Columbia Elementary

Summary:

Columbia Elementary is a public elementary school located in Las Cruces, New Mexico, serving grades PK-5 with a student population of 225. The school is part of the Las Cruces Public Schools district, which is ranked 60 out of 119 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite its small size, Columbia Elementary has consistently struggled academically, ranking in the bottom third of New Mexico elementary schools with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for most years. The school's proficiency rates in Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are significantly lower than the state averages, with only 25% proficient or better in Language Arts, 17% in Mathematics, and 20% in Science for the 2022-2023 school year. In comparison, the nearby Monte Vista Elementary has proficiency rates of 48% in Language Arts, 32% in Mathematics, and 38% in Science.

Columbia Elementary also has a very high percentage of Hispanic students, ranging from 86.59% to 86.67% over the past three school years, which is significantly higher than the nearby schools. The school also has a higher percentage of low-income students, with 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to the nearby schools, which range from 88.6% to 100% free or reduced-price lunch recipients. While the school has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 10.4 to 12.2 over the past three school years, this has not translated into improved academic performance. The data suggests that Columbia Elementary faces significant challenges in addressing the needs of its student population, and the district may need to explore strategies used by higher-performing schools, such as Monte Vista Elementary and Highland Elementary, to support the school's improvement efforts.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 4555 Elks Dr
       Las Cruces, NM  88005


(575) 527-1561

District: Las Cruces

SchoolDigger Rank:
330th of 435 New Mexico Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,474 Help


Students who attend Columbia Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Vista Middle
High:    Arrowhead Park Early College High School

Student/teacher ratio:  10.4 Help
Number of students:  225

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
86.7%
White:
7.6%
African American:
4.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Columbia Elementary ranks worse than 75.9% of elementary schools in New Mexico. It also ranks 21st among 24 ranked elementary schools in the Las Cruces School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 26.13. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (86.7%), White (7.6%), African American (4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Las Cruces School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Columbia Elementary is 10.4, which is the 2nd best among 24 elementary schools in the Las Cruces School District. (See more...)
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Compare Columbia Elementary employs 21.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Columbia Elementary is $10,474. 12 elementary schools in the Las Cruces School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Columbia Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Columbia Elementary 330th of 435 New Mexico public elementary schools. (See Columbia Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Las Cruces:

SchoolDigger ranks Las Cruces 60th of 119 New Mexico school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Columbia Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Columbia Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 40.91 239th 389 38.6%
2006 47.31 204th 390 47.7%
2007 43.63 225th 398 43.5%
2008 36.09 273rd 405 32.6%
2009 30.44 314th 411 23.6%
2010 24.92 337th 419 19.6%
2011 38.22 259th 402 35.6%
2012 26.50 315th 398 20.9%
2013 23.70 339th 412 17.7%
2014 38.50 279th 442 36.9%
2015 45.91 192nd 421 54.4%
2016 35.82 261st 410 36.3%
2017 24.58 293rd 374 21.7%
2018 42.92 197th 383 48.6%
2019 25.47 302nd 396 23.7%
2022 26.02 302nd 420 28.1%
2023 26.13 330th 435 24.1%
See the entire list of New Mexico Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Columbia Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 57.28 64th 203 68.5%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Columbia Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.17 143rd 356 59.8%
2019 31.63 260th 361 28.0%
2022 30.31 258th 410 37.1%
2023 29.37 313th 426 26.5%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Columbia Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.67 235th 339 30.7%
2019 28.87 254th 343 25.9%
2022 22.38 293rd 395 25.8%
2023 17.30 359th 390 7.9%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Columbia Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.41 139th 333 58.3%
2019 23.10 280th 337 16.9%
2022 31.62 232nd 392 40.8%
2023 29.72 293rd 414 29.2%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Columbia Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.21 190th 329 42.2%
2019 23.40 258th 320 19.4%
2022 27.28 266th 389 31.6%
2023 20.34 339th 395 14.2%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Columbia Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 37.27 217th 325 33.2%
2023 22.33 333rd 413 19.4%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: New Mexico Public Education Department, 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 Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: New Mexico Public Education Department

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Enrollment information for Columbia Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2004 70 12 0 391 1 n/a n/a 0 474
2005 79 12 0 435 1 n/a n/a 0 527
2006 65 11 0 424 1 n/a n/a 0 501
2007 68 6 0 401 1 n/a n/a 0 476
2008 81 10 1 436 2 n/a n/a 0 530
2009 63 6 0 407 4 n/a n/a 0 480
2010 62 9 1 415 3 0 0 0 490
2011 85 6 2 403 2 0 0 0 498
2012 80 4 3 411 2 0 0 0 500
2013 63 1 2 422 2 0 0 0 490
2014 63 2 1 413 2 0 0 0 481
2015 62 2 0 422 3 0 0 0 489
2016 55 0 2 440 2 0 0 0 499
2017 44 0 3 413 1 0 0 0 461
2018 53 1 2 406 5 0 0 0 467
2019 48 2 2 398 4 0 0 0 454
2020 38 1 2 363 4 0 1 0 409
2021 33 4 2 266 2 0 0 0 307
2022 23 7 0 213 2 0 1 0 246
2023 17 9 0 195 2 0 2 0 225

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 Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2004 474 34.4 13.8 80.2
2005 527 34.3 15.4 77.6
2006 501 38.2 13.1 79.6
2007 476 38.0 12.5 72.5
2008 530 34.1 15.5 78.5
2009 480 36.1 13.3 82.3
2010 490 34.0 14.3 80.6
2011 498 37.6 13.2 78.5
2012 500 34.6 14.4 99.4
2013 490 33.5 14.5 80.6
2014 481 29.9 16.0 73.6
2015 489 31.0 15.7 73.4
2016 499 32.0 15.5 63.9
2017 461 28.3 16.2 100
2018 467 27.0 17.2 100
2019 454 27.3 16.5 100
2020 409 28.9 14.1 100
2021 307 25.0 12.2 100
2022 246 20.5 12.0 100
2023 225 21.5 10.4 100

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 Columbia Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2004 474 34.4 13.8 80.2
2005 527 34.3 15.4 77.6
2006 501 38.2 13.1 79.6
2007 476 38.0 12.5 72.5
2008 530 34.1 15.5 78.5
2009 480 36.1 13.3 82.3
2010 490 34.0 14.3 80.6
2011 498 37.6 13.2 78.5
2012 500 34.6 14.4 99.4
2013 490 33.5 14.5 80.6
2014 481 29.9 16.0 73.6
2015 489 31.0 15.7 73.4
2016 499 32.0 15.5 63.9
2017 461 28.3 16.2 100
2018 467 27.0 17.2 100
2019 454 27.3 16.5 100
2020 409 28.9 14.1 100
2021 307 25.0 12.2 100
2022 246 20.5 12.0 100
2023 225 21.5 10.4 100

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 Columbia Elementary

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $10,474

Data source: New Mexico Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Columbia Elementary

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 302nd of 396 Elementary schoolsRanks 330th of 435 Elementary schools
 0.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Language Arts (Columbia Elementary)2330.6
 7.6%
   3rd Grade Language Arts (Las Cruces)2931.3
 2.3%
   3rd Grade Language Arts (New Mexico)3031.8
 1.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Columbia Elementary)2320.4
 2.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Las Cruces)2821.3
 6.7%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (New Mexico)3222.5
 9.5%
4th Grade Language Arts (Columbia Elementary)2219.6
 2.4%
   4th Grade Language Arts (Las Cruces)2837
 9%
   4th Grade Language Arts (New Mexico)3035.2
 5.2%
4th Grade Mathematics (Columbia Elementary)115.9
 5.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Las Cruces)2724.6
 2.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (New Mexico)2724.5
 2.5%
5th Grade Language Arts (Columbia Elementary)3129
 2%
   5th Grade Language Arts (Las Cruces)3339.4
 6.4%
   5th Grade Language Arts (New Mexico)3335.7
 2.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Columbia Elementary)1216.1
 4.1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Las Cruces)2431.7
 7.7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (New Mexico)2430.7
 6.7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students454225
 50.4%
African American29
 350%
American Indian42
 50%
Asian20
 100%
Hispanic398195
 51%
Pacific Islander00
White4817
 64.6%
Two or More Races02
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%


Schools Near Columbia Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Columbia Elementary

Students who attend Columbia Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Vista Middle
High : Arrowhead Park Early College High School

Students at Columbia Elementary are 87% Hispanic, 8% White, 4% African American.

In the 2022-23 school year, 225 students attended Columbia Elementary.

Columbia Elementary ranks in the bottom 24.1% of New Mexico elementary schools.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the New Mexico Public Education Department.

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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