Enrollment
353
Nebraska · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbus, NE
Centennial Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Centennial Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 310534001139
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 58
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Centennial Elementary School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nebraska median.
- #3 of 7
- schools in Columbus · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.6:1
- students per teacher
- 40.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Centennial Elementary School has class sizes near the Nebraska median. Computed live against every Nebraska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Centennial Elementary School ranks #3 of 7 schools in Columbus, NE.
School address
District: Columbus Public Schools · Nebraska
NCES ID 310534001139 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.6:1
vs 13.5:1 Nebraska avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.2%
vs 30.9% Nebraska avg
+30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Centennial Elementary School compares with Nebraska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Centennial Elementary School
Centennial Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Columbus, Nebraska, enrolling 353 students.
At 13.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Nebraska median, within a few percentage points of the 13.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 40.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 353 puts it in the larger third of Nebraska schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,003 scored Nebraska schools.
Against 159 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #64.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (56%) and White (40%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 353 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
16.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Columbus Public Schools spends $12,223 per pupil, 31% below the Nebraska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Columbus Public Schools also operates Columbus High School (1,337 students) and Columbus Middle School (1,166 students) alongside Centennial Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Centennial Elementary School compares
Centennial Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Nebraska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nebraska | Nebraska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.6:1 | ▲ 1% | 13.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.2% | ▲ 30% | 30.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 353 | top 31% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 61% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
353
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% above the Nebraska average of 30.9%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 57% in Nebraska - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
16.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,223
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nebraska avg of $17,680
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 353 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 56.4%
White 39.7%
Two or More 2.3%
African American 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 56.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.4, Centennial Elementary School is more mixed than the Nebraska school average of 34.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Columbus Public Schools, which includes Centennial Elementary School.
$12,223
Per student
-31%
vs Nebraska
Avg $17,680
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.5%
State 38.1%
Federal 10.3%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Centennial Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Columbus Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lost Creek Elementary Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Park Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Emerson Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Centennial Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,337
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,166
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 318
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 304
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 286
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Nebraska, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~353 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Centennial Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Centennial Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Columbus Public Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Centennial Elementary School
How many students attend Centennial Elementary School?
Centennial Elementary School has 353 students enrolled. It is a public school in Columbus, NE.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Centennial Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Centennial Elementary School is 13.6:1, which is 1% higher than the Nebraska average of 13.5:1 and 13% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Centennial Elementary School?
40.2% of students at Centennial Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nebraska average of 30.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Centennial Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Centennial Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 56.4% of enrollment, in Columbus, NE. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Centennial Elementary School?
Centennial Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Centennial Elementary School rank among schools in Columbus?
By Resource Investment Index, Centennial Elementary School ranks #3 of 7 schools in Columbus, NE. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Columbus on the city page.
Is Centennial Elementary School a good school?
Centennial Elementary School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nebraska median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Columbus Public Schools?
Besides Centennial Elementary School, Columbus Public Schools also operates Columbus High School (1,337 students), Columbus Middle School (1,166 students), and Lost Creek Elementary Sch (318 students). See the Columbus Public Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.