Columbia (Walla Walla) School District

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Burbank, Washington - 3 schools

An equity score of 51/100 ranks Columbia (Walla Walla) School District #116 of 238 districts in Washington (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $17,786 per pupil, Columbia (Walla Walla) School District ranks #119 of 309 Washington districts by per-pupil spending (Washington districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

734
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$17,786
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Columbia (Walla Walla) School District operates 3 public schools serving 734 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Washington. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Walla Walla County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,786 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 309 Washington districts by per-pupil spending. See how Washington compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 27.7% local, 63.8% state, and 8.5% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 51/100, ranked #116 of 238 in Washington against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 301:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 20.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 54.9% White, 41.7% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Columbia High School, with a diversity index of 53.3/100.

Its largest campus is Columbia Elementary, enrolling 367 students (47% of the district's total enrollment).

Columbia Elementary accounts for 47.3% of all Columbia (Walla Walla) School District student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Columbia (Walla Walla) School District a distant remainder — means Columbia (Walla Walla) School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. 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.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Columbia (Walla Walla) School District school enrollment varies 2.1× across entities

Columbia (Walla Walla) School District school enrollment ranges from 174 students (lowest) to 367 students (highest), a spread of 193 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Columbia (Walla Walla) School District student-counselor ratio is 301:1 — 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 (Walla Walla) School District is typically wider than the Columbia (Walla Walla) School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Columbia (Walla Walla) School District chronic absenteeism rate is 20.5% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within Columbia (Walla Walla) School District is typically wider than the Columbia (Walla Walla) School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

8.5%
Federal
63.8%
State
27.7%
Local

Funding Equity

51
Equity Score
116 / 238
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Columbia (Walla Walla) School District.

White 54.9%
Hispanic or Latino 41.7%
African American 1.0%
Multiracial 2.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 51.9/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Columbia (Walla Walla) School District's schools, about the same as the Washington average of 53.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Columbia High School 53.3
  2. 2 Columbia Elementary 52.2
  3. 3 Columbia Middle School 50.3

Programs & Resources

301:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
20.5%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Columbia (Walla Walla) School District

School Enrollment
Columbia Elementary
367
Columbia High School
235
Columbia Middle School
174

How Columbia (Walla Walla) School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Washington districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Spokane International Academy Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Quilcene School District Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Chimacum School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Methow Valley School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Pioneer School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Columbia (Walla Walla) School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Washington

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Compare Columbia (Walla Walla) School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Seattle School District No. 1 →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Columbia (Walla Walla) School District?

Columbia (Walla Walla) School District has 3 schools, including 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 734 students.

How much does Columbia (Walla Walla) School District spend per student?

Columbia (Walla Walla) School District spends $17,786 per student. The district has an equity score of 51/100, ranking #116 in Washington.

What is the demographic composition of Columbia (Walla Walla) School District?

Columbia (Walla Walla) School District students are 54.9% White, 41.7% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% African American, 0.4% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Columbia (Walla Walla) School District?

Columbia (Walla Walla) School District has an equity score of 51/100, ranking #116 out of 238 districts in Washington.