Columbia Central School

Summary:

Columbia Central School is a public middle school located in Steger, Illinois, serving grades 5-8 with a total enrollment of 616 students. The school is part of the Steger School District 194, which is ranked 622 out of 813 districts in Illinois and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Columbia Central School faces significant challenges in academic performance, with consistently low rankings and test scores compared to the state average. The school's performance on standardized tests is below the state average, with only 49% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and just 9.4% proficient or better in Mathematics. The school's performance also varies significantly across different student subgroups, with relatively better performance for African American and Hispanic students, but lower performance for White, Multi-racial, English Language Learners, and Special Education students. Additionally, the school has experienced a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 11.7% in 2019-2020 to 40.0% in 2021-2022.

Comparing Columbia Central School to nearby schools, such as Brookwood Middle School, Brookwood Junior High School, and O.W. Huth Middle School, reveals that these schools also perform below the state average on academic measures, with similar or lower rankings compared to Columbia Central School. However, some nearby schools, like Chicago Heights Middle School and Crete-Monee Middle School, have slightly higher academic performance and rankings compared to Columbia Central School.


Detail:

Public 5-8

 94 Richton Rd
       Steger, IL  60475-1821


(708) 753-4700

District: Steger School District 194

SchoolDigger Rank:
729th of 1,363 Illinois Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,854 Help


Students who attend Columbia Central School usually attend:

High:    Bloom Trail High School

Feeder schools for Columbia Central School:

Elementary:    Steger Intermediate Center
    Steger Primary Center

Student/teacher ratio:  15.4 Help
Number of students:  616

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
37.8%
African American:
30.0%
White:
22.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  84.3% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Columbia Central School ranks worse than 53.5% of middle schools in Illinois. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 41.04. (See more...)
Help
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.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Columbia Central School is $17,854.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Columbia Central School:

SchoolDigger ranks Columbia Central School 729th of 1363 Illinois public middle schools. (See Columbia Central School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Steger School District 194:

SchoolDigger ranks Steger School District 194 622nd of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for Columbia Central School?

Rank History for Columbia Central School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Columbia Central School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 36.71 803rd 1185 32.2%
2004 30.92 883rd 1204 26.7%
2005 45.55 755th 1209 37.6%
2006 44.17 826th 1272 35.1%
2007 39.76 893rd 1287 30.6%
2008 46.23 810th 1293 37.4%
2009 46.22 828th 1318 37.2%
2010 44.91 860th 1327 35.2%
2011 35.80 979th 1344 27.2%
2012 30.77 1042nd 1365 23.7%
2013 31.24 1003rd 1367 26.6%
2014 32.54 944th 1322 28.6%
2015 27.90 932nd 1302 28.4%
2016 21.86 1062nd 1294 17.9%
2017 29.85 906th 1293 29.9%
2018 35.64 805th 1293 37.7%
2019 33.13 887th 1356 34.6%
2021 28.11 865th 1241 30.3%
2022 24.86 1005th 1369 26.6%
2023 29.46 924th 1367 32.4%
2024 41.04 729th 1363 46.5%
See the entire list of Illinois Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Columbia Central School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.29 104th 164 36.6%
2019 34.01 113th 179 36.9%
2022 15.72 175th 195 10.3%
2023 20.66 156th 194 19.6%
2024 38.03 101st 184 45.1%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Columbia Central School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 53.22 94th 339 72.3%
2021 40.91 159th 277 42.6%
2022 47.90 163rd 454 64.1%
2023 33.50 349th 480 27.3%
2024 39.12 277th 486 43.0%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Columbia Central School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.79 496th 602 17.6%
2019 26.59 662nd 792 16.4%
2021 31.41 389th 548 29.0%
2022 31.31 565th 781 27.7%
2023 33.33 503rd 805 37.5%
2024 43.32 371st 802 53.7%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Columbia Central School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.12 581st 1161 50.0%
2019 41.87 690th 1217 43.3%
2021 44.68 509th 1019 50.0%
2022 33.89 798th 1221 34.6%
2023 42.46 666th 1234 46.0%
2024 49.60 524th 1219 57.0%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Columbia Central School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.74 741st 1226 39.6%
2019 31.34 894th 1276 29.9%
2021 24.44 778th 1017 23.5%
2022 25.57 940th 1286 26.9%
2023 33.78 801st 1275 37.2%
2024 39.67 706th 1251 43.6%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Columbia Central School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 25.33 552nd 674 18.1%
2024 47.14 253rd 639 60.4%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Columbia Central School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.73 759th 1223 37.9%
2019 34.87 808th 1296 37.7%
2021 27.59 755th 1048 28.0%
2022 25.06 955th 1286 25.7%
2023 25.56 954th 1292 26.2%
2024 41.51 654th 1264 48.3%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Columbia Central School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.63 121st 511 76.3%
2019 58.06 162nd 565 71.3%
2021 48.54 145th 385 62.3%
2022 40.97 282nd 573 50.8%
2023 43.45 282nd 569 50.4%
2024 53.69 189th 548 65.5%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Columbia Central School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.15 382nd 590 35.3%
2019 35.90 412th 639 35.5%
2021 39.34 301st 517 41.8%
2022 29.40 489th 662 26.1%
2023 34.89 429th 661 35.1%
2024 42.72 322nd 643 49.9%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Columbia Central School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.79 735th 889 17.3%
2019 19.29 770th 905 14.9%
2021 23.05 644th 813 20.8%
2022 18.63 779th 898 13.3%
2023 25.90 708th 895 20.9%
2024 42.08 491st 875 43.9%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Illinois State Board 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.

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







Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Monday, March 12, 2012

Open Quote My son loves Columbia Central, of the surrounding schools, this one had so many different activites and it rewards those children who are not trouble markers and who are honor students. Being smart here is a good thing, and almost no bullying... I have a smart and short kid, and he excels here at Columbia Close Quote



Enrollment information for Columbia Central School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 263 16 1 22 n/a n/a n/a 0 302
1990 282 19 1 35 n/a n/a n/a 0 337
1991 266 20 2 20 1 n/a n/a 0 309
1992 251 19 0 25 0 n/a n/a 0 295
1993 272 19 0 30 0 n/a n/a 0 321
1994 264 19 2 34 0 n/a n/a 0 319
1995 227 19 0 42 0 n/a n/a 0 288
1996 227 19 0 42 0 n/a n/a 0 288
1997 261 27 1 29 0 n/a n/a 0 318
1998 219 34 4 43 1 n/a n/a 0 301
1999 246 21 2 29 0 n/a n/a 0 298
2000 253 22 2 41 0 n/a n/a 0 318
2001 237 34 1 43 1 n/a n/a 0 316
2002 232 47 4 37 5 n/a n/a 0 325
2003 232 47 4 37 5 n/a n/a 0 325
2004 242 50 5 53 0 n/a n/a 0 350
2005 220 66 3 59 2 n/a n/a 0 350
2006 343 88 3 63 1 n/a n/a 61 559
2007 335 120 6 64 1 n/a n/a 63 589
2008 310 126 4 61 0 n/a n/a 61 562
2009 261 134 6 86 1 n/a n/a 48 536
2010 280 129 7 101 1 n/a n/a 45 563
2011 260 124 4 110 1 3 36 0 538
2012 263 132 3 108 1 4 49 0 560
2013 241 109 5 112 0 2 36 0 505
2014 226 124 6 115 1 2 41 0 515
2015 260 156 5 154 1 0 58 0 634
2016 221 166 6 158 2 0 50 0 603
2017 215 167 4 171 0 0 60 0 617
2018 202 181 7 181 0 1 72 0 644
2019 189 178 6 201 0 1 76 0 651
2020 182 182 3 233 0 1 80 0 681
2021 159 170 2 237 0 2 67 0 637
2022 154 189 0 228 0 0 62 0 633
2023 139 185 1 233 0 1 57 0 616

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 Central School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 302 20.4 14.8 n/a
1990 337 21.2 15.8 n/a
1991 309 19.7 15.6 n/a
1992 295 20.3 14.5 n/a
1993 321 21.6 14.9 n/a
1994 319 21.7 14.7 n/a
1995 288 21.4 13.5 n/a
1996 288 21.4 13.5 n/a
1997 318 22.5 14.1 n/a
1998 301 22.0 13.7 n/a
1999 298 22.0 13.5 n/a
2000 318 21.0 15.1 n/a
2001 316 20.0 15.8 n/a
2002 325 24.0 13.5 34.5
2003 325 24.0 13.5 34.5
2004 350 26.0 13.5 40.3
2005 350 26.0 13.5 41.4
2006 559 40.0 14.0 46.8
2007 589 38.0 15.5 47.5
2008 562 38.0 14.8 50.1
2009 536 42.7 12.6 57.8
2010 563 46.0 12.2 68.7
2011 538 41.0 13.1 66.2
2012 560 40.6 13.7 67.1
2013 505 59.8 8.4 66.7
2014 515 44.6 11.5 76.5
2015 634 49.0 12.9 73.8
2016 603 52.0 11.5 75.8
2017 617 51.4 11.9 71.5
2018 644 50.9 12.6 72.5
2019 651 51.0 12.7 76.5
2020 681 53.0 12.8 75.3
2021 637 n/a n/a n/a
2022 633 49.1 12.8 78.7
2023 616 40.0 15.4 84.3

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 Central School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 302 20.4 14.8 n/a
1990 337 21.2 15.8 n/a
1991 309 19.7 15.6 n/a
1992 295 20.3 14.5 n/a
1993 321 21.6 14.9 n/a
1994 319 21.7 14.7 n/a
1995 288 21.4 13.5 n/a
1996 288 21.4 13.5 n/a
1997 318 22.5 14.1 n/a
1998 301 22.0 13.7 n/a
1999 298 22.0 13.5 n/a
2000 318 21.0 15.1 n/a
2001 316 20.0 15.8 n/a
2002 325 24.0 13.5 34.5
2003 325 24.0 13.5 34.5
2004 350 26.0 13.5 40.3
2005 350 26.0 13.5 41.4
2006 559 40.0 14.0 46.8
2007 589 38.0 15.5 47.5
2008 562 38.0 14.8 50.1
2009 536 42.7 12.6 57.8
2010 563 46.0 12.2 68.7
2011 538 41.0 13.1 66.2
2012 560 40.6 13.7 67.1
2013 505 59.8 8.4 66.7
2014 515 44.6 11.5 76.5
2015 634 49.0 12.9 73.8
2016 603 52.0 11.5 75.8
2017 617 51.4 11.9 71.5
2018 644 50.9 12.6 72.5
2019 651 51.0 12.7 76.5
2020 681 53.0 12.8 75.3
2021 637 n/a n/a n/a
2022 633 49.1 12.8 78.7
2023 616 40.0 15.4 84.3

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.

Immunization Rates

Columbia Central School

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Compare
YearPolioMeaslesMumpsRubellaHepatitis BVaricellaDTPMeningococcal
201598.9%98.8%98.8%98.8%72.0%98.3%98.9%
201699.2%99.4%99.4%99.4%75.2%99.4%23.7%27.6%
201799.0%99.0%99.0%99.0%73.6%99.0%98.7%53.1%
201896.6%96.3%96.3%96.3%73.2%97.1%96.6%71.5%
201997.9%98.0%98.0%98.0%69.2%97.6%97.9%67.5%
202196.7%96.4%96.4%96.4%96.9%96.6%96.7%65.7%
202295.6%95.6%95.6%95.6%95.6%95.6%95.6%69.5%
202394.5%94.5%94.5%94.5%94.5%94.5%94.5%69.1%
202491.6%91.6%91.6%91.6%91.6%91.6%91.6%67.6%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Columbia Central School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $748 (6.4%) $10,873 (93.6%) $11,620
2020 $262 (2.4%) $10,480 (97.6%) $10,742
2021 $795 (6.7%) $11,128 (93.3%) $11,923
2022 $795 (6.7%) $11,128 (93.3%) $11,923
2023 $2,415 (14.7%) $14,049 (85.3%) $16,465
2024 $2,533 (14.2%) $15,321 (85.8%) $17,854

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Columbia Central 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 887th of 1356 Middle schoolsRanks 924th of 1367 Middle schools
 2.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
5th Grade English Language Arts (Columbia Central School)18.521.1
 2.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Steger School District 194)18.521.1
 2.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)37.935.2
 2.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Columbia Central School)3.86
 2.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Steger School District 194)3.86
 2.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)29.825.6
 4.2%
5th Grade Science (Columbia Central School)34.926.8
 8.1%
   5th Grade Science (Steger School District 194)34.926.8
 8.1%
   5th Grade Science (Illinois)54.452.4
 2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Columbia Central School)21.129.3
 8.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Steger School District 194)21.129.3
 8.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)3534.2
 0.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Columbia Central School)10.93.6
 7.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Steger School District 194)10.93.6
 7.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)25.323.4
 1.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Columbia Central School)35.729
 6.7%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Steger School District 194)35.729
 6.7%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)41.237.9
 3.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Columbia Central School)16.29
 7.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Steger School District 194)16.29
 7.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)29.926.9
 3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Columbia Central School)26.531.5
 5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Steger School District 194)26.531.5
 5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)39.640.5
 0.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Columbia Central School)16.28.3
 7.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Steger School District 194)16.28.3
 7.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)32.625.7
 6.9%
8th Grade Science (Columbia Central School)42.228.1
 14.1%
   8th Grade Science (Steger School District 194)42.228.1
 14.1%
   8th Grade Science (Illinois)5552
 3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students651616
 5.4%
African American178185
 3.9%
American Indian00
Asian61
 83.3%
Hispanic201233
 15.9%
Pacific Islander11
White189139
 26.5%
Two or More Races7657
 25%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients76.5%84.3%
 7.8%


Schools Near Columbia Central School









Frequently Asked Questions about Columbia Central School

Students at Columbia Central School are 38% Hispanic, 30% African American, 23% White, 9% Two or more races.

Students who attend Columbia Central School usually go on to attend Bloom Trail High School

Columbia Central School ranks 729th of 1363 Illinois middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 616 students attended Columbia Central School.


Rate Columbia Central School!



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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board 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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