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Columbus Elementary

Summary:

Columbus Elementary is a public elementary school located in Appleton, Wisconsin, serving grades PK-6 with a total enrollment of 132 students. The school is part of the Appleton Area School District, which is ranked 240 out of 428 school districts in Wisconsin and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite its small size, Columbus Elementary faces significant challenges. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom 20% of Wisconsin elementary schools over the past 10 years, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. This is significantly lower than the district and state averages. Columbus Elementary also experiences high rates of chronic absenteeism, ranging from 9.8% to 46.6% over the past 5 years, much higher than the state average and nearby schools in the district. The school's proficiency rates on the Forward Exam are also significantly lower than the district and state averages across all grade levels and subject areas, with only 13.33% of 4th graders proficient in Math, compared to 54.36% in the district and 55.05% statewide.

The high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 76.38% to 85.31% over the past 3 years, suggests that the school serves a population with significant socioeconomic challenges. However, the school's low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 8.4 to 10 over the past 3 years, is lower than the nearby schools in the district, indicating that there may be opportunities for improvement with the right interventions and support. When compared to the nearby Huntley Elementary, Richmond Elementary, and other schools in the Appleton Area School District, Columbus Elementary consistently underperforms across a range of metrics, suggesting that the challenges faced by the school are not shared by all schools in the district.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

 913 N Oneida St
       Appleton, WI  54911-4910

(920) 852-5450

District: Appleton Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
899th of 1,061 Wisconsin Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,460 Help


Students who attend Columbus Elementary usually attend:

High:    North High

Student/teacher ratio:  10.6 Help
Number of students:  132

Racial breakdown:

White:
52.3%
Hispanic:
16.7%
African American:
10.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  76.5% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Columbus Elementary ranks worse than 84.7% of elementary schools in Wisconsin. It also ranks last among 20 ranked elementary schools in the Appleton Area School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 18.28. (See more...)
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (52.3%), Hispanic (16.7%), Asian (10.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 76.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Appleton Area School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Columbus Elementary is 10.6, which is the 3rd best among 20 elementary schools in the Appleton Area School District. (See more...)
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Compare Columbus Elementary employs 12.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Columbus Elementary is $12,460, which is the 2nd highest among 20 elementary schools in the Appleton Area School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Columbus Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Columbus Elementary 899th of 1061 Wisconsin public elementary schools. (See Columbus Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Female students:
Male students:


Appleton Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Appleton Area School District 240th of 428 Wisconsin school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Columbus Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Columbus Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 67.41 280th 712 60.7%
2007 50.82 429th 689 37.7%
2008 69.65 287th 1021 71.9%
2009 53.29 583rd 1030 43.4%
2010 34.72 815th 1045 22.0%
2011 26.12 902nd 1046 13.8%
2012 39.20 821st 1045 21.4%
2013 33.09 827th 1053 21.5%
2014 40.46 758th 1061 28.6%
2015 36.53 807th 1076 25.0%
2016 22.60 890th 1075 17.2%
2017 10.98 956th 1071 10.7%
2018 13.89 909th 1025 11.3%
2019 12.70 921st 1037 11.2%
2021 35.16 751st 1050 28.5%
2022 28.16 838th 1067 21.5%
2023 17.70 904th 1067 15.3%
2024 18.28 899th 1061 15.3%
See the entire list of Wisconsin Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Columbus Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 68.15 154th 746 79.4%
2024 33.26 543rd 790 31.3%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Columbus Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.44 805th 854 5.7%
2019 16.29 812th 874 7.1%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Columbus Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 8.08 915th 997 8.2%
2019 12.28 896th 1002 10.6%
2021 25.90 805th 1004 19.8%
2022 26.55 808th 1017 20.6%
2023 34.92 730th 1010 27.7%
2024 43.84 673rd 1011 33.4%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Columbus Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.97 815th 997 18.3%
2019 20.23 853rd 1002 14.9%
2021 44.95 621st 1003 38.1%
2022 38.76 692nd 1017 32.0%
2023 19.28 852nd 1011 15.7%
2024 22.76 832nd 1012 17.8%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Columbus Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 6.05 672nd 686 2.0%
2019 2.67 712th 718 0.8%
2021 19.13 618th 699 11.6%
2022 34.34 507th 704 28.0%
2023 9.74 684th 715 4.3%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, 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.

Columbus Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
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District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Columbus Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 194 n/a 44 9 1 n/a n/a 0 248
1990 199 2 53 6 2 n/a n/a 0 262
1991 196 4 64 3 5 n/a n/a 0 272
1992 202 2 76 2 3 n/a n/a 0 285
1993 178 1 76 5 1 n/a n/a 0 261
1994 161 0 100 5 1 n/a n/a 0 267
1995 177 1 102 4 0 n/a n/a 0 284
1996 177 1 102 4 0 n/a n/a 0 284
1997 183 0 106 1 0 n/a n/a 0 290
1998 175 6 95 1 1 n/a n/a 0 278
1999 162 2 96 5 1 n/a n/a 0 266
2000 155 2 102 7 0 n/a n/a 0 266
2001 158 5 98 7 2 n/a n/a 0 270
2002 112 10 89 8 3 n/a n/a 0 222
2003 112 10 89 8 3 n/a n/a 0 222
2004 111 13 64 15 4 n/a n/a 0 207
2005 105 18 58 14 5 n/a n/a 0 200
2006 104 15 47 11 5 n/a n/a 0 182
2007 115 10 37 13 4 n/a n/a 0 179
2008 102 18 40 16 5 n/a n/a 0 181
2009 105 19 34 15 1 n/a n/a 0 174
2010 113 26 38 16 3 n/a n/a 0 196
2011 98 24 35 17 2 0 0 0 176
2012 114 17 33 22 3 0 0 0 189
2013 111 16 15 22 3 0 0 0 167
2014 105 24 21 17 6 0 0 0 173
2015 89 31 22 24 1 0 4 0 171
2016 87 20 16 18 3 0 10 0 154
2017 89 17 8 23 2 0 14 0 153
2018 80 14 6 27 1 0 21 0 149
2019 77 24 7 25 2 0 23 0 158
2020 78 16 15 25 2 1 21 0 158
2021 78 11 11 22 2 1 18 0 143
2022 65 10 14 23 2 0 13 0 127
2023 71 7 17 22 0 1 14 0 132
2024 69 14 14 22 0 1 12 0 132

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 Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 248 13.8 17.9 0
1990 262 13.9 18.8 0
1991 272 12.7 21.4 8.8
1992 285 12.6 22.6 7.4
1993 261 14.3 18.3 9.2
1994 267 13.8 19.3 10.5
1995 284 16.4 17.3 11.3
1996 284 16.4 17.3 11.3
1997 290 17.2 16.9 11.7
1998 278 15.9 17.5 11.5
1999 266 15.1 17.6 18
2000 266 18.1 14.7 18.8
2001 270 19.4 13.9 18.1
2002 222 17.6 12.6 61.3
2003 222 17.6 12.6 61.3
2004 207 17.5 11.8 60.4
2005 200 16.7 12.0 n/a
2006 182 17.0 10.7 n/a
2007 179 15.7 11.4 71.5
2008 181 15.3 11.8 70.7
2009 174 14.1 12.3 64.9
2010 196 13.6 14.3 64.8
2011 176 13.9 12.6 63.1
2012 189 14.7 12.7 63.5
2013 167 16.0 10.3 62.3
2014 173 16.4 10.5 74.6
2015 171 n/a n/a 56.7
2016 154 16.0 9.6 100
2017 153 18.3 8.3 72.5
2018 149 16.0 9.2 69.1
2019 158 16.4 9.5 75.9
2020 158 16.9 9.3 80.4
2021 143 16.9 8.4 85.3
2022 127 13.1 9.6 76.4
2023 132 13.0 10.0 78
2024 132 12.3 10.6 76.5

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 Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 248 13.8 17.9 0
1990 262 13.9 18.8 0
1991 272 12.7 21.4 8.8
1992 285 12.6 22.6 7.4
1993 261 14.3 18.3 9.2
1994 267 13.8 19.3 10.5
1995 284 16.4 17.3 11.3
1996 284 16.4 17.3 11.3
1997 290 17.2 16.9 11.7
1998 278 15.9 17.5 11.5
1999 266 15.1 17.6 18
2000 266 18.1 14.7 18.8
2001 270 19.4 13.9 18.1
2002 222 17.6 12.6 61.3
2003 222 17.6 12.6 61.3
2004 207 17.5 11.8 60.4
2005 200 16.7 12.0 n/a
2006 182 17.0 10.7 n/a
2007 179 15.7 11.4 71.5
2008 181 15.3 11.8 70.7
2009 174 14.1 12.3 64.9
2010 196 13.6 14.3 64.8
2011 176 13.9 12.6 63.1
2012 189 14.7 12.7 63.5
2013 167 16.0 10.3 62.3
2014 173 16.4 10.5 74.6
2015 171 n/a n/a 56.7
2016 154 16.0 9.6 100
2017 153 18.3 8.3 72.5
2018 149 16.0 9.2 69.1
2019 158 16.4 9.5 75.9
2020 158 16.9 9.3 80.4
2021 143 16.9 8.4 85.3
2022 127 13.1 9.6 76.4
2023 132 13.0 10.0 78
2024 132 12.3 10.6 76.5

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 Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,160 (7.8%) $13,783 (92.2%) $14,944
2020 $422 (3.8%) $10,766 (96.2%) $11,188
2021 $911 (7.3%) $11,549 (92.7%) $12,460

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Columbus 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 921st of 1037 Elementary schoolsRanks 904th of 1067 Elementary schools
 4.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Columbus Elementary)07.1
 7.1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Appleton Area School District)30.137.9
 7.8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)39.537.9
 1.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Columbus Elementary)11.80
 11.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Appleton Area School District)44.147.8
 3.7%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)50.548.8
 1.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Columbus Elementary)21.716.7
 5.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Appleton Area School District)39.545.1
 5.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)43.945.8
 1.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Columbus Elementary)8.738.9
 30.2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Appleton Area School District)39.144.2
 5.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)46.246.5
 0.2%
4th Grade Social Studies (Columbus Elementary)21.744.4
 22.7%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Appleton Area School District)50.759.9
 9.2%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)53.459.7
 6.4%
4th Grade Science (Columbus Elementary)39.127.8
 11.4%
   4th Grade Science (Appleton Area School District)51.651.6
 0%
   4th Grade Science (Wisconsin)53.952.1
 1.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Columbus Elementary)30.420
 10.4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Appleton Area School District)36.938.9
 2%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)40.939.2
 1.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Columbus Elementary)26.130
 3.9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Appleton Area School District)42.550.5
 7.9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)47.848.4
 0.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students158132
 16.5%
African American247
 70.8%
American Indian20
 100%
Asian717
 142.9%
Hispanic2522
 12%
Pacific Islander01
White7771
 7.8%
Two or More Races2314
 39.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients75.9%78%
 2.1%

Schools Near Columbus Elementary








Frequently Asked Questions about Columbus Elementary

Columbus Elementary ranks in the bottom 15.3% of Wisconsin elementary schools.

Students at Columbus Elementary are 52% White, 17% Hispanic, 11% African American, 11% Asian, 9% Two or more races.

In the 2023-24 school year, 132 students attended Columbus Elementary.

Students who attend Columbus Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : North High


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

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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