Enrollment
619
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Tacoma, WA
Columbia Junior High School
Federal NCES profile for Columbia Junior High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530288003161
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Columbia Junior High School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of Washington schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #6 of 42
- schools in Tacoma · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.6:1
- large classes for Washington
- 36.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Columbia Junior High School has class sizes larger than 82% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Junior High School ranks #6 of 42 schools in Tacoma, WA.
School address
District: Fife School District · Washington
NCES ID 530288003161 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.6:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.6%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Columbia Junior High School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Columbia Junior High School
Columbia Junior High School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Tacoma, Washington, enrolling 619 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 36.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 619 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 448 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #217.
Its student body is led by White (37%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 77/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 248 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.1% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 23 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Tacoma's public schools, it stands alongside Sheridan Elementary School (525 students): Columbia Junior High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.6:1 vs 17.5:1).
Fife School District also operates Fife High School (885 students) and Fife Elementary School (866 students) alongside Columbia Junior 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 Junior High School compares
Columbia Junior 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 | 20.6:1 | ▲ 17% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.6% | ▼ 19% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 619 | top 19% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.6:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
619
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
20.6:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 82% in Washington - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
24.1%
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
$16,780
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.5 FTE
Per 248 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 46 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 23 expulsions.
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 37.2%
Hispanic or Latino 22.9%
Two or More 14.2%
African American 10.3%
Asian 8.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 6.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 37.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 76.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 76.7, Columbia Junior High School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fife School District, which includes Columbia Junior High School.
$16,780
Per student
-14%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.2%
State 59.8%
Federal 8.0%
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 Junior High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fife High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fife Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Surprise Lake Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Discovery Primary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hedden Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Columbia Junior High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 885
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 866
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 613
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 506
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 469
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools in Tacoma
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Sheridan Elementary School
Standard public school
525 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Geiger Montessori School
Standard public school
521 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Boze Elementary School
Standard public school
485 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Brookdale Elementary
Standard public school
483 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Birney Elementary School
Standard public school
476 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Collins Elementary
Standard public school
466 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~619 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Columbia Junior High School's federal record.
- Compare Columbia Junior High School against another school. Compare schools
- Fife 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 Junior High School
How many students attend Columbia Junior High School?
Columbia Junior High School has 619 students enrolled. It is a public school in Tacoma, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbia Junior High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbia Junior High School is 20.6:1, which is 17% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 31% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Columbia Junior High School?
36.6% of students at Columbia Junior High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Columbia Junior High School?
The largest demographic group at Columbia Junior High School is White at 37.2% of enrollment, in Tacoma, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 76.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbia Junior High School?
Columbia Junior High School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Junior High School rank among schools in Tacoma?
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Junior High School ranks #6 of 42 schools in Tacoma, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Tacoma on the city page.
Is Columbia Junior High School a good school?
Columbia Junior High School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of Washington schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Fife School District?
Besides Columbia Junior High School, Fife School District also operates Fife High School (885 students), Fife Elementary School (866 students), and Surprise Lake Middle School (613 students). See the Fife School District 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.