Central Middle School

Q: Is Central Middle School a good school?

Central Middle School ranks 188 th of 485 Indiana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Central Middle School is a public middle school located in Columbus, Indiana, serving grades 7-8 with a total enrollment of 859 students. It is part of the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation district, which is ranked 160 out of 381 districts in Indiana and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Central Middle School has a relatively diverse student population, with 73.22% White, 11.18% Hispanic, and 7.8% Asian students, which is more diverse compared to nearby schools like Northside Middle School (62.61% White, 25% Hispanic) and the more homogeneous Indian Creek Middle School (94.65% White) and Brown County Middle School (94.72% White). However, Central Middle School's academic performance, as measured by ILEARN test scores, is generally lower than the district and state averages, with 38.88% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 34.31% in Math, compared to the district scores of 40.21% and 40.45%, respectively. The school also has a relatively high chronic absenteeism rate of 22.9%, significantly higher than the nearby Northside Middle School (16.2%) and Indian Creek Middle School (14.6%).

The data suggests that Central Middle School could benefit from targeted interventions and support, particularly in the areas of academic achievement, attendance, and student engagement. The higher rates of free and reduced-price lunch (45.29%) may indicate the presence of socioeconomic challenges that could be impacting student learning and engagement. By understanding the school's unique characteristics and challenges, the district and school leaders can develop and implement tailored strategies to support the success of all students at Central Middle School.

Detail:

Public 7-8

725 7th St
Columbus, IN 47201

(812) 376-4287

District: Bartholomew Con School Corp

SchoolDigger Rank:
188^th of 485 Indiana Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,759

Students who attend Central Middle School usually attend:

High:

Columbus North High School

Feeder schools for Central Middle School:

Elementary:	Mount Healthy Elementary School
	Southside Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.3

Number of students: 822

Racial breakdown:

White:

67.0%

Hispanic:

14.1%

Asian:

10.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 46.5%

See top rated Indiana middle schools

Compare Central Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Central Middle School ranks better than 61.2% of middle schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 59.71. (See more...)

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: White (67%), Hispanic (14.1%), Asian (10.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 46.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Central Middle School is 15.3. (See more...)

Compare Central Middle School employs 53.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central Middle School is $10,759.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Central Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Central Middle School 188^th of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See Central Middle School in the ranking list.)

Bartholomew Con School Corp:

SchoolDigger ranks Bartholomew Con School Corp 161^st of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Central Middle School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IN State Percentile
2005	54.35	188^th	370	49.2%
2006	47.45	249^th	375	33.6%
2007	43.01	270^th	382	29.3%
2008	56.88	180^th	392	54.1%
2009	57.68	187^th	423	55.8%
2010	40.26	309^th	428	27.8%
2011	42.50	324^th	451	28.2%
2012	55.74	219^th	447	51.0%
2013	42.54	306^th	444	31.1%
2014	51.28	276^th	470	41.3%
2015	69.13	134^th	485	72.4%
2016	71.60	116^th	494	76.5%
2017	63.22	178^th	472	62.3%
2018	62.82	187^th	473	60.5%
2019	54.96	220^th	470	53.2%
2021	57.24	193^rd	483	60.0%
2022	57.44	201^st	490	59.0%
2023	52.44	228^th	489	53.4%
2024	59.71	188^th	485	61.2%

See the entire list of Indiana Middle School Rankings!

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

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Central Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	747	25	7	7	4	n/a	n/a	0	790
1989	774	26	6	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	813
1990	762	27	7	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	803
1991	769	32	8	6	3	n/a	n/a	0	818
1992	694	25	13	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	741
1993	759	17	14	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	796
1994	708	32	15	5	4	n/a	n/a	0	764
1995	614	31	20	5	0	n/a	n/a	5	675
1996	614	31	20	5	0	n/a	n/a	5	675
1997	606	32	16	4	1	n/a	n/a	7	666
1998	703	26	17	11	1	n/a	n/a	1	759
1999	753	30	17	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	810
2000	740	23	18	16	1	n/a	n/a	0	798
2001	658	24	15	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	712
2002	706	24	16	20	1	n/a	n/a	0	767
2003	706	24	16	20	1	n/a	n/a	0	767
2004	751	28	12	23	1	n/a	n/a	0	815
2005	758	14	16	27	2	n/a	n/a	0	817
2006	754	16	15	28	1	n/a	n/a	0	814
2007	723	16	12	28	1	n/a	n/a	20	800
2008	720	23	13	38	3	n/a	n/a	23	820
2009	766	21	20	27	2	n/a	n/a	30	866
2010	750	18	21	20	1	n/a	n/a	39	849
2011	775	22	17	37	9	1	50	0	911
2012	702	14	23	50	3	1	44	0	837
2013	659	21	32	48	4	1	48	0	813
2014	660	19	26	57	3	0	49	0	814
2015	623	27	31	69	2	0	47	0	799
2016	614	23	35	67	3	1	43	0	786
2017	639	22	32	82	2	0	41	0	818
2018	648	25	38	101	2	0	33	0	847
2019	670	31	42	88	5	0	39	0	875
2020	667	25	49	102	11	1	38	0	893
2021	617	21	53	111	6	1	36	0	845
2022	633	18	50	107	2	2	38	0	850
2023	629	26	67	96	2	1	38	0	859
2024	551	23	86	116	3	0	43	0	822

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 Central Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	790	52.0	15.1	16.1
1989	813	50.7	16.0	15.1
1990	803	47.3	16.9	13.9
1991	818	54.0	15.1	14.1
1992	741	53.1	13.9	19.4
1993	796	51.5	15.5	16.5
1994	764	50.7	15.1	16.1
1995	675	53.3	12.7	13.9
1996	675	53.3	12.7	13.9
1997	666	53.3	12.5	16.8
1998	759	53.5	14.2	16
1999	810	53.1	15.3	19.9
2000	798	52.7	15.1	21.7
2001	712	52.3	13.6	26
2002	767	49.0	15.7	35.7
2003	767	49.0	15.7	35.7
2004	815	49.6	16.4	37.3
2005	817	52.4	15.6	35.5
2006	814	51.4	15.8	38.9
2007	800	n/a	n/a	40.5
2008	820	43.6	18.8	37.4
2009	866	42.6	20.3	39
2010	849	43.4	19.5	39.6
2011	911	43.6	20.8	38.2
2012	837	49.0	17.0	45.9
2013	813	48.0	16.9	42.2
2014	814	48.3	16.8	44.7
2015	799	46.0	17.3	42.6
2016	786	51.0	15.4	40.5
2017	818	46.0	17.7	41.1
2018	847	37.5	22.5	45.6
2019	875	45.0	19.4	45.3
2020	893	46.9	19.0	45.6
2021	845	25.6	32.8	45
2022	850	61.6	13.7	43.2
2023	859	56.7	15.1	45.3
2024	822	53.6	15.3	46.5

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 Central Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	790	52.0	15.1	16.1
1989	813	50.7	16.0	15.1
1990	803	47.3	16.9	13.9
1991	818	54.0	15.1	14.1
1992	741	53.1	13.9	19.4
1993	796	51.5	15.5	16.5
1994	764	50.7	15.1	16.1
1995	675	53.3	12.7	13.9
1996	675	53.3	12.7	13.9
1997	666	53.3	12.5	16.8
1998	759	53.5	14.2	16
1999	810	53.1	15.3	19.9
2000	798	52.7	15.1	21.7
2001	712	52.3	13.6	26
2002	767	49.0	15.7	35.7
2003	767	49.0	15.7	35.7
2004	815	49.6	16.4	37.3
2005	817	52.4	15.6	35.5
2006	814	51.4	15.8	38.9
2007	800	n/a	n/a	40.5
2008	820	43.6	18.8	37.4
2009	866	42.6	20.3	39
2010	849	43.4	19.5	39.6
2011	911	43.6	20.8	38.2
2012	837	49.0	17.0	45.9
2013	813	48.0	16.9	42.2
2014	814	48.3	16.8	44.7
2015	799	46.0	17.3	42.6
2016	786	51.0	15.4	40.5
2017	818	46.0	17.7	41.1
2018	847	37.5	22.5	45.6
2019	875	45.0	19.4	45.3
2020	893	46.9	19.0	45.6
2021	845	25.6	32.8	45
2022	850	61.6	13.7	43.2
2023	859	56.7	15.1	45.3
2024	822	53.6	15.3	46.5

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 Central Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$200 (2.1%)	$9,291 (97.9%)	$9,491
2020	$384 (4.2%)	$8,810 (95.8%)	$9,194
2021	$663 (6.7%)	$9,287 (93.3%)	$9,951
2022	$914 (8.5%)	$9,845 (91.5%)	$10,759

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Central Middle 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 220^th of 470 Middle schools	Ranks 228^th of 489 Middle schools	0.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Central Middle School)	44.2	34.9	9.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Bartholomew Con School Corp)	51.3	36.3	15%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	49.7	39.5	10.2%
7th Grade Math (Central Middle School)	44.8	33.4	11.4%
7th Grade Math (Bartholomew Con School Corp)	46.9	32.8	14.1%
7th Grade Math (Indiana)	42	32.9	9.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Central Middle School)	46.7	39.2	7.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Bartholomew Con School Corp)	49.6	42.5	7.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	50.7	43.8	6.9%
8th Grade Math (Central Middle School)	40	26	14%
8th Grade Math (Bartholomew Con School Corp)	40.8	28.5	12.3%
8th Grade Math (Indiana)	38	31.4	6.6%
End of Course Biology (Central Middle School)	100	87.7	12.3%
End of Course Biology (Bartholomew Con School Corp)	40.5	25.9	14.6%
End of Course Biology (Indiana)	38.6	29	9.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	875	859	1.8%
African American	31	26	16.1%
American Indian	5	2	60%
Asian	42	67	59.5%
Hispanic	88	96	9.1%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	670	629	6.1%
Two or More Races	39	38	2.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	45.3%	45.3%	0%

Schools Near Central Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ILEARN English Language Arts (2024)					ILEARN Math (2024)					ILEARN Social Studies (2024)	ILEARN Biology (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
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	ILEARN English Language Arts 5th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 6th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 7th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 8th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts All Grades	ILEARN Math 5th Grade	ILEARN Math 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Social Studies 5th Grade	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Central Middle School	Public	7-8	725 7th St	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 376-4287	822	54	15.3	46.5%	551 (67.0%)	23 (2.8%)	116 (14.1%)	86 (10.5%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (5.2%)	59.7	188^th of 485 public middle schools	61.2%		52.4	228^th of 489 public middle schools	53.4%	40			38.2	39.5	38.9			36.0	32.7	34.3		100.0	$10,759	$914	$9,845
Northside Middle School	Public	7-8	1400 27th St	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 376-4405	878	59	14.8	51.3%	571 (65.0%)	18 (2.1%)	213 (24.3%)	41 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	33 (3.8%)	54.3	216^th of 485 public middle schools	55.5%		59.9	183^rd of 489 public middle schools	62.6%	33			36.3	39.6	37.9			32.7	27.9	30.3		96.6	$10,940	$1,001	$9,939
Edinburgh Community Middle School	Public	6-8	300 S Keeley St	Edinburgh	46124	Johnson County	Edinburgh Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 526-3418	179	14	13.2	72.6%	159 (88.8%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	4 (2.2%)	39.3	299^th of 485 public middle schools	38.4%		36.9	316^th of 489 public middle schools	35.4%	17		33.3	22.0	26.9	27.6		29.8	26.0	28.4	28.2			$9,859	$954	$8,905
Seymour Middle School	Public	6-8	920 N O'Brien St	Seymour	47274	Jackson County	Seymour Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(812) 522-5453	776	52	15.0	49.5%	365 (47.0%)	15 (1.9%)	363 (46.8%)	8 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.2%)	39.1	302^nd of 485 public middle schools	37.7%		37.5	315^th of 489 public middle schools	35.6%	13			31.8	30.9	31.4			24.7	22.1	23.5			$9,218	$918	$8,300
Brown County Middle School	Public	6-8	95 S Schoolhouse Ln	Nashville	47448	Brown County	Brown County School Corporation	No	No	No	Yes	(812) 988-6605	386	25	15.4	52.3%	366 (94.8%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.1%)	48.6	247^th of 485 public middle schools	49.1%		57.6	203^rd of 489 public middle schools	58.5%	44		36.8	37.0	32.4	35.6		36.1	29.0	21.1	29.2		53.6	$12,822	$1,760	$11,062
Seymour Intermediate School	Public	5-6	1000 S Poplar St.	Seymour	47274	Jackson County	Seymour Community Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(812) 525-9571	831	49	17.1	62.1%	418 (50.3%)	9 (1.1%)	368 (44.3%)	16 (1.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	18 (2.2%)								(n/a)	23.1	31.6			27.1	28.2	32.5			30.2	25.4
Indian Creek Middle School	Public	6-8	801 W Indian Creek Dr	Trafalgar	46181	Johnson County	Nineveh-Hensley-Jackson United	No	No	No	No	(317) 878-2130	479	34	14.2	29.2%	443 (92.5%)	3 (0.6%)	17 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.3%)	57	205^th of 485 public middle schools	57.7%		67	148^th of 489 public middle schools	69.7%	57		37.7	34.4	37.5	36.6		37.0	43.1	29.2	36.2			$9,152	$715	$8,437

Frequently Asked Questions about Central Middle School

What district is Central Middle School in?

Bartholomew Con School Corp

How many students attend Central Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 822 students attended Central Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Central Middle School?

Students at Central Middle School are 67% White, 14% Hispanic, 10% Asian, 5% Two or more races, 3% African American.

Is Central Middle School a good school?

Central Middle School ranks 188^th of 485 Indiana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What high school do graduates of Central Middle School attend?

Students who attend Central Middle School usually go on to attend Columbus North 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 Indiana 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.