Enrollment
361
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · White Salmon, WA
Columbia High School
Federal NCES profile for Columbia High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 530981001664
👥 S:T ratio 24
📚 AP courses 15
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Columbia High School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Washington schools.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in White Salmon · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19:1
- large classes for Washington
- 31.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Columbia High School has class sizes larger than 72% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia High School ranks #3 of 3 public schools in White Salmon, WA.
School address
District: White Salmon Valley School District · Washington
NCES ID 530981001664 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
31.8%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Columbia High School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Columbia High School
Columbia High School is a mid-sized high school in White Salmon, Washington, enrolling 361 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 31.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 361 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Among 404 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #297, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and Hispanic or Latino (32%) (diversity index 53/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 3 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 361 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among White Salmon's high schools, it stands alongside White Salmon Academy (35 students): Columbia High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19:1 vs 35:1).
White Salmon Valley School District also operates Hulan L Whitson Elem (352 students) and Wayne M Henkle Middle School (167 students) alongside Columbia High 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 High School compares
Columbia High School on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19:1 | ▲ 8% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 31.8% | ▼ 29% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 361 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
361
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
31.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
19:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 72% in Washington - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
23.3%
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
$16,306
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 361 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
12
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.6 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 60.4%
Hispanic or Latino 31.9%
Two or More 4.2%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: White at 60.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.1, Columbia High School is about as mixed as the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 3
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for White Salmon Valley School District, which includes Columbia High School.
$16,306
Per student
-16%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-2%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.2%
State 62.9%
Federal 12.9%
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 High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hulan L Whitson Elem | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Wayne M Henkle Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Wallace & Priscilla Stevenson Intermediate School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| White Salmon Academy | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Columbia High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 352
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 167
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 163
- Students per teacher
- 10.2:1
- Resource Index
- 66/100
- Enrollment
- 35
- Students per teacher
- 35:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
Similar high schools in White Salmon
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Washington, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~361 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Columbia High School's federal record.
- Compare Columbia High School against another school. Compare schools
- White Salmon Valley School District'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 High School
How many students attend Columbia High School?
Columbia High School has 361 students enrolled. It is a high school in White Salmon, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbia High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbia High School is 19:1, which is 8% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 21% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Columbia High School?
31.8% of students at Columbia High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Columbia High School?
The largest demographic group at Columbia High School is White at 60.4% of enrollment, in White Salmon, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbia High School?
Columbia High School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Columbia High School rank among public schools in White Salmon?
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia High School ranks #3 of 3 public schools in White Salmon, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in White Salmon on the city page.
Is Columbia High School a good school?
Columbia High School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Washington 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 White Salmon Valley School District?
Besides Columbia High School, White Salmon Valley School District also operates Hulan L Whitson Elem (352 students), Wayne M Henkle Middle School (167 students), and Wallace & Priscilla Stevenson Intermediate School (163 students). See the White Salmon Valley School District district page for the complete list.
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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.