Enrollment
903
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Grovetown, GA
Columbia Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Columbia Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 130141000607
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 27
📋 Attendance 31
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Columbia Middle School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Georgia schools.
- #3 of 8
- public schools in Grovetown · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.6:1
- students per teacher
- 24.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Columbia Middle School has class sizes near the Georgia median. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Middle School ranks #3 of 8 public schools in Grovetown, GA.
School address
District: Columbia County · Georgia
NCES ID 130141000607 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
62.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.0%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-60% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Columbia Middle School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Columbia Middle School
Columbia Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Grovetown, Georgia, enrolling 903 students.
At 14.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Georgia median, within a few percentage points of the 14.4:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 24.0% free-meal eligibility runs 60% below the Georgia average.
Enrollment of 903 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 317 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #176.
Its student body is led by White (41%) and African American (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 363 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 352 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 903 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 29 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Grovetown's middle schools, it stands alongside Grovetown Middle School (1,067 students): Columbia Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.6:1 vs 15:1).
Columbia County also operates Grovetown High School (2,256 students) and Greenbrier High School (1,935 students) alongside Columbia Middle 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 Middle School compares
Columbia Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Georgia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Georgia | Georgia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.6:1 | ▲ 1% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.0% | ▼ 60% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 903 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
903
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 60% below the Georgia average of 60.7%
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
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 58% in Georgia - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
27.5%
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
$11,434
per pupil, district-wide
- below Georgia avg of $13,863
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.5 FTE
Per 363 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
248
in-school suspensions + 104 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 27.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 39.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 29 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 40.6%
African American 32.3%
Hispanic or Latino 15.4%
Two or More 7.9%
Asian 3.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 40.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.0, Columbia Middle School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Columbia County, which includes Columbia Middle School.
$11,434
Per student
-18%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.9%
State 45.4%
Federal 10.7%
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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grovetown High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Greenbrier High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lakeside High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Evans High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harlem High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Columbia Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,256
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,935
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,861
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,800
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,318
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar middle schools in Grovetown
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Georgia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~903 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Columbia Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Columbia Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Columbia County'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 Middle School
How many students attend Columbia Middle School?
Columbia Middle School has 903 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Grovetown, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbia Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbia Middle School is 14.6:1, which is 1% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 7% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Columbia Middle School?
24.0% of students at Columbia Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Columbia Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Columbia Middle School is White at 40.6% of enrollment, in Grovetown, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbia Middle School?
Columbia Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Middle School rank among public schools in Grovetown?
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Middle School ranks #3 of 8 public schools in Grovetown, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Grovetown on the city page.
Is Columbia Middle School a good school?
Columbia Middle School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Georgia 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 Columbia County?
Besides Columbia Middle School, Columbia County also operates Grovetown High School (2,256 students), Greenbrier High School (1,935 students), and Lakeside High School (1,861 students). See the Columbia County 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.