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Columbus, Nebraska - 8 schools
An equity score of 31/100 ranks Columbus Public Schools #163 of 200 districts in Nebraska (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $12,223 per pupil, Columbus Public Schools ranks #232 of 244 Nebraska districts by per-pupil spending (Nebraska districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
4,111
Total Enrollment
8
Schools
$12,223
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Columbus Public Schools operates 8 public schools serving 4,111 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Nebraska. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 combined, 1 high, 1 elementary schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Platte County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,223 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 25 of 244 Nebraska districts by per-pupil spending. See how Nebraska compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 51.5% local, 38.1% state, and 10.3% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 31/100, ranked #163 of 200 in Nebraska against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.
Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 8 schools offering Advanced Placement (1 AP courses district-wide), a 300.3:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 15.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 58.7% Hispanic or Latino, 37.6% White, 1.5% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Lost Creek Elementary Sch, with a diversity index of 56.8/100.
Columbus High School accounts for 32.5% of all Columbus Public Schools student enrollment
That dominant concentration means Columbus Public Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. 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.
Columbus Public Schools school enrollment varies 61× across entities
Columbus Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 22 students (lowest) to 1,337 students (highest), a spread of 1,315 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Columbus Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 300:1 — 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 Columbus Public Schools is typically wider than the Columbus Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Columbus Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 15.4% — 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 Columbus Public Schools is typically wider than the Columbus Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Columbus Public Schools has 8 schools, including 1 high, 1 elementary, 6 combined. Total enrollment is 4,111 students.
How much does Columbus Public Schools spend per student?
Columbus Public Schools spends $12,223 per student. The district has an equity score of 31/100, ranking #163 in Nebraska.
What is the demographic composition of Columbus Public Schools?
Columbus Public Schools students are 58.7% Hispanic or Latino, 37.6% White, 1.5% African American, 0.5% Asian, averaged across 8 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Columbus Public Schools?
Columbus Public Schools has an equity score of 31/100, ranking #163 out of 200 districts in Nebraska.