Is Columbus High a good school?

Columbus High ranks 120 th of 431 Wisconsin high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Columbus High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 370 students attended Columbus High.

What is the racial makeup of Columbus High?

Students at Columbus High are 87% White, 7% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian, 1% African American.

What schools feed into Columbus High?

Columbus High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Columbus Elementary Middle : Columbus Middle

Columbus High

Summary:

Columbus High is a public high school located in Columbus, Wisconsin, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 385 students. The school is part of the Columbus School District, which is ranked 151 out of 428 districts in Wisconsin and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Columbus High has shown several strengths, including strong graduation rates, with a 97.1% four-year graduation rate in the 2022-2023 school year, significantly higher than the state average. The school has also maintained low dropout rates, with a 0.7% dropout rate in the 2022-2023 school year, lower than the state average. While the school has seen an increase in chronic absenteeism, reaching 21.7% in 2022-2023, it still performs better than some nearby schools, such as Cambria Friesland Middle/High (90.6% chronic absenteeism) and Prairie Phoenix Academy (90.6% chronic absenteeism). Additionally, Columbus High students have consistently outperformed the state average in various standardized tests, including the Forward Exam and ACT.

However, the school's performance has been somewhat inconsistent over the years, as evidenced by its ranking history on SchoolDigger, ranging from a high ranking of 27 out of 466 Wisconsin high schools in 2014-2015 to a low ranking of 320 out of 415 in 2022-2023. The school may also need to address potential gender-based achievement gaps, as male students have consistently outperformed female students in recent years. Additionally, the school's performance for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds has been mixed, suggesting the need to focus on supporting these students to ensure equitable outcomes. Compared to nearby schools, Fall River High has shown stronger performance in certain areas, such as chronic absenteeism and test scores in specific subjects.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1164 Farnham St
Columbus, WI 53925-1804

(920) 623-5950

District: Columbus School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
120^th of 431 Wisconsin High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,174

Feeder schools for Columbus High:

Elementary:	Columbus Elementary
Middle:	Columbus Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 12.6

Number of students: 370

Racial breakdown:

White:

87.0%

Hispanic:

7.0%

Two or more races:

3.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 20.5%

See top rated Wisconsin high schools

Compare Columbus High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Columbus High ranks better than 72.2% of high schools in Wisconsin. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 66.42. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Columbus High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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

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: White (87%), Hispanic (7%), two or more races (3.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 20.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Columbus High is 12.6. (See more...)

Compare Columbus High employs 29.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Columbus High is $11,174.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Columbus High:

SchoolDigger ranks Columbus High 120^th of 431 Wisconsin public high schools. (See Columbus High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Columbus School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Columbus School District 151^st of 428 Wisconsin school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Columbus High

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Rank History for all students at Columbus High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile
2006	78.16	34^th	292	88.4%
2007	81.68	21^st	281	92.5%
2008	78.73	42^nd	437	90.4%
2009	76.26	63^rd	438	85.6%
2010	68.35	144^th	450	68.0%
2011	76.08	65^th	445	85.4%
2012	82.74	17^th	452	96.2%
2013	57.31	217^th	457	52.5%
2014	68.86	127^th	462	72.5%
2015	82.32	27^th	466	94.2%
2016	73.94	73^rd	408	82.1%
2017	56.27	160^th	410	61.0%
2018	69.58	94^th	410	77.1%
2019	35.29	278^th	400	30.5%
2021	46.02	202^nd	390	48.2%
2022	57.36	150^th	391	61.6%
2023	28.27	320^th	415	22.9%
2024	66.42	120^th	431	72.2%

See the entire list of Wisconsin High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Columbus High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile
2019	33.99	176^th	251	29.9%
2021	59.39	76^th	226	66.4%
2022	20.08	225^th	250	10.0%
2024	63.43	94^th	326	71.2%

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

Rank History for Female students at Columbus High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	71.69	72^nd	355	79.7%
2019	46.07	197^th	343	42.6%
2021	49.71	165^th	332	50.3%
2022	66.60	102^nd	343	70.3%
2023	21.44	287^th	329	12.8%
2024	57.66	151^st	353	57.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at Columbus High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	59.88	117^th	373	68.6%
2019	34.00	247^th	354	30.2%
2021	44.47	186^th	334	44.3%
2022	40.06	215^th	347	38.0%
2023	44.71	209^th	359	41.8%
2024	69.56	88^th	365	75.9%

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

Rank History for White students at Columbus High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	64.20	76^th	261	70.9%
2019	28.63	198^th	266	25.6%
2021	38.03	160^th	266	39.8%
2022	46.70	127^th	269	52.8%
2023	21.61	224^th	271	17.3%
2024	61.38	103^rd	300	65.7%

See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High 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.

Data source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Columbus High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1989	381	1	4	8	n/a	n/a	n/a	394
1990	372	2	3	6	0	n/a	n/a	383
1991	431	2	4	10	0	n/a	n/a	447
1992	332	2	1	10	0	n/a	n/a	345
1993	346	2	1	6	1	n/a	n/a	356
1994	356	1	3	10	0	n/a	n/a	370
1995	397	0	2	5	0	n/a	n/a	404
1996	397	0	2	5	0	n/a	n/a	404
1997	412	0	0	9	0	n/a	n/a	421
1998	429	0	2	4	0	n/a	n/a	435
1999	458	0	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	461
2000	459	0	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	465
2001	469	1	6	3	0	n/a	n/a	479
2002	442	3	9	2	0	n/a	n/a	456
2003	442	3	9	2	0	n/a	n/a	456
2004	435	2	9	5	2	n/a	n/a	453
2005	416	3	5	7	3	n/a	n/a	434
2006	414	6	5	7	3	n/a	n/a	435
2007	413	5	4	9	3	n/a	n/a	434
2008	420	3	4	10	5	n/a	n/a	442
2009	396	6	4	11	5	n/a	n/a	422
2010	373	4	3	12	3	n/a	n/a	395
2011	370	2	1	13	0	0	0	386
2012	348	4	0	10	4	0	0	366
2013	361	3	1	10	3	0	1	379
2014	357	5	1	12	5	0	1	381
2015	368	7	6	9	4	0	3	397
2016	351	10	9	15	4	0	5	394
2017	343	5	9	9	5	1	9	381
2018	355	6	8	18	5	1	12	405
2019	350	8	8	17	3	1	14	401
2020	379	9	9	21	1	0	13	432
2021	379	4	7	22	0	0	18	430
2022	360	6	9	28	0	0	16	419
2023	335	4	9	25	0	0	12	385
2024	322	4	6	26	0	0	12	370

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

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	394	26.0	15.1	1.8
1990	383	28.9	13.2	3.1
1991	447	29.2	15.3	4.7
1992	345	27.4	12.5	7.5
1993	356	28.5	12.5	6.2
1994	370	29.9	12.4	7.3
1995	404	31.5	12.8	5.7
1996	404	31.5	12.8	5.7
1997	421	29.8	14.1	7.1
1998	435	30.1	14.5	6.7
1999	461	31.4	14.7	10.8
2000	465	31.6	14.7	12.5
2001	479	30.8	15.6	13.6
2002	456	32.2	14.2	7.7
2003	456	32.2	14.2	7.7
2004	453	32.1	14.1	8.8
2005	434	31.2	13.9	n/a
2006	435	32.1	13.6	n/a
2007	434	32.5	13.4	11.3
2008	442	30.9	14.3	10.9
2009	422	31.6	13.4	17.3
2010	395	29.3	13.4	17.2
2011	386	28.2	13.6	16.8
2012	366	25.5	14.3	18
2013	379	25.6	14.7	16.6
2014	381	24.0	15.8	20.5
2015	397	n/a	n/a	24.2
2016	394	26.0	15.1	20.3
2017	381	25.9	14.6	16.3
2018	405	26.8	15.1	19.8
2019	401	26.9	14.8	25.9
2020	432	28.3	15.2	22.5
2021	430	27.9	15.3	28.8
2022	419	27.1	15.4	24.1
2023	385	29.0	13.2	20.5
2024	370	29.3	12.6	20.5

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 High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	394	26.0	15.1	1.8
1990	383	28.9	13.2	3.1
1991	447	29.2	15.3	4.7
1992	345	27.4	12.5	7.5
1993	356	28.5	12.5	6.2
1994	370	29.9	12.4	7.3
1995	404	31.5	12.8	5.7
1996	404	31.5	12.8	5.7
1997	421	29.8	14.1	7.1
1998	435	30.1	14.5	6.7
1999	461	31.4	14.7	10.8
2000	465	31.6	14.7	12.5
2001	479	30.8	15.6	13.6
2002	456	32.2	14.2	7.7
2003	456	32.2	14.2	7.7
2004	453	32.1	14.1	8.8
2005	434	31.2	13.9	n/a
2006	435	32.1	13.6	n/a
2007	434	32.5	13.4	11.3
2008	442	30.9	14.3	10.9
2009	422	31.6	13.4	17.3
2010	395	29.3	13.4	17.2
2011	386	28.2	13.6	16.8
2012	366	25.5	14.3	18
2013	379	25.6	14.7	16.6
2014	381	24.0	15.8	20.5
2015	397	n/a	n/a	24.2
2016	394	26.0	15.1	20.3
2017	381	25.9	14.6	16.3
2018	405	26.8	15.1	19.8
2019	401	26.9	14.8	25.9
2020	432	28.3	15.2	22.5
2021	430	27.9	15.3	28.8
2022	419	27.1	15.4	24.1
2023	385	29.0	13.2	20.5
2024	370	29.3	12.6	20.5

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 High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$473 (3.8%)	$12,104 (96.2%)	$12,576
2020	$374 (3.1%)	$11,872 (97.0%)	$12,244
2021	$237 (2.1%)	$10,937 (97.9%)	$11,174

Data source: Wisconsin Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Columbus High

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 278^th of 400 High schools	Ranks 320^th of 415 High schools	7.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade Social Studies (Columbus High)	45.1	39.2	5.9%
10th Grade Social Studies (Columbus School District)	45.1	39.2	5.9%
10th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)	45.9	47.2	1.3%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Columbus High)	40	25.3	14.7%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Columbus School District)	40	24.7	15.3%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)	38.8	41.4	2.6%
10th Grade Mathematics (Columbus High)	20.2	25.3	5.1%
10th Grade Mathematics (Columbus School District)	20.2	24.7	4.5%
10th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)	30.8	29.4	1.3%
10th Grade Science (Columbus High)	25.3	28.2	2.9%
10th Grade Science (Columbus School District)	25.3	27.5	2.2%
10th Grade Science (Wisconsin)	32.7	31.7	1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	401	385	4%
African American	8	4	50%
American Indian	3	0	100%
Asian	8	9	12.5%
Hispanic	17	25	47.1%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	350	335	4.3%
Two or More Races	14	12	14.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	25.9%	20.5%	5.4%

Schools Near Columbus High

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ACT English Language Arts (2024)	ACT Mathematics (2024)	ACT Science (2024)	Forward Exam English Language Arts (2024)			Forward Exam Mathematics (2024)			Forward Exam Social Studies (2024)		Forward Exam Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
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	ACT English Language Arts 10th Grade	ACT Mathematics 10th Grade	ACT Science 10th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 6th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 7th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 8th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 6th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 7th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 8th Grade	Forward Exam Social Studies 8th Grade	Forward Exam Social Studies 10th Grade	Forward Exam Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Columbus High	Public	9-12	1164 Farnham St	Columbus	53925	Columbia County	Columbus School District	No	No	No	No	(920) 623-5950	370	29	12.6	20.5%	322 (87.0%)	4 (1.1%)	26 (7.0%)	6 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.2%)	66.4	120^th of 431 public high schools	72.2%		28.3	320^th of 415 public high schools	22.9%	200	59.3	51.2	46.5								50.0		$11,174	$237	$10,937
Fall River High	Public	6-12	150 Bradley St	Fall River	53932	Columbia County	Fall River School District	No	No	No	No	(920) 484-3333	267	20	13.1	32.6%	232 (86.9%)	3 (1.1%)	21 (7.9%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.7%)	51.1	216^th of 431 public high schools	49.9%		35	285^th of 415 public high schools	31.3%	69	52.0	38.0	38.0	48.7	52.0	23.5	66.7	40.0	32.4	44.1	65.6	38.2	$12,550	$394	$12,157
Waterloo High	Public	9-12	865 N Monroe St	Waterloo	53594	Jefferson County	Waterloo School District	No	No	No	No	(920) 478-2171	260	18	14.4	43.1%	175 (67.3%)	5 (1.9%)	73 (28.1%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.9%)	32.6	319^th of 431 public high schools	26.0%		38.4	270^th of 415 public high schools	34.9%	49	40.0	41.8	38.2								29.4		$12,864	$271	$12,592
Marshall High	Public	9-12	623 Madison St	Marshall	53559	Dane County	Marshall School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 655-1310	284	25	11.4	36.3%	188 (66.2%)	10 (3.5%)	59 (20.8%)	7 (2.5%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (6.7%)	38.9	283^rd of 431 public high schools	34.3%		20.8	365^th of 415 public high schools	12.0%	82	38.9	30.6	43.1								50.8		$13,062	$702	$12,361
Rio Middle/High	Public	6-12	411 Church St	Rio	53960	Columbia County	Rio Community School District	No	No	No	No	(920) 992-3141	187	20	9.4	36.9%	171 (91.4%)	1 (0.5%)	6 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.8%)	51.9	208^th of 431 public high schools	51.7%		63.9	127^th of 415 public high schools	69.4%	81	45.5	40.9	45.5	40.0	69.6	52.4	36.7	56.5	52.4	71.4	52.2	42.9	$15,644	$291	$15,353
Beaver Dam High	Public	9-12	500 Gould St	Beaver Dam	53916	Dodge County	Beaver Dam Unified School District	No	No	No	No	(920) 885-7313	1,052	68	15.5	43.0%	752 (71.5%)	19 (1.8%)	226 (21.5%)	5 (0.5%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (4.4%)	34.5	310^th of 431 public high schools	28.1%		44.8	231^st of 415 public high schools	44.3%	79	42.5	33.2	37.1								43.5		$11,169	$333	$10,835
Prairie Phoenix Academy	Public	9-12	220 Kroncke Dr	Sun Prairie	53590	Dane County	Sun Prairie Area School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 834-6900	84	7	11.6	61.9%	33 (39.3%)	22 (26.2%)	12 (14.3%)	1 (1.2%)	1 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (17.9%)								(n/a)											0.0		$19,494	$448	$19,046
Sun Prairie East High	Public	9-12	888 Grove St	Sun Prairie	53590	Dane County	Sun Prairie Area School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 834-6700	1,275	88	14.4	27.1%	810 (63.5%)	115 (9.0%)	146 (11.5%)	86 (6.7%)	4 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	105 (8.2%)	49.7	225^th of 431 public high schools	47.8%		53.8	188^th of 415 public high schools	54.7%	37	51.1	39.4	45.6								43.4		$12,116	$317	$11,799
Randolph High	Public	9-12	110 Meadowood Dr	Randolph	53956	Dodge County	Randolph School District	No	No	No	No	(920) 326-2425	181	15	12.4	33.1%	155 (85.6%)	1 (0.6%)	21 (11.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.7%)	25.6	355^th of 431 public high schools	17.6%		41.6	248^th of 415 public high schools	40.2%	107	42.9		33.3								27.1		$14,332	$653	$13,678
Cambria Friesland Middle/High	Public	6-12	410 E Edgewater St	Cambria	53923	Columbia County	Cambria-Friesland School District	No	No	No	No	(920) 348-5548	160	14	11.4	30.6%	129 (80.6%)	3 (1.9%)	25 (15.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.9%)	39.3	282^nd of 431 public high schools	34.6%		49.2	209^th of 415 public high schools	49.6%	73		39.1	52.2	56.3	53.9	45.5	56.3	53.9	54.6	54.6	25.9	50.0	$19,495	$1,190	$18,305

Columbus High

Columbus High:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Columbus School District:

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Rank History for Columbus High

Rank History for all students at Columbus High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Columbus High

Rank History for Female students at Columbus High

Rank History for Male students at Columbus High

Rank History for White students at Columbus High

Enrollment information for Columbus High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Columbus High

Student/Teacher Ratio Columbus High

Per Pupil Expenditures for Columbus High

Impact of COVID-19 on Columbus High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Columbus High

Columbus High

Fall River High

Waterloo High

Marshall High

Rio Middle/High

Beaver Dam High

Prairie Phoenix Academy

Sun Prairie East High

Randolph High

Cambria Friesland Middle/High

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