Enrollment
571
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Decatur, GA
Columbia Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Columbia Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 130174002480
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 62
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Columbia Middle School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of Georgia schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Georgia schools.
- #3 of 8
- middle schools in Decatur · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.9:1
- small classes for Georgia
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Columbia Middle School has class sizes smaller than 82% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Middle School ranks #3 of 8 middle schools in Decatur, GA.
School address
District: Dekalb County · Georgia
NCES ID 130174002480 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.9:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+65% 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 high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Decatur, Georgia, enrolling 571 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 100.0% of students qualify for free meals, 65% above the Georgia average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 571 students, its enrollment sits close to the Georgia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 430 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #68.
Its student body is predominantly African American (90% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 19/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 190 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 78.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 191 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 571 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Decatur's middle schools, it stands alongside Beacon Hill Middle School (1,285 students): Columbia Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.9:1 vs 13.2:1).
Dekalb County also operates Lakeside High School (2,234 students) and Dunwoody High School (2,012 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 | 11.9:1 | ▼ 17% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 65% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 571 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.9:1
Leaner classes than 76% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
571
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 65% above the Georgia average of 60.7%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.9:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 18% in Georgia - lower ratio than 82% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
78.6%
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
$15,594
per pupil, district-wide
- above Georgia avg of $13,863
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 190 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
45
in-school suspensions + 146 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 33.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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
African American 89.8%
Hispanic or Latino 4.9%
Two or More 2.3%
White 1.2%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 89.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 19.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 19.0, Columbia Middle School is less mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dekalb County, which includes Columbia Middle School.
$15,594
Per student
+12%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.6%
State 32.7%
Federal 15.7%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeside High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dunwoody High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chamblee High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cross Keys High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sequoyah Middle 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
- 2,234
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,012
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,867
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,748
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,713
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar middle schools in Decatur
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Beacon Hill Middle School
Standard public school
1,285 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Druid Hills Middle School
Standard public school
985 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Mcnair Middle School
Standard public school
701 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Cedar Grove Middle School
Standard public school
685 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Mary Mcleod Bethune Middle School
Standard public school
655 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Miller Grove Middle School
Standard public school
625 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
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 (~571 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Columbia Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Columbia Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Dekalb 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 571 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Decatur, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbia Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbia Middle School is 11.9:1, which is 17% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 24% 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 Middle School?
100.0% 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 African American at 89.8% of enrollment, in Decatur, GA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbia Middle School?
Columbia Middle 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 Middle School rank among middle schools in Decatur?
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Middle School ranks #3 of 8 middle schools in Decatur, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Decatur on the city page.
Is Columbia Middle School a good school?
Columbia Middle School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of Georgia schools. It is also less 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 Dekalb County?
Besides Columbia Middle School, Dekalb County also operates Lakeside High School (2,234 students), Dunwoody High School (2,012 students), and Chamblee High School (1,867 students). See the Dekalb 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.