Columbus High School

Summary:

Columbus High School is a public high school in Columbus, Mississippi, serving 898 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Lowndes County School District, which is ranked 113 out of 130 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Columbus High School has a significantly higher percentage of African American students (94.43%) compared to nearby schools like West Point High School, Caledonia High School, and New Hope High School, which have more diverse racial compositions. The school consistently underperforms the state and district averages in standardized test scores across all subject areas, with only 29.1% of students proficient or better in Algebra I, compared to the state average of 67.4%. Additionally, 100% of Columbus High School students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

Despite having a relatively low student-teacher ratio, Columbus High School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Mississippi high schools, with a ranking of 206 out of 228 schools in the 2023-2024 school year and a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. In comparison, nearby schools like Caledonia High School and New Hope High School perform significantly better on standardized tests and have higher school rankings, suggesting that the challenges faced by Columbus High School may require a comprehensive approach to improve the academic achievement of its students.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 215 Hemlock Street
       Columbus, MS  39702


(662) 241-7200

District: Columbus Municipal School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
206th of 228 Mississippi High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,239 Help


Feeder schools for Columbus High School:

Elementary:    Cook Elementary School
    Fairview Elementary School
    Franklin Academy
    Sale Elementary School
    More...
Middle:    Columbus Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  14.0 Help
Number of students:  898

Racial breakdown:

African American:
94.4%
White:
3.0%
Hispanic:
1.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


 See top rated Mississippi high schools

 Compare Columbus High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Columbus High School ranks worse than 90.4% of high schools in Mississippi. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 11.49. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (94.4%), White (3%), Hispanic (1.2%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Columbus High School is 14. (See more...)
Help
Compare Columbus High School employs 63.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Columbus High School is $10,239.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Columbus High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Columbus High School 206th of 228 Mississippi public high schools. (See Columbus High School in the ranking list.)

Columbus Municipal School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Columbus Municipal School District 113th of 130 Mississippi school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Columbus High School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MS State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 47.99 144th 232 37.9%
2005 35.23 173rd 232 25.4%
2006 28.27 194th 232 16.4%
2007 31.62 180th 232 22.4%
2008 27.13 181st 235 23.0%
2009 27.29 180th 235 23.4%
2010 18.44 208th 235 11.5%
2011 46.08 146th 244 40.2%
2012 10.65 226th 241 6.2%
2013 18.34 204th 238 14.3%
2014 30.15 186th 236 21.2%
2015 16.08 187th 226 17.3%
2016 11.71 210th 231 9.1%
2017 13.87 208th 237 12.2%
2018 20.19 190th 233 18.5%
2019 34.46 153rd 233 34.3%
2021 15.93 192nd 231 16.9%
2022 18.15 194th 228 14.9%
2023 9.82 210th 226 7.1%
2024 11.49 206th 228 9.6%
See the entire list of Mississippi High School Rankings!

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

Columbus High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    



Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Columbus High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1990 260 560 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 820
1991 222 603 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 825
1992 210 580 1 3 0 n/a n/a 0 794
1993 249 469 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 721
1994 209 447 1 2 0 n/a n/a 0 659
1995 183 459 2 0 0 n/a n/a 0 644
1996 183 459 2 0 0 n/a n/a 0 644
1997 428 1067 1 4 0 n/a n/a 0 1500
1998 391 1066 2 5 0 n/a n/a 0 1464
1999 365 1050 10 4 0 n/a n/a 0 1429
2000 373 1040 11 1 0 n/a n/a 0 1425
2001 352 1005 8 5 3 n/a n/a 0 1373
2002 291 1029 6 5 0 n/a n/a 0 1331
2003 291 1029 6 5 0 n/a n/a 0 1331
2004 262 1082 11 5 1 n/a n/a 0 1361
2005 242 1135 8 7 0 n/a n/a 0 1392
2006 224 1167 15 12 0 n/a n/a 0 1418
2007 171 1175 9 7 0 n/a n/a 0 1362
2008 148 1114 7 8 2 n/a n/a 0 1279
2009 141 1106 10 5 2 0 0 0 1264
2010 118 1138 7 7 4 0 0 0 1274
2011 115 1117 10 5 2 0 1 0 1250
2012 85 1121 7 10 2 0 0 0 1225
2013 82 1097 9 3 1 0 1 0 1193
2014 65 1072 7 4 0 0 1 0 1149
2015 64 1047 5 11 0 0 0 0 1127
2016 52 1015 3 10 1 0 0 0 1081
2017 42 1031 5 12 0 0 1 0 1091
2018 37 957 8 16 0 0 3 0 1021
2019 26 917 6 20 0 0 3 0 972
2020 31 856 8 17 0 0 7 0 919
2021 44 867 8 18 0 0 8 0 945
2022 34 879 8 20 0 0 8 0 949
2023 27 848 7 11 0 0 5 0 898

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 High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 820 47.3 17.3 n/a
1991 825 46.8 17.6 n/a
1992 794 45.3 17.5 52
1993 721 40.5 17.8 52.6
1994 659 37.2 17.7 55.7
1995 644 34.3 18.8 61.6
1996 644 34.3 18.8 61.6
1997 1500 81.4 18.4 68.7
1998 1464 78.6 18.6 68.8
1999 1429 77.1 18.5 68.2
2000 1425 75.9 18.8 68.7
2001 1373 73.8 18.6 73.4
2002 1331 74.3 17.9 79.6
2003 1331 74.3 17.9 79.6
2004 1361 71.8 19.0 63
2005 1392 70.5 19.7 64.6
2006 1418 72.7 19.5 68.1
2007 1362 78.1 17.4 72.5
2008 1279 78.2 16.4 73.2
2009 1264 80.6 15.7 76.3
2010 1274 77.9 16.3 79.7
2011 1250 78.2 15.9 80.5
2012 1225 80.3 15.2 80.5
2013 1193 70.2 16.9 82.8
2014 1149 74.8 15.3 84.3
2015 1127 84.0 13.4 100
2016 1081 84.0 12.8 100
2017 1091 71.6 15.2 100
2018 1021 66.5 15.3 100
2019 972 66.0 14.7 100
2020 919 70.2 13.0 100
2021 945 66.4 14.2 100
2022 949 60.5 15.6 100
2023 898 63.8 14.0 100

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 Columbus High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 820 47.3 17.3 n/a
1991 825 46.8 17.6 n/a
1992 794 45.3 17.5 52
1993 721 40.5 17.8 52.6
1994 659 37.2 17.7 55.7
1995 644 34.3 18.8 61.6
1996 644 34.3 18.8 61.6
1997 1500 81.4 18.4 68.7
1998 1464 78.6 18.6 68.8
1999 1429 77.1 18.5 68.2
2000 1425 75.9 18.8 68.7
2001 1373 73.8 18.6 73.4
2002 1331 74.3 17.9 79.6
2003 1331 74.3 17.9 79.6
2004 1361 71.8 19.0 63
2005 1392 70.5 19.7 64.6
2006 1418 72.7 19.5 68.1
2007 1362 78.1 17.4 72.5
2008 1279 78.2 16.4 73.2
2009 1264 80.6 15.7 76.3
2010 1274 77.9 16.3 79.7
2011 1250 78.2 15.9 80.5
2012 1225 80.3 15.2 80.5
2013 1193 70.2 16.9 82.8
2014 1149 74.8 15.3 84.3
2015 1127 84.0 13.4 100
2016 1081 84.0 12.8 100
2017 1091 71.6 15.2 100
2018 1021 66.5 15.3 100
2019 972 66.0 14.7 100
2020 919 70.2 13.0 100
2021 945 66.4 14.2 100
2022 949 60.5 15.6 100
2023 898 63.8 14.0 100

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 Columbus High School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,064 (10.4%) $9,175 (89.6%) $10,239

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Columbus 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 153rd of 233 High schoolsRanks 210th of 226 High schools
 27.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Algebra I (Columbus High School)22.926
 3.1%
   End of Course Algebra I (Columbus Municipal School District)26.926
 0.9%
   End of Course Algebra I (Mississippi)49.365.8
 16.5%
End of Course English II (Columbus High School)39.721.8
 17.9%
   End of Course English II (Columbus Municipal School District)39.721.8
 17.9%
   End of Course English II (Mississippi)43.950.1
 6.2%
End of Course Biology (Columbus High School)49.439
 10.4%
   End of Course Biology (Columbus Municipal School District)49.439
 10.4%
   End of Course Biology (Mississippi)57.260.9
 3.7%
End of Course U.S. History1 (Columbus High School)29.953.5
 23.6%
   End of Course U.S. History1 (Columbus Municipal School District)29.953.5
 23.6%
   End of Course U.S. History1 (Mississippi)55.571.4
 15.9%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students972898
 7.6%
African American917848
 7.5%
American Indian00
Asian67
 16.7%
Hispanic2011
 45%
Pacific Islander00
White2627
 3.8%
Two or More Races35
 66.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%


Schools Near Columbus High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Columbus High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 898 students attended Columbus High School.

Columbus High School ranks in the bottom 9.6% of Mississippi high schools.

Students at Columbus High School are 94% African American, 3% White, 1% Hispanic.

Columbus High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Cook Elementary School
Elementary : Fairview Elementary School
Elementary : Franklin Academy
Elementary : Sale Elementary School
Elementary : Stokes Beard Elementary School
Middle : Columbus Middle 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 Mississippi 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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