13 public K-12 schools in Columbia Heights from NCES Common Core of Data: enrollment, grade span, demographics, and Civil Rights Data Collection statistics for every active campus.
13 public schools ranked by quality score. NCES CCD 2024-25 data.
The highest-ranked of Columbia Heights's 13 public schools is Columbia Heights Senior High, scoring 30/100, against a city average of 34.1/100. Computed live across every Columbia Heights campus reporting to NCES.
How the Columbia Heights Public-School Landscape Breaks Down
Columbia Heights, MN enrolls 4,068 students across 13 public schools reporting to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, 4 are charter schools, giving families genuine alternatives to the traditional neighbourhood assignment model. The average student-teacher ratio across the city is 14.8:1, and the composite quality score, derived from student-teacher ratio, counselor access, gifted-program availability, and CRDC attendance data, averages 34.1/100. Schools must report at least five campuses in a city to appear in this listing, which is why very small towns may redirect to the broader county or state view.
The most-resourced campus in Columbia Heights on this index is Columbia Heights Senior High, at 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index with 1,141 enrolled students. What the index does and doesn't measure; click any school below for its full component breakdown.
Columbia Heights spans 3 districts, each filing its own NCES F-33 return, per-pupil spending can vary between neighbouring campuses. Sort the table below by enrollment, level, or district; click any school for its full profile.
Columbia Heights Senior High accounts for 28.0% of all Columbia Heights public-school enrollment
That dominant concentration means Columbia Heights-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade level: High. A dominant campus often anchors a city's program landscape and absorbs a disproportionate share of district capital and staffing decisions. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.
Columbia Heights school enrollment varies 190× across entities
Columbia Heights school enrollment ranges from 6 students (lowest) to 1,141 students (highest), a spread of 1,135 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. Per-school staffing, programme depth, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same city based on enrollment shape, a 200-student magnet runs a different operational model than a 2,000-student comprehensive high school.
Columbia Heights has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 70.9% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch
free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Eligibility here is approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.
Columbia Heights student-teacher ratio is 14.8:1 — near the typical range (US average ~15.7) — aligned with the U.S. average of approximately 15.7:1
student-teacher ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE classroom teachers against total enrollment, push-in specialists, English-language aides, special-education co-teachers, and counselors are not included in most reporting Variation between sub-units within Columbia Heights is typically wider than the Columbia Heights-aggregate figure suggests.
Columbia Heights has higher-than-average charter school authorisation eligibility — 30.8% of the population qualifies for charter-school enrollment options
charter-school enrollment options eligibility is the federal threshold for charter school authorisation funding allocations, established under the state-specific charter law. Areas above 30% eligibility — including this one — receive concentration grants on top of the basic charter school authorisation formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.
Most racially and ethnically mixed schools in Columbia Heights
Ranked by the Simpson student-body diversity index (0-100) from NCES race and ethnicity data, where higher means a more evenly mixed student body. It measures mix, not quality.
What are the best schools in Columbia Heights, MN? ▼
The highest-ranked school in Columbia Heights is Columbia Heights Senior High with a quality score of 30/100. There are 13 public schools in Columbia Heights with 4,068 total students.
How many schools are in Columbia Heights, MN? ▼
Columbia Heights has 13 public schools with a total enrollment of 4,068 students. 4 are charter schools. Average student-teacher ratio: 14.8:1.
Data from NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 and Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22. Quality scores based on student-teacher ratio,
counselor access, gifted programs, and attendance. Schools must have 5+ in the city to be listed.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology, which explains how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
