Columbia School District operates 4 public schools serving 1,485 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 other, 1 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 1,428 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Jackson County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,941 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 40.7% local, 49.6% state, and 9.8% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $57,827 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 20/100, ranked #755 of 756 in Michigan against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (4 AP courses district-wide), a 308.4:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 42.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 89.9% White, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% African American across the district's schools.
Columbia Central High School accounts for 44.6% of all Columbia School District student enrollment
That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Columbia School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: other. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.
Columbia School District school enrollment varies 8.2× across entities
Columbia School District school enrollment ranges from 78 students (lowest) to 637 students (highest), a spread of 559 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Columbia School District student-counselor ratio is 308:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Columbia School District is typically wider than the Columbia School District-aggregate figure suggests.
Columbia School District chronic absenteeism rate is 42.5% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)
chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
Columbia School District has 4 schools, including 3 other, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 1,485 students.
How much does Columbia School District spend per student?
Columbia School District spends $12,941 per student. The district has an equity score of 20/100, ranking #755 in Michigan.
What is the average teacher salary in Columbia School District?
The average teacher salary in Columbia School District is $57,827 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Columbia School District?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Jackson County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Columbia School District?
Columbia School District students are 89.9% White, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Columbia School District?
Columbia School District has an equity score of 20/100, ranking #755 out of 756 districts in Michigan. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.