Enrollment
348
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Columbus, KS
Central Elem
Federal NCES profile for Central Elem, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 200507001342
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 30
📋 Attendance 47
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Elem earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Kansas schools.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Columbus · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 24.9:1
- large classes for Kansas
- 51.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Elem has class sizes larger than 98% of Kansas schools. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elem ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Columbus, KS.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.9:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
+80% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
51.6%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
+21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Elem compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Elem
Central Elem is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Columbus, Kansas, enrolling 348 students.
Class loads run heavy: 24.9:1 is larger than about 98% of Kansas schools and 80% above the 13.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 51.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 348 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kansas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,346 scored Kansas schools.
Among 262 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kansas schools statewide, it ranks #220, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 28/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 348 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Columbus's elementary schools, it stands alongside Highland Elem (130 students): Central Elem is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24.9:1 vs 16.3:1).
Columbus also operates Columbus Junior High and High School (438 students) and Park Elem (208 students) alongside Central Elem.
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 Central Elem compares
Central Elem on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24.9:1 | ▲ 80% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 51.6% | ▲ 21% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 348 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.9:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
348
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
51.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% above the Kansas average of 42.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
24.9:1
students per teacher
- 80% above state mean
Top 98% in Kansas - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
21.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$14,501
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kansas avg of $15,487
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 348 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
45
in-school suspensions + 24 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 12.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.8 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
White 84.2%
Two or More 7.8%
Hispanic or Latino 5.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.4%
African American 0.6%
Asian 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 84.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.2, Central Elem is less mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Columbus, which includes Central Elem.
$14,501
Per student
-6%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.3%
State 70.7%
Federal 6.9%
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 Central Elem Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus Junior High and High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Park Elem | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Highland Elem | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Elem's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 438
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 208
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 130
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar elementary schools in Columbus
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~348 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elem's federal record.
- Compare Central Elem against another school. Compare schools
- Columbus'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 Central Elem
How many students attend Central Elem?
Central Elem has 348 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Columbus, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elem?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elem is 24.9:1, which is 80% higher than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 59% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Elem?
51.6% of students at Central Elem are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Elem?
The largest demographic group at Central Elem is White at 84.2% of enrollment, in Columbus, KS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Elem?
Central Elem has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical 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 Central Elem rank among public schools in Columbus?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elem ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Columbus, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Columbus on the city page.
Is Central Elem a good school?
Central Elem earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Kansas schools. 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?
Besides Central Elem, Columbus also operates Columbus Junior High and High School (438 students), Park Elem (208 students), and Highland Elem (130 students). See the Columbus 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.