Is Columbus High School a good school?

Columbus High School ranks in the bottom 20.8% of Nebraska high schools.

How many students attend Columbus High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,295 students attended Columbus High School.

What is the racial makeup of Columbus High School?

Students at Columbus High School are 48% Hispanic, 48% White, 2% African American, 2% Two or more races.

What schools feed into Columbus High School?

Columbus High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Centennial Elementary School Elementary : Emerson Elementary School Elementary : Lost Creek Elementary School Elementary : North Park Elementary Elementary : West Park Elementary Middle : Columbus Middle School

Columbus High School

Summary:

Columbus High School is a public high school in Columbus, Nebraska, serving 1,273 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Columbus Public Schools district, which is ranked 175 out of 182 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Columbus High School struggles, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Math, and Science consistently below the state averages. The school's four-year graduation rate, while improving, still falls slightly short of the state average. Additionally, the school has a relatively high chronic absenteeism rate, which may contribute to its academic challenges. Interestingly, when compared to nearby schools like Twin River Senior High School and David City Secondary School, Columbus High School's performance lags behind in core subject areas.

However, the school's performance on certain student subgroups, such as Hispanic and low-socioeconomic status students, is relatively stronger compared to the state. The school's spending per student has also increased over the years, though it remains lower than some of the higher-performing nearby schools. Overall, the data suggests that Columbus High School has room for improvement, and targeted interventions focused on improving student engagement, attendance, and academic achievement could be beneficial for the school and its community.

Detail:

Public 9-12

3434 Discoverer Drive
Columbus, NE 68602-0947

(402) 563-7050

District: Columbus Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
133^rd of 168 Nebraska High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,691

Feeder schools for Columbus High School:

Elementary:	Centennial Elementary School
	Emerson Elementary School
	Lost Creek Elementary School
	North Park Elementary
	More...
	West Park Elementary
Middle:	Columbus Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.9

Number of students: 1,295

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

47.6%

White:

47.6%

African American:

1.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 53.4%

See top rated Nebraska high schools

Compare Columbus High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Columbus High School ranks worse than 79.2% of high schools in Nebraska. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 23.67. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Columbus 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 (47.6%), White (47.6%), African American (1.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 53.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Columbus High School is 16.9. (See more...)

Compare Columbus High School employs 76.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Columbus High School is $12,691.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Columbus High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Columbus High School 133^rd of 168 Nebraska public high schools. (See Columbus High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Columbus Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Columbus Public Schools 175^th of 182 Nebraska school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Columbus High School?

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Rank History for Columbus High School

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Rank History for all students at Columbus High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NE State Percentile
2006	43.82	178^th	249	28.5%
2007	26.69	228^th	247	7.7%
2008	54.23	139^th	252	44.8%
2009	47.96	150^th	251	40.2%
2010	47.68	163^rd	249	34.5%
2011	43.09	164^th	252	34.9%
2012	45.45	154^th	245	37.1%
2013	30.80	196^th	247	20.6%
2014	42.83	158^th	247	36.0%
2015	34.04	189^th	242	21.9%
2016	20.74	217^th	246	11.8%
2017	25.05	166^th	219	24.2%
2018	19.90	181^st	219	17.4%
2019	23.50	166^th	217	23.5%
2021	25.91	165^th	209	21.1%
2022	41.93	125^th	202	38.1%
2023	22.27	169^th	215	21.4%
2024	23.67	133^rd	168	20.8%

See the entire list of Nebraska High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Columbus High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NE State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	37.56	13^th	26	50.0%

See the entire list of Best Nebraska High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Columbus High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	27.10	61^st	79	22.8%
2019	24.08	62^nd	82	24.4%
2021	28.78	64^th	83	22.9%
2022	55.73	23^rd	74	68.9%
2023	31.91	53^rd	89	40.4%
2024	47.05	31^st	62	50.0%

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

Rank History for Female students at Columbus High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	26.00	112^th	144	22.2%
2019	25.56	111^th	142	21.8%
2021	27.52	102^nd	138	26.1%
2022	33.35	89^th	132	32.6%
2023	22.16	107^th	136	21.3%
2024	36.69	63^rd	93	32.3%

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

Rank History for Male students at Columbus High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	17.65	118^th	138	14.5%
2019	22.88	110^th	140	21.4%
2021	23.48	102^nd	130	21.5%
2022	45.34	71^st	135	47.4%
2023	23.57	104^th	135	23.0%
2024	25.20	66^th	93	29.0%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Columbus High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	29.81	27^th	41	34.1%
2019	32.31	26^th	43	39.5%
2021	31.26	26^th	38	31.6%
2022	60.45	15^th	41	63.4%
2023	27.77	31^st	41	24.4%
2024	38.33	18^th	33	45.5%

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

Rank History for White students at Columbus High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	30.84	150^th	205	26.8%
2019	44.45	114^th	207	44.9%
2021	47.08	104^th	200	48.0%
2022	52.51	91^st	196	53.6%
2023	43.78	119^th	206	42.2%
2024	46.44	73^rd	125	41.6%

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

Data source: test scores: Nebraska 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: Nebraska Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Columbus High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	689	0	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	694
1989	907	0	8	4	8	n/a	n/a	0	927
1990	888	2	11	6	8	n/a	n/a	0	915
1991	909	1	13	8	10	n/a	n/a	0	941
1992	943	4	11	7	5	n/a	n/a	0	970
1993	974	6	8	11	4	n/a	n/a	0	1003
1994	1042	3	10	16	5	n/a	n/a	0	1076
1995	1122	5	7	34	7	n/a	n/a	0	1175
1996	1122	5	7	34	7	n/a	n/a	0	1175
1997	1128	4	12	26	6	n/a	n/a	0	1176
1998	1141	6	20	28	1	n/a	n/a	0	1196
1999	1139	6	5	23	4	n/a	n/a	21	1198
2000	1120	9	7	55	8	n/a	n/a	0	1199
2001	1109	15	11	72	5	n/a	n/a	0	1212
2002	1041	11	7	118	9	n/a	n/a	0	1186
2003	1041	11	7	118	9	n/a	n/a	0	1186
2004	1006	13	6	136	5	n/a	n/a	0	1166
2005	953	6	8	166	3	n/a	n/a	0	1136
2006	943	4	9	187	8	n/a	n/a	0	1151
2007	931	8	7	211	5	n/a	n/a	0	1162
2008	895	10	11	239	9	n/a	n/a	0	1164
2009	889	8	14	255	10	n/a	n/a	0	1176
2010	812	9	12	274	11	n/a	n/a	0	1118
2011	770	6	12	299	30	0	12	0	1129
2012	740	4	11	321	21	0	14	0	1111
2013	730	3	10	320	14	0	19	0	1096
2014	735	1	13	355	13	1	15	0	1133
2015	727	3	11	370	12	1	18	0	1142
2016	721	5	6	405	12	1	13	0	1163
2017	690	6	6	434	12	2	14	0	1164
2018	713	11	7	476	8	0	15	0	1230
2019	731	12	9	521	7	0	12	0	1292
2020	723	16	11	538	7	0	14	0	1309
2021	729	27	9	534	6	0	20	0	1325
2022	699	22	8	521	9	0	22	0	1281
2023	656	21	9	553	10	0	24	0	1273
2024	616	21	12	617	8	0	21	0	1295

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

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	694	46.2	15.0	11.5
1989	927	57.7	16.0	10.9
1990	915	56.6	16.1	11.9
1991	941	57.5	16.3	10.7
1992	970	60.5	16.0	12.9
1993	1003	61.7	16.3	13.6
1994	1076	63.5	16.9	14.8
1995	1175	66.0	17.8	10.1
1996	1175	66.0	17.8	10.1
1997	1176	66.3	17.7	9.5
1998	1196	66.8	17.9	7.2
1999	1198	68.5	17.5	17.3
2000	1199	68.5	17.5	16.6
2001	1212	68.8	17.6	17.3
2002	1186	67.8	17.5	20.2
2003	1186	67.8	17.5	20.2
2004	1166	66.4	17.6	22.9
2005	1136	66.5	17.1	27.2
2006	1151	69.1	16.7	32.6
2007	1162	70.2	16.6	28.1
2008	1164	71.8	16.2	25.9
2009	1176	73.1	16.1	27
2010	1118	73.2	15.2	37
2011	1129	73.6	15.3	37.7
2012	1111	72.5	15.3	39.9
2013	1096	69.7	15.7	40.9
2014	1133	70.0	16.1	42.2
2015	1142	72.0	15.8	42.1
2016	1163	72.0	16.1	49.4
2017	1164	72.0	16.1	47.8
2018	1230	73.3	16.7	53.4
2019	1292	72.3	17.8	49.1
2020	1309	75.5	17.3	48.9
2021	1325	79.7	16.6	48.8
2022	1281	75.7	16.9	52.6
2023	1273	76.7	16.5	46
2024	1295	76.5	16.9	53.4

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

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	694	46.2	15.0	11.5
1989	927	57.7	16.0	10.9
1990	915	56.6	16.1	11.9
1991	941	57.5	16.3	10.7
1992	970	60.5	16.0	12.9
1993	1003	61.7	16.3	13.6
1994	1076	63.5	16.9	14.8
1995	1175	66.0	17.8	10.1
1996	1175	66.0	17.8	10.1
1997	1176	66.3	17.7	9.5
1998	1196	66.8	17.9	7.2
1999	1198	68.5	17.5	17.3
2000	1199	68.5	17.5	16.6
2001	1212	68.8	17.6	17.3
2002	1186	67.8	17.5	20.2
2003	1186	67.8	17.5	20.2
2004	1166	66.4	17.6	22.9
2005	1136	66.5	17.1	27.2
2006	1151	69.1	16.7	32.6
2007	1162	70.2	16.6	28.1
2008	1164	71.8	16.2	25.9
2009	1176	73.1	16.1	27
2010	1118	73.2	15.2	37
2011	1129	73.6	15.3	37.7
2012	1111	72.5	15.3	39.9
2013	1096	69.7	15.7	40.9
2014	1133	70.0	16.1	42.2
2015	1142	72.0	15.8	42.1
2016	1163	72.0	16.1	49.4
2017	1164	72.0	16.1	47.8
2018	1230	73.3	16.7	53.4
2019	1292	72.3	17.8	49.1
2020	1309	75.5	17.3	48.9
2021	1325	79.7	16.6	48.8
2022	1281	75.7	16.9	52.6
2023	1273	76.7	16.5	46
2024	1295	76.5	16.9	53.4

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

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$465 (4.6%)	$8,214 (81.3%)	$10,106
2020	$93 (0.8%)	$9,700 (86.8%)	$11,173
2021	$409 (3.4%)	$10,268 (85.1%)	$12,061
2022	$627 (4.9%)	$10,669 (83.8%)	$12,735
2023	$850 (6.7%)	$10,159 (80.0%)	$12,691

Data source: Nebraska 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 166^th of 217 High schools	Ranks 169^th of 215 High schools	2.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts (Columbus High School)	28.4	23.2	5.3%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Columbus Public Schools)	28.4	23.2	5.3%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)	37.4	33.4	4.1%
11th Grade Mathematics (Columbus High School)	27.1	21.7	5.4%
11th Grade Mathematics (Columbus Public Schools)	27.1	21.7	5.4%
11th Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)	30.9	26.2	4.6%
11th Grade Science (Columbus High School)	20.2	19.8	0.4%
11th Grade Science (Columbus Public Schools)	20.2	19.8	0.4%
11th Grade Science (Nebraska)	26.4	25.3	1.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1292	1273	1.5%
African American	12	21	75%
American Indian	7	10	42.9%
Asian	9	9
Hispanic	521	553	6.1%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	731	656	10.3%
Two or More Races	12	24	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	49.1%	46%	3.1%

Schools Near Columbus High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Columbus High School	Public	9-12	3434 Discoverer Drive	Columbus	68602	Platte County	Columbus Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 563-7050	1,295	77	16.9	53.4%	616 (47.6%)	21 (1.6%)	617 (47.6%)	12 (0.9%)	8 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (1.6%)	23.7	133^rd of 168 public high schools	20.8%		22.3	169^th of 215 public high schools	21.4%	36	$12,691	$850	$10,159
Lakeview High School	Public	9-12	3744 83rd St	Columbus	68601	Platte County	Lakeview Community Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 564-8518	326	25	12.9	37.1%	233 (71.5%)	1 (0.3%)	85 (26.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.2%)	45.1	101^st of 168 public high schools	39.9%		64.6	74^th of 215 public high schools	65.6%	27	$18,767	$195	$14,855
Schuyler Central High School	Public	9-12	401 Adam St	Schuyler	68661	Colfax County	Schuyler Community Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(402) 352-2421	648	40	16.0	63.6%	73 (11.3%)	18 (2.8%)	553 (85.3%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3.6	162^nd of 168 public high schools	3.6%		5.9	209^th of 215 public high schools	2.8%	47	$14,025	$1,235	$10,881
Humphrey Junior-Senior High School	Public	7-12	405 South 7th Street	Humphrey	68642	Platte County	Humphrey Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 923-1230	133	12	11.5	18.8%	132 (99.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	91.8	10^th of 168 public high schools	94.0%		23.7	165^th of 215 public high schools	23.3%	155	$19,362	$423	$16,477
Shelby - Rising City High School	Public	9-12	650 N Walnut	Shelby	68662	Polk County	Shelby - Rising City Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 527-5946	122	13	9.6	39.3%	99 (81.1%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (16.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.5%)								(n/a)	$23,506	$566	$19,249
Leigh High School	Public	7-12	222 W 4th St	Leigh	68643	Colfax County	Leigh Community Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 487-2228	97	12	8.3	26.8%	93 (95.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.0%)	95.7	5^th of 168 public high schools	97.0%		75.6	43^rd of 215 public high schools	80.0%	38	$24,373	$562	$20,717
Twin River Senior High School	Public	7-12	816 Willard Ave	Genoa	68640	Nance County	Twin River Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 993-2911	185	20	9.4	34.6%	165 (89.2%)	2 (1.1%)	12 (6.5%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.2%)	21.3	138^th of 168 public high schools	17.9%		71.2	55^th of 215 public high schools	74.4%	83	$22,874	$515	$20,455
David City Secondary School	Public	7-12	750 D St	David City	68632	Butler County	David City Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 367-3187	316	27	11.9	46.2%	258 (81.6%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (17.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	65.4	65^th of 168 public high schools	61.3%		45.1	116^th of 215 public high schools	46.0%	51	$22,187	$930	$17,579

Columbus High School

Columbus High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Columbus Public Schools:

What do you think?

Rank History for Columbus High School

Rank History for all students at Columbus High School

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Columbus High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Columbus High School

Rank History for Female students at Columbus High School

Rank History for Male students at Columbus High School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Columbus High School

Rank History for White students at Columbus High School

Enrollment information for Columbus High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Columbus High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Columbus High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Columbus High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Columbus High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Columbus High School