Is Columbia City High School a good school?

Columbia City High School ranks 120 th of 431 Indiana high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Columbia City High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,147 students attended Columbia City High School.

What is the racial makeup of Columbia City High School?

Students at Columbia City High School are 90% White, 5% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

What schools feed into Columbia City High School?

Columbia City High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Coesse School Elementary : Little Turtle Elementary School Elementary : Mary Raber Elementary School Elementary : Northern Heights Elementary School Middle : Indian Springs Middle School

Columbia City High School

Summary:

Columbia City High School is a public high school serving 1,147 students in grades 9-12 in Columbia City, Indiana, which is part of the Whitley County Con Schools district, ranked 168 out of 381 districts in the state.

Columbia City High School stands out for its consistently high graduation rates, ranging from 87.3% to 94.1% over the past five years, which are generally higher than nearby schools like Northrop High School and North Side High School. The school also outperforms the state and district averages on standardized tests such as the SAT and ILEARN. However, the school has a significantly higher percentage of white students (89.71%) compared to the more diverse student populations at surrounding schools, and has seen a recent increase in chronic absenteeism, reaching 25.2% in 2022-2023, though this rate is still lower than some nearby schools.

Overall, Columbia City High School appears to be a well-performing school that is generally outperforming its nearby counterparts. The school's consistent performance, high graduation rates, and strong test scores suggest a stable and effective educational environment. However, the school's racial homogeneity and the recent increase in chronic absenteeism may be areas for the school to monitor and address going forward.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1600 South State Road 9
Columbia City, IN 46725

(260) 244-6136

District: Whitley County Con Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
120^th of 431 Indiana High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,836

Feeder schools for Columbia City High School:

Elementary:	Coesse School
	Little Turtle Elementary School
	Mary Raber Elementary School
	Northern Heights Elementary School
Middle:	Indian Springs Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.9

Number of students: 1,147

Racial breakdown:

White:

89.7%

Hispanic:

4.7%

Two or more races:

3.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 27%

See top rated Indiana high schools

Compare Columbia City High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Columbia City High School ranks better than 72.2% of high schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 62.55. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Columbia City High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.

Chronic absenteeism in a high 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 (89.7%), Hispanic (4.7%), two or more races (3.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 27% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Columbia City High School is 15.9. (See more...)

Compare Columbia City High School employs 72 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Columbia City High School is $9,836.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Columbia City High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Columbia City High School 120^th of 431 Indiana public high schools. (See Columbia City High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Whitley County Con Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Whitley County Con Schools 170^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Columbia City High School?

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Rank History for Columbia City High School

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Rank History for all students at Columbia City High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2005	74.54	60^th	349	82.8%
2006	74.36	63^rd	349	81.9%
2007	65.18	127^th	354	64.1%
2008	67.64	104^th	360	71.1%
2009	75.38	71^st	364	80.5%
2010	48.13	147^th	362	59.4%
2011	51.40	156^th	364	57.1%
2012	43.23	205^th	373	45.0%
2013	59.17	88^th	353	75.1%
2014	48.42	161^st	379	57.5%
2015	64.31	88^th	400	78.0%
2016	68.65	91^st	394	76.9%
2017	48.09	197^th	380	48.2%
2018	46.61	228^th	385	40.8%
2019	50.26	187^th	389	51.9%
2021	57.31	127^th	388	67.3%
2022	73.90	91^st	409	77.8%
2023	59.39	125^th	398	68.6%
2024	62.55	120^th	431	72.2%

See the entire list of Indiana High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Columbia City High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	5.54	94^th	94	0.0%
2023	43.89	53^rd	104	49.0%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Columbia City High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	59.55	82^nd	285	71.2%
2024	49.96	116^th	289	59.9%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Columbia City High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	55.56	135^th	379	64.4%
2024	52.90	152^nd	377	59.7%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Columbia City High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	62.41	112^th	388	71.1%
2024	60.32	116^th	392	70.4%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Columbia City High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	54.51	141^st	383	63.2%
2024	59.89	126^th	392	67.9%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Columbia City High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	33.48	105^th	166	36.7%
2024	63.59	47^th	184	74.5%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Columbia City High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2022	72.44	85^th	378	77.5%
2023	54.14	135^th	375	64.0%
2024	52.48	159^th	381	58.3%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Indiana 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.

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Columbia City High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1991	1029	2	4	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	1041
1992	1035	1	4	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	1045
1993	1043	0	3	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	1053
1994	1020	3	3	7	2	n/a	n/a	0	1035
1995	1100	2	4	17	9	n/a	n/a	0	1132
1996	1100	2	4	17	9	n/a	n/a	0	1132
1997	1104	2	1	15	0	n/a	n/a	2	1124
1998	1156	6	2	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	1171
1999	968	5	2	13	8	n/a	n/a	0	996
2000	985	4	4	10	6	n/a	n/a	0	1009
2001	1066	0	5	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	1078
2002	1100	0	3	6	6	n/a	n/a	0	1115
2003	1100	0	3	6	6	n/a	n/a	0	1115
2004	1118	3	10	8	4	n/a	n/a	0	1143
2005	1103	3	9	11	3	n/a	n/a	0	1129
2006	1127	3	6	12	5	n/a	n/a	0	1153
2007	1076	3	6	20	3	n/a	n/a	17	1125
2008	1073	0	7	17	6	n/a	n/a	24	1127
2009	1038	2	7	11	6	n/a	n/a	24	1088
2010	1027	2	6	18	2	n/a	n/a	22	1077
2011	1052	8	6	36	15	0	32	0	1149
2012	1048	8	8	34	9	1	29	0	1137
2013	1006	10	6	36	3	1	27	0	1089
2014	994	6	4	36	7	2	26	0	1075
2015	939	5	5	36	9	2	21	0	1017
2016	954	4	6	39	6	2	29	0	1040
2017	981	5	7	37	6	2	21	0	1059
2018	1012	5	10	34	5	0	23	0	1089
2019	1020	8	12	34	5	0	28	0	1107
2020	1013	9	6	34	7	0	31	0	1100
2021	986	9	7	39	4	0	37	0	1082
2022	1025	9	5	43	3	0	42	0	1127
2023	1029	9	7	54	3	0	45	0	1147

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 City High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	1041	62.5	16.6	3.5
1992	1045	59.9	17.4	5.2
1993	1053	55.8	18.9	3.8
1994	1035	56.4	18.4	5.1
1995	1132	55.3	20.5	5.1
1996	1132	55.3	20.5	5.1
1997	1124	55.4	20.3	4.4
1998	1171	53.8	21.8	3.5
1999	996	55.6	17.9	7.2
2000	1009	57.3	17.6	8.7
2001	1078	57.7	18.7	8.6
2002	1115	59.9	18.6	11.6
2003	1115	59.9	18.6	11.6
2004	1143	61.7	18.5	17.3
2005	1129	61.7	18.3	14.2
2006	1153	62.8	18.4	14.7
2007	1125	n/a	n/a	14.9
2008	1127	62.5	18.0	18.3
2009	1088	63.0	17.3	20.5
2010	1077	64.0	16.8	26.3
2011	1149	61.1	18.8	26.5
2012	1137	66.5	17.0	28
2013	1089	61.5	17.7	28.7
2014	1075	63.5	16.9	28.6
2015	1017	58.0	17.5	26.6
2016	1040	58.0	17.9	22.5
2017	1059	60.5	17.5	21.2
2018	1089	58.3	18.6	24.6
2019	1107	61.7	17.9	24.6
2020	1100	61.2	17.9	24.4
2021	1082	64.6	16.7	20.2
2022	1127	71.5	15.7	21.9
2023	1147	72.0	15.9	27

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 City High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	1041	62.5	16.6	3.5
1992	1045	59.9	17.4	5.2
1993	1053	55.8	18.9	3.8
1994	1035	56.4	18.4	5.1
1995	1132	55.3	20.5	5.1
1996	1132	55.3	20.5	5.1
1997	1124	55.4	20.3	4.4
1998	1171	53.8	21.8	3.5
1999	996	55.6	17.9	7.2
2000	1009	57.3	17.6	8.7
2001	1078	57.7	18.7	8.6
2002	1115	59.9	18.6	11.6
2003	1115	59.9	18.6	11.6
2004	1143	61.7	18.5	17.3
2005	1129	61.7	18.3	14.2
2006	1153	62.8	18.4	14.7
2007	1125	n/a	n/a	14.9
2008	1127	62.5	18.0	18.3
2009	1088	63.0	17.3	20.5
2010	1077	64.0	16.8	26.3
2011	1149	61.1	18.8	26.5
2012	1137	66.5	17.0	28
2013	1089	61.5	17.7	28.7
2014	1075	63.5	16.9	28.6
2015	1017	58.0	17.5	26.6
2016	1040	58.0	17.9	22.5
2017	1059	60.5	17.5	21.2
2018	1089	58.3	18.6	24.6
2019	1107	61.7	17.9	24.6
2020	1100	61.2	17.9	24.4
2021	1082	64.6	16.7	20.2
2022	1127	71.5	15.7	21.9
2023	1147	72.0	15.9	27

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 City High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$247 (2.9%)	$8,339 (97.1%)	$8,586
2020	$223 (2.5%)	$8,808 (97.5%)	$9,031
2021	$426 (4.3%)	$9,405 (95.7%)	$9,831
2022	$395 (4.0%)	$9,440 (96.0%)	$9,836

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Columbia City 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 187^th of 389 High schools	Ranks 125^th of 398 High schools	16.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Biology (Columbia City High School)	39.2	30.7	8.6%
End of Course Biology (Whitley County Con Schools)	39.2	30.7	8.6%
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	1107	1147	3.6%
African American	8	9	12.5%
American Indian	5	3	40%
Asian	12	7	41.7%
Hispanic	34	54	58.8%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	1020	1029	0.9%
Two or More Races	28	45	60.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	24.6%	27%	2.5%

Schools Near Columbia City High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing (2024)	SAT Mathematics (2024)	ILEARN English Language Arts (2024)				ILEARN Math (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	SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th 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 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Columbia City High School	Public	9-12	1600 South State Road 9	Columbia City	46725	Whitley County	Whitley County Con Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 244-6136	1,147	72	15.9	27.0%	1,029 (89.7%)	9 (0.8%)	54 (4.7%)	7 (0.6%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (3.9%)	62.6	120^th of 431 public high schools	72.2%		59.4	125^th of 398 public high schools	68.6%	5	55.1	23.3									48.3	$9,836	$395	$9,441
Whitko Career Academy	Public	8-12	710 N Sr 5	Larwill	46764	Whitley County	Whitko Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(260) 327-3677	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Whitko Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	1 Big Blue Ave	South Whitley	46787	Whitley County	Whitko Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(260) 723-5146	541	61	8.8	42.9%	496 (91.7%)	5 (0.9%)	31 (5.7%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.1%)	49.3	204^th of 431 public high schools	52.7%		31.6	287^th of 398 public high schools	27.9%	83	44.8	19.8		24.7	32.9	28.6		20.2	18.4	19.4	43.3	$12,113	$1,226	$10,887
Churubusco Junior-Senior High School	Public	6-12	1 Eagle Dr	Churubusco	46723	Whitley County	Smith-Green Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 693-2131	647	40	16.1	25.8%	615 (95.1%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (2.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (2.3%)	65.1	108^th of 431 public high schools	74.9%		57.3	142^nd of 398 public high schools	64.3%	34	55.2	25.0	41.8	45.8	41.0	42.9	24.1	26.5	10.8	20.4	50.0	$9,750	$48	$9,701
Homestead High School	Public	9-12	4310 Homestead Rd	Fort Wayne	46814	Allen County	MSD Southwest Allen County Schls	No	No	No	No	(260) 431-2202	2,470	123	20.1	21.1%	1,868 (75.6%)	162 (6.6%)	192 (7.8%)	125 (5.1%)	5 (0.2%)	5 (0.2%)	113 (4.6%)	92.1	12^th of 431 public high schools	97.2%		92.3	11^th of 398 public high schools	97.2%	1	74.7	43.6									70.0	$9,180	$267	$8,913
eSACS Virtual School	Public, Virtual	6-12	4310 Homestead Rd	Fort Wayne	46814	Allen County	MSD Southwest Allen County Schls	No	No	Yes	No	(260) 431-2051	78	18	4.3	30.8%	59 (75.6%)	6 (7.7%)	3 (3.8%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.6%)	7 (9.0%)	54.9	163^rd of 431 public high schools	62.2%		62.7	113^th of 398 public high schools	71.6%	50	52.2	17.4				31.3				25.0		$4,594	$109	$4,485
Carroll High School	Public	9-12	3701 Carroll Rd	Fort Wayne	46818	Allen County	Northwest Allen County Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 637-3161	2,554	131	19.4	21.0%	2,076 (81.3%)	81 (3.2%)	141 (5.5%)	115 (4.5%)	1 (0.0%)	3 (0.1%)	137 (5.4%)	84.9	34^th of 431 public high schools	92.1%		92.3	12^th of 398 public high schools	97.0%	22	68.8	41.9									57.3	$8,839	$290	$8,549
Huntington North High School	Public	9-12	450 MacGahan St	Huntington	46750	Huntington County	Huntington County Com School Corp	No	No	No	No	(260) 356-6104	1,424	94	15.1	41.8%	1,305 (91.6%)	5 (0.4%)	66 (4.6%)	5 (0.4%)	4 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	38 (2.7%)	66	98^th of 431 public high schools	77.3%		64	104^th of 398 public high schools	73.9%	6	57.8	29.4									43.8	$10,824	$677	$10,147
Manchester Junior-Senior High School	Public	7-12	1 Squire Dr	North Manchester	46962	Wabash County	Manchester Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 982-2196	672	44	15.2	49.7%	572 (85.1%)	5 (0.7%)	65 (9.7%)	6 (0.9%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (3.0%)	59.4	142^nd of 431 public high schools	67.1%		68.3	77^th of 398 public high schools	80.7%	65	47.1	31.1		36.5	30.4	33.9		32.0	30.4	31.3	41.6	$10,511	$906	$9,605
Northrop High School	Public	9-12	7001 Coldwater Rd	Fort Wayne	46825	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 467-2300	2,136	103	20.6	53.7%	1,011 (47.3%)	419 (19.6%)	383 (17.9%)	123 (5.8%)	10 (0.5%)	4 (0.2%)	186 (8.7%)	36.4	280^th of 431 public high schools	35.0%		39.7	243^rd of 398 public high schools	38.9%	37	37.6	17.8									32.3	$9,589	$1,201	$8,388

Columbia City High School

Columbia City High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Whitley County Con Schools:

What do you think?

Rank History for Columbia City High School

Rank History for all students at Columbia City High School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Columbia City High School

Rank History for Special Education students at Columbia City High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Columbia City High School

Rank History for Female students at Columbia City High School

Rank History for Male students at Columbia City High School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Columbia City High School

Rank History for White students at Columbia City High School

Enrollment information for Columbia City High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Columbia City High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Columbia City High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Columbia City High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Columbia City High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Columbia City High School

Frequently Asked Questions about Columbia City High School

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