	0	6	262
2014	89	3	7	140	0	0	3	242
2015	91	3	11	140	0	0	1	246
2016	73	3	11	143	0	0	0	230
2017	55	4	8	148	0	0	0	215
2018	51	2	9	158	0	0	1	221
2019	54	0	5	145	0	0	0	204
2020	51	0	5	135	0	0	0	191
2021	52	1	3	135	0	0	2	193
2022	55	4	0	135	0	0	4	198
2023	54	3	3	139	0	0	2	201
2024	58	7	8	130	0	0	0	203

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 Community High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	210	19.5	10.7	43.8
1989	205	18.8	10.9	23.4
1990	229	20.9	10.9	0
1991	233	20.9	11.1	23.2
1992	241	21.0	11.4	20.3
1993	274	18.0	15.2	25.5
1994	275	22.9	12.0	27.6
1995	294	18.8	15.6	33
1996	294	18.8	15.6	33
1997	276	17.2	16.0	34.8
1998	266	19.6	13.6	40.6
1999	253	19.4	13.0	45.5
2000	257	16.7	15.4	50.2
2001	271	23.1	11.7	25.8
2002	261	21.9	11.9	41
2003	261	21.9	11.9	41
2004	307	21.5	14.3	47.2
2005	319	23.0	13.9	46.7
2006	325	22.0	14.8	51.4
2007	311	21.9	14.2	51.4
2008	307	22.2	13.8	52.4
2009	315	24.0	13.1	53.7
2010	312	23.1	13.4	64.4
2011	305	23.5	12.9	63.6
2012	294	22.7	12.9	70.7
2013	262	21.9	11.9	66.8
2014	242	20.1	11.9	67.8
2015	246	20.0	12.3	71.1
2016	230	14.0	16.4	73.9
2017	215	17.9	11.9	66.5
2018	221	21.8	10.1	63.3
2019	204	19.7	10.3	61.3
2020	191	18.7	10.1	64.9
2021	193	18.7	10.2	59.1
2022	198	18.7	10.5	52.5
2023	201	20.7	9.6	60.2
2024	203	20.8	9.7	57.1

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 Community High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	210	19.5	10.7	43.8
1989	205	18.8	10.9	23.4
1990	229	20.9	10.9	0
1991	233	20.9	11.1	23.2
1992	241	21.0	11.4	20.3
1993	274	18.0	15.2	25.5
1994	275	22.9	12.0	27.6
1995	294	18.8	15.6	33
1996	294	18.8	15.6	33
1997	276	17.2	16.0	34.8
1998	266	19.6	13.6	40.6
1999	253	19.4	13.0	45.5
2000	257	16.7	15.4	50.2
2001	271	23.1	11.7	25.8
2002	261	21.9	11.9	41
2003	261	21.9	11.9	41
2004	307	21.5	14.3	47.2
2005	319	23.0	13.9	46.7
2006	325	22.0	14.8	51.4
2007	311	21.9	14.2	51.4
2008	307	22.2	13.8	52.4
2009	315	24.0	13.1	53.7
2010	312	23.1	13.4	64.4
2011	305	23.5	12.9	63.6
2012	294	22.7	12.9	70.7
2013	262	21.9	11.9	66.8
2014	242	20.1	11.9	67.8
2015	246	20.0	12.3	71.1
2016	230	14.0	16.4	73.9
2017	215	17.9	11.9	66.5
2018	221	21.8	10.1	63.3
2019	204	19.7	10.3	61.3
2020	191	18.7	10.1	64.9
2021	193	18.7	10.2	59.1
2022	198	18.7	10.5	52.5
2023	201	20.7	9.6	60.2
2024	203	20.8	9.7	57.1

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 Community High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$545 (2.9%)	$17,930 (97.1%)	$18,475

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Columbus Community High 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 315^th of 327 High schools	Ranks 245^th of 336 High schools	23.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Columbus Community High School)	44	89.6	45.6%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Columbus Community School District)	44	89.6	45.6%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	74.3	72.9	1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (Columbus Community High School)	52	64.6	12.6%
10th Grade Mathematics (Columbus Community School District)	52	64.6	12.6%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	67.1	67	0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Columbus Community High School)	47.8	65	17.2%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Columbus Community School District)	47.8	65	17.2%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	71.4	68.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Columbus Community High School)	43.5	62.5	19%
11th Grade Mathematics (Columbus Community School District)	43.5	62.5	19%
11th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	66.9	67.3	0.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	204	201	1.5%
African American	0	3
American Indian	0	0
Asian	5	3	40%
Hispanic	145	139	4.1%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	54	54
Two or More Races	0	2
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	61.3%	60.2%	1.1%

Schools Near Columbus Community High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISASP English Language Arts (2024)						ISASP Mathematics (2024)						ISASP Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISASP English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 9th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 10th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 11th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 9th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 10th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 11th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	ISASP Science 10th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Columbus Community High School	Public	9-12	1004 Colton St	Columbus Junction	52738	Louisa County	Columbus Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 728-2231	203	21	9.7	57.1%	58 (28.6%)	7 (3.4%)	130 (64.0%)	8 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35.6	257^th of 338 public high schools	24.0%		37.3	245^th of 336 public high schools	27.1%	12				75.0	65.4	76.0				45.5	59.6	66.0		51.9	$18,475	$545	$17,930
Louisa-Muscatine Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	14354 170th St	Letts	52754	Louisa County	Louisa-Muscatine Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 726-3421	357	28	12.6	40.6%	313 (87.7%)	2 (0.6%)	31 (8.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.2%)	58.9	155^th of 338 public high schools	54.1%		55.7	161^st of 336 public high schools	52.1%	6		83.9	92.2	80.7	88.7	71.4		79.0	87.5	62.5	71.7	58.9	76.6	75.5	$15,806	$347	$15,458
Winfield-Mt Union Junior-Senior High School	Public	6-12	208 S Olive	Winfield	52659	Henry County	Winfield-Mt Union Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 257-7701	205	15	13.5	48.8%	183 (89.3%)	2 (1.0%)	19 (9.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	24.5	282^nd of 338 public high schools	16.6%		29.1	268^th of 336 public high schools	20.2%	14	85.7	83.3	67.9	64.5	73.5	48.0	71.4	66.7	50.0	48.4	64.7	44.0	35.7	50.0	$12,857	$210	$12,647
Wapello Senior High School	Public	9-12	501 Buchanan St	Wapello	52653	Louisa County	Wapello Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 523-3241	179	15	11.7	39.7%	150 (83.8%)	3 (1.7%)	21 (11.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.2%)	34.8	260^th of 338 public high schools	23.1%		26.4	277^th of 336 public high schools	17.6%	17				57.5	77.1	63.6				57.5	64.6	45.5		64.6	$16,649	$272	$16,377
Highland High School	Public	9-12	1715 Vine Avenue	Riverside	52327	Washington County	Highland Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 648-2891	169	16	10.2	22.5%	147 (87.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (11.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	56	168^th of 338 public high schools	50.3%		59.1	139^th of 336 public high schools	58.6%	29				74.4	81.1	72.7				61.5	73.0	68.2		70.3	$15,774	$112	$15,662
Lone Tree Middle-Senior High School	Public	6-12	303 S Devoe St	Lone Tree	52755	Johnson County	Lone Tree Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 629-4610	209	18	11.4	32.5%	189 (90.4%)	1 (0.5%)	16 (7.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)	37.1	249^th of 338 public high schools	26.3%		40.8	228^th of 336 public high schools	32.1%	21	57.7	77.1	45.5	64.0	73.0	73.3	76.9	62.9	45.5	36.0	64.9	70.0	40.9	52.8	$13,078	$319	$12,759
Washington High School	Public	9-12	1111 S. Ave. B	Washington	52353	Washington County	Washington Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 653-2143	435	27	15.8	43.7%	308 (70.8%)	5 (1.1%)	103 (23.7%)	3 (0.7%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	11 (2.5%)	19.2	295^th of 338 public high schools	12.7%		29.7	266^th of 336 public high schools	20.8%	29				63.9	52.3	52.8				57.1	54.2	57.4		48.6	$14,648	$741	$13,907
WACO High School	Public	7-12	706 N Pearl	Wayland	52654	Henry County	Waco Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 256-6200	244	21	11.6	42.2%	222 (91.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.3%)	3 (1.2%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.0%)	51.9	183^rd of 338 public high schools	45.9%		64.3	113^th of 336 public high schools	66.4%	70		73.1	64.1	74.4	69.4	90.6		73.1	71.8	64.1	55.6	78.1	64.1	63.9	$15,055	$394	$14,661
Muscatine High School	Public	9-12	2705 Cedar	Muscatine	52761	Muscatine County	Muscatine Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 263-6141	1,470	91	16.1	52.6%	871 (59.3%)	64 (4.4%)	450 (30.6%)	7 (0.5%)	4 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	68 (4.6%)	24.5	281^st of 338 public high schools	16.9%		23.8	282^nd of 336 public high schools	16.1%	1				64.4	64.8	63.1				52.6	62.9	56.5		44.4	$13,628	$337	$13,291

Frequently Asked Questions about Columbus Community High School

What schools feed into Columbus Community High School?

Columbus Community High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Roundy Elementary School
Middle : Columbus Community Junior High School

What district is Columbus Community High School in?

Columbus Community School District

Is Columbus Community High School a good school?

Columbus Community High School ranks in the bottom 24.0% of Iowa high schools.

How many students attend Columbus Community High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 203 students attended Columbus Community High School.

What is the racial makeup of Columbus Community High School?

Students at Columbus Community High School are 64% Hispanic, 29% White, 4% Asian, 3% African American.

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