Enrollment
701
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Madison, AL
Columbia Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Columbia Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010000802097
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 76
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Columbia Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% of Alabama schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #4 of 7
- schools in Madison · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.2:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 20.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Columbia Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 81% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Elementary School ranks #4 of 7 schools in Madison, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
46.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.7%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-65% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Columbia Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Columbia Elementary School
Columbia Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Madison, Alabama, enrolling 701 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 20.7% free-meal eligibility runs 65% below the Alabama average.
Enrollment of 701 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 104 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #21.
Its student body is led by White (55%) and African American (16%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 701 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.6% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Madison's public schools, it stands alongside Midtown Elementary School (1,097 students): Columbia Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.2:1 vs 19.9:1).
Madison City also operates James Clemens High School (2,159 students) and Bob Jones High School (2,048 students) alongside Columbia 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 Columbia Elementary School compares
Columbia Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.2:1 | ▼ 14% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.7% | ▼ 65% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 701 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
701
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
20.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 65% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 19% in Alabama - lower ratio than 81% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
9.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$10,744
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $12,491
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 701 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 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
White 54.6%
African American 16.3%
Asian 10.4%
Hispanic or Latino 9.7%
Two or More 8.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 54.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.7, Columbia Elementary School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Madison City, which includes Columbia Elementary School.
$10,744
Per student
-14%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.2%
State 47.9%
Federal 7.9%
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 Columbia Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Clemens High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bob Jones High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Liberty Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Midtown Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Discovery Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Columbia Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,159
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 2,048
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,103
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 1,097
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,054
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar other schools in Madison
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Midtown Elementary School
Standard public school
1,097 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Mill Creek Elementary School
Standard public school
965 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Rainbow Elementary School
Standard public school
725 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Madison Elementary School
Standard public school
603 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Legacy Elementary School
Standard public school
594 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
Horizon Elementary School
Standard public school
567 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~701 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Columbia Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Columbia Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Madison City'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 Columbia Elementary School
How many students attend Columbia Elementary School?
Columbia Elementary School has 701 students enrolled. It is a public school in Madison, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbia Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbia Elementary School is 15.2:1, which is 14% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Columbia Elementary School?
20.7% of students at Columbia Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Columbia Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Columbia Elementary School is White at 54.6% of enrollment, in Madison, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbia Elementary School?
Columbia Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Columbia Elementary School rank among schools in Madison?
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Elementary School ranks #4 of 7 schools in Madison, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Madison on the city page.
Is Columbia Elementary School a good school?
Columbia Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% of Alabama schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama 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 Madison City?
Besides Columbia Elementary School, Madison City also operates James Clemens High School (2,159 students), Bob Jones High School (2,048 students), and Liberty Middle School (1,103 students). See the Madison City 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.