Southern Columbia High School

Q: Is Southern Columbia High School a good school?

Southern Columbia High School ranks 99 th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Southern Columbia High School is a public high school located in Catawissa, Pennsylvania, serving grades 9-12 with a student population of 378. The school is part of the Southern Columbia Area School District, which is ranked 93 out of 606 districts in Pennsylvania and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Southern Columbia High School consistently ranks among the top high schools in Pennsylvania, ranking as high as 29th out of 693 schools in 2018-2019. The school's Keystone Exam proficiency rates are significantly higher than the state averages, particularly in Literature (76.9% vs. 65.3%) and Algebra I (63.9% vs. 34.1%). Additionally, the school's 4-year graduation rate is consistently above 92%, outperforming the state average. However, the student population at Southern Columbia High School is predominantly White, with over 93% of students identifying as such in the 2022-2023 school year, which is significantly higher than the racial diversity at nearby schools like North Schuylkill Junior/Senior High School and Shamokin Area High School.

The low percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch at Southern Columbia High School, ranging from 14.55% to 19.12% over the past few years, suggests a relatively affluent student population compared to some of the nearby schools, such as Shamokin Area High School (79.63%) and North Schuylkill Junior/Senior High School (51.29%). This socioeconomic disparity may have implications for the resources and support available to students, as well as the overall educational experiences and opportunities offered at the school.

Detail:

Public 9-12

812 Southern Drive
Catawissa, PA 17820-8410

(570) 356-3450

District: Southern Columbia Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
99^th of 674 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,695

Feeder schools for Southern Columbia High School:

Elementary:	Hartman Elementary Center
Middle:	Southern Columbia Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.8

Number of students: 378

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.9%

Hispanic:

2.6%

Two or more races:

1.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 14.6%

See top rated Pennsylvania high schools

Compare Southern Columbia High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Southern Columbia High School ranks better than 85.3% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 81.9. (See more...)

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

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (93.9%), Hispanic (2.6%), two or more races (1.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 14.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southern Columbia High School is 13.8. (See more...)

Compare Southern Columbia High School employs 27.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Southern Columbia High School is $15,695.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Southern Columbia High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Southern Columbia High School 99^th of 674 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Southern Columbia High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

White students:

Southern Columbia Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Southern Columbia Area School District 93^rd of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Southern Columbia High School

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Rank History for all students at Southern Columbia High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	70.57	165^th	583	71.7%
2004	80.39	100^th	590	83.1%
2005	75.84	120^th	593	79.8%
2006	76.81	107^th	604	82.3%
2007	72.06	155^th	615	74.8%
2008	80.70	76^th	621	87.8%
2009	87.28	33^rd	632	94.8%
2010	85.26	39^th	649	94.0%
2011	79.84	78^th	660	88.2%
2012	83.68	52^nd	664	92.2%
2013	77.63	103^rd	591	82.6%
2014	86.33	42^nd	580	92.8%
2015	81.14	91^st	680	86.6%
2016	80.26	99^th	677	85.4%
2017	81.96	86^th	663	87.0%
2018	83.36	69^th	673	89.7%
2019	89.04	29^th	693	95.8%
2021	78.19	107^th	537	80.1%
2022	84.51	69^th	634	89.1%
2023	81.90	99^th	674	85.3%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	60.85	258^th	652	60.4%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Southern Columbia High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	96.15	20^th	502	96.0%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for White students at Southern Columbia High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	73.97	135^th	577	76.6%

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

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

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Enrollment information for Southern Columbia High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	612	1	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	614
1989	602	1	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	606
1990	582	0	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	586
1991	588	0	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	592
1992	609	3	1	0	2	n/a	n/a	615
1993	608	1	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	611
1994	599	0	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	602
1995	643	1	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	650
1996	643	1	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	650
1997	648	0	2	4	0	n/a	n/a	654
1998	669	3	5	3	0	n/a	n/a	680
1999	693	5	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	704
2000	961	4	5	12	0	n/a	n/a	982
2001	466	4	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	474
2002	461	4	4	5	0	n/a	n/a	474
2003	461	4	4	5	0	n/a	n/a	474
2004	450	3	7	7	0	n/a	n/a	467
2005	459	3	5	6	0	n/a	n/a	473
2006	461	3	6	7	1	n/a	n/a	478
2007	445	1	5	7	0	n/a	n/a	458
2008	423	1	2	5	2	n/a	n/a	433
2009	406	3	1	6	0	n/a	n/a	416
2010	401	2	2	6	0	n/a	n/a	411
2011	405	4	2	4	0	0	0	415
2012	408	1	3	4	0	0	1	417
2013	426	1	2	8	0	0	1	438
2014	417	1	2	4	2	0	1	427
2015	394	3	1	6	2	0	2	408
2016	390	4	1	6	4	1	3	409
2017	389	3	2	4	3	1	3	405
2018	402	3	2	3	2	1	4	417
2019	415	1	2	7	2	0	5	432
2020	377	2	2	6	0	0	4	391
2021	368	2	1	10	1	0	5	387
2022	353	3	4	10	0	0	9	379
2023	355	4	2	10	1	0	6	378

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 Southern Columbia High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	614	40.0	15.3	n/a
1989	606	40.0	15.1	n/a
1990	586	38.0	15.4	0
1991	592	39.0	15.1	n/a
1992	615	40.0	15.3	n/a
1993	611	33.9	18.0	n/a
1994	602	34.4	17.5	n/a
1995	650	36.5	17.8	n/a
1996	650	36.5	17.8	n/a
1997	654	36.5	17.9	n/a
1998	680	38.5	17.7	n/a
1999	704	39.6	17.8	n/a
2000	982	44.0	22.3	8.2
2001	474	27.6	17.2	17.5
2002	474	32.0	14.8	15.6
2003	474	32.0	14.8	15.6
2004	467	31.5	14.8	15.4
2005	473	28.0	16.9	15.6
2006	478	30.5	15.7	25.5
2007	458	31.3	14.6	25.5
2008	433	32.7	13.2	32.6
2009	416	32.2	12.9	32
2010	411	33.2	12.3	20.9
2011	415	34.2	12.1	23.4
2012	417	33.4	12.4	26.1
2013	438	33.5	13.0	23.5
2014	427	30.0	14.2	18.3
2015	408	29.0	14.0	22.3
2016	409	28.0	14.6	18.1
2017	405	28.1	14.4	24.4
2018	417	28.8	14.4	20.9
2019	432	28.2	15.2	20.6
2020	391	28.3	13.7	15.6
2021	387	28.3	13.6	19.1
2022	379	26.2	14.4	16.4
2023	378	27.2	13.8	14.6

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 Southern Columbia High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	614	40.0	15.3	n/a
1989	606	40.0	15.1	n/a
1990	586	38.0	15.4	0
1991	592	39.0	15.1	n/a
1992	615	40.0	15.3	n/a
1993	611	33.9	18.0	n/a
1994	602	34.4	17.5	n/a
1995	650	36.5	17.8	n/a
1996	650	36.5	17.8	n/a
1997	654	36.5	17.9	n/a
1998	680	38.5	17.7	n/a
1999	704	39.6	17.8	n/a
2000	982	44.0	22.3	8.2
2001	474	27.6	17.2	17.5
2002	474	32.0	14.8	15.6
2003	474	32.0	14.8	15.6
2004	467	31.5	14.8	15.4
2005	473	28.0	16.9	15.6
2006	478	30.5	15.7	25.5
2007	458	31.3	14.6	25.5
2008	433	32.7	13.2	32.6
2009	416	32.2	12.9	32
2010	411	33.2	12.3	20.9
2011	415	34.2	12.1	23.4
2012	417	33.4	12.4	26.1
2013	438	33.5	13.0	23.5
2014	427	30.0	14.2	18.3
2015	408	29.0	14.0	22.3
2016	409	28.0	14.6	18.1
2017	405	28.1	14.4	24.4
2018	417	28.8	14.4	20.9
2019	432	28.2	15.2	20.6
2020	391	28.3	13.7	15.6
2021	387	28.3	13.6	19.1
2022	379	26.2	14.4	16.4
2023	378	27.2	13.8	14.6

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 Southern Columbia High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$539 (3.8%)	$13,740 (96.2%)	$14,279
2020	$1,196 (8.1%)	$13,567 (91.9%)	$14,763
2021	$494 (3.2%)	$14,865 (96.8%)	$15,360
2022	$1,118 (7.1%)	$14,577 (92.9%)	$15,695

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Southern Columbia 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 29^th of 693 High schools	Ranks 99^th of 674 High schools	10.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Southern Columbia High School)	91.3	63.9	27.4%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Southern Columbia High School)	89.3	62.1	27.2%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Southern Columbia High School)	89.3	76.9	12.4%
11th Grade Literature (Pennsylvania)	71.5	65.3	6.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	432	378	12.5%
African American	1	4	300%
American Indian	2	1	50%
Asian	2	2
Hispanic	7	10	42.9%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	415	355	14.5%
Two or More Races	5	6	20%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	20.6%	14.6%	6.1%

Schools Near Southern Columbia High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				Keystone Exams Algebra I (2023)	Keystone Exams Biology (2023)	Keystone Exams Literature (2023)	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 (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Keystone Exams Algebra I 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Biology 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Literature 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Southern Columbia High School	Public	9-12	812 Southern Drive	Catawissa	17820	Columbia County	Southern Columbia Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 356-3450	378	27	13.8	14.6%	355 (93.9%)	4 (1.1%)	10 (2.6%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.6%)	81.9	99^th of 674 public high schools	85.3%		84.5	69^th of 634 public high schools	89.1%	30	63.9	62.1	76.9	$15,695	$1,118	$14,577
North Central Secure Trmnt Unt	Public	7-12	210 Clinic Rd	Danville	17821	Montour County	North Central Secure Trmnt Unt	No	No	No	No	(570) 271-4710	29	11	2.6		4 (13.8%)	23 (79.3%)	2 (6.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Danville Center Adolescent Female	Public	7-12	13 Kirkbride Drive	Danville	17821	Montour County	Danville Center Adolescent Female	No	No	No	No	(570) 271-4751	27	10	2.7		9 (33.3%)	13 (48.1%)	4 (14.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Bloomsburg Area High School	Public	9-12	1200 Railroad St	Bloomsburg	17815	Columbia County	Bloomsburg Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 784-6100	428	27	15.7	43.0%	348 (81.3%)	18 (4.2%)	30 (7.0%)	9 (2.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (5.1%)	60.3	294^th of 674 public high schools	56.4%		75	165^th of 634 public high schools	74.0%	129	22.3	59.2	69.8	$14,399	$232	$14,166
Danville Area Senior High School	Public	9-12	733 Ironmen Lane	Danville	17821	Montour County	Danville Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 271-3268	638	46	13.9	30.9%	541 (84.8%)	24 (3.8%)	26 (4.1%)	25 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	21 (3.3%)	96.5	8^th of 674 public high schools	98.8%		88.5	35^th of 634 public high schools	94.5%	27	65.4	87.5		$12,604	$559	$12,045
Mount Carmel Area High School	Public	9-12	600 W 5th St	Mount Carmel	17851	Northumberland County	Mount Carmel Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 339-1500	493	30	16.4	74.2%	405 (82.2%)	14 (2.8%)	55 (11.2%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.8%)	40.4	455^th of 674 public high schools	32.5%		43.4	433^rd of 634 public high schools	31.7%	22	23.9	40.0	59.4	$14,828	$1,068	$13,760
Northumberland County Career and Technology Center	Public	10-12	1700-2000 West Montgomery Stre	Coal Township	17866	Northumberland County	Northumberland County Career and Technology Center	No	No	No	No	(570) 644-0304	15	9	1.6		15 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Shamokin Area High School	Public	9-12	2000 W State St	Shamokin	17866	Northumberland County	Shamokin Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 648-5731	702	39	18.1	79.6%	579 (82.5%)	25 (3.6%)	72 (10.3%)	3 (0.4%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (2.8%)	26.9	521^st of 674 public high schools	22.7%		60.8	285^th of 634 public high schools	55.0%	236	23.9	33.1	45.0	$14,956	$1,408	$13,548
Central Columbia Senior High School	Public	9-12	4777 Old Berwick Rd	Bloomsburg	17815	Columbia County	Central Columbia School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 784-2833	597	45	13.2	26.8%	531 (88.9%)	9 (1.5%)	22 (3.7%)	16 (2.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (2.8%)	87.8	57^th of 674 public high schools	91.5%		70.3	208^th of 634 public high schools	67.2%	151	76.9	73.9	75.8	$21,169	$1,080	$20,089
Columbia-Montour Area Vocational-Technical School	Public	9-12	5050 Sweppenheiser Drive	Bloomsburg	17815	Columbia County	Columbia-Montour Area Vocational-Technical School	No	No	No	No	(570) 784-8040	609	48	12.5	48.3%	561 (92.1%)	9 (1.5%)	21 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.1%)	56.9	324^th of 674 public high schools	51.9%		17.7	539^th of 634 public high schools	15.0%	215	34.8	55.6	59.8

Frequently Asked Questions about Southern Columbia High School

What is the racial makeup of Southern Columbia High School?

Students at Southern Columbia High School are 94% White, 3% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 1% African American.

Is Southern Columbia High School a good school?

Southern Columbia High School ranks 99^th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Southern Columbia High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 378 students attended Southern Columbia High School.

What district is Southern Columbia High School in?

Southern Columbia Area School District

What schools feed into Southern Columbia High School?

Southern Columbia High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Hartman Elementary Center
Middle : Southern Columbia 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 Pennsylvania 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.