- Enrollment
- 465
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Steger, IL
Columbia Central School
Federal NCES profile for Columbia Central School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 173768003880
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Columbia Central School earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Illinois schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.1:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 646
- students enrolled
Columbia Central School has class sizes larger than 80% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Steger Sd 194 · Illinois
NCES ID 173768003880 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-24 students YoY
Columbia Central School held near 592 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-24 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 40.0 → 39.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-24 students YoY 173768003880 · Steger, IL Elementary · MID · TRAD
646 enr · 16.1:1 · RII 22
Nearest enrollment peer: Steger Intermediate Center (465 students)
Columbia Central School held near 592 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-24 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 40.0 → 39.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Illinois schools → · Find another →
Columbia Central School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Columbia Central School
646 students
- Steger Interme
Steger Intermediate Center
465 students
- Steger Primary
Steger Primary Center
396 students
What this shows Columbia Central School reports 646 students on the CCD universe file.
How Columbia Central School compares
Columbia Central School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Illinois and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Illinois | Illinois avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.1:1 | ▲ 15% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 646 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
646
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 80% in Illinois - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
42.1%
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
$17,216
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $18,196
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
120
in-school suspensions + 86 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 18.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 31.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 expulsions.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 40.2%
African American 31.6%
White 18.1%
Two or More 9.4%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 40.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.7, Columbia Central School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
District finance for Steger Sd 194 reports $17,216 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Columbia Central School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steger Intermediate Center | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Steger Primary Center | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Columbia Central School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 396
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar elementary schools in Steger
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~646 students)
Frequently asked questions about Columbia Central School
How many students attend Columbia Central School?
Columbia Central School has 646 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Steger, IL. CCD year-over-year: 616 (2022-23) → 592 (2023-24), nearly flat (-24).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbia Central School?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbia Central School is 16.1:1, which is 15% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Columbia Central School?
The largest demographic group at Columbia Central School is Hispanic or Latino at 40.2% of enrollment, in Steger, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbia Central School?
Columbia Central School has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Steger Sd 194?
Besides Columbia Central School, Steger Sd 194 also operates Steger Intermediate Center (465 students) and Steger Primary Center (396 students). See the Steger Sd 194 district page for the complete list.