- Enrollment
- 1,856
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Moses Lake, WA
Columbia Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Columbia Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 530522000785
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 13
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Columbia Middle School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #10 of 11
- public schools in Moses Lake · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.6:1
- students per teacher
- 51.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Columbia Middle School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Middle School ranks #10 of 11 public schools in Moses Lake, WA.
School address
District: Moses Lake School District · Washington
NCES ID 530522000785 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-7 students YoY
Columbia Middle School held near 871 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-7 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 47.0 → 47.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-7 students YoY 530522000785 · Moses Lake, WA Middle · MID · TRAD
875 enr · 18.6:1 · 51.3% lunch · RII 37
Nearest enrollment peer: Moses Lake High School (1,856 students)
Columbia Middle School held near 871 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-7 headcount). Teacher FTE added 47.0 → 47.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Washington schools → · Find another →
Columbia Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Moses Lake Hig
Moses Lake High School
1,856 students
- This school
Columbia Middle School
875 students
- Frontier Middl 690
Frontier Middle School
690 students
- Park Orchard E 454
Park Orchard Elementary School
454 students
- Vicki I. Groff 413
Vicki I. Groff Elementary School
413 students
- Vanguard Acade 387
Vanguard Academy
387 students
What this shows Columbia Middle School reports 875 students on the CCD universe file.
How Columbia Middle School compares
Columbia Middle School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.6:1 | ▲ 6% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 51.3% | ▲ 14% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 875 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.6:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
875
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
51.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% above the Washington average of 45.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.6:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 69% in Washington - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
24.7%
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
$17,536
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $20,912
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 438 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
48
in-school suspensions + 82 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 14.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 46 expulsions.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 48.3%
White 45.4%
Two or More 3.5%
African American 1.5%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 48.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.9, Columbia Middle School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Moses Lake School District reports $17,536 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Columbia Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moses Lake High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Frontier Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Park Orchard Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Vicki I. Groff Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Vanguard Academy | Smaller | 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
- 690
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 454
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 413
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 387
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 9/100
Similar middle schools in Moses Lake
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~875 students)
Frequently asked questions about Columbia Middle School
How many students attend Columbia Middle School?
Columbia Middle School has 875 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Moses Lake, WA. CCD year-over-year: 878 (2022-23) → 871 (2023-24), nearly flat (-7).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbia Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbia Middle School is 18.6:1, which is 6% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Columbia Middle School?
51.3% of students at Columbia Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Columbia Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Columbia Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 48.3% of enrollment, in Moses Lake, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbia Middle School?
Columbia Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Columbia Middle School rank among public schools in Moses Lake?
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Middle School ranks #10 of 11 public schools in Moses Lake, 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 Moses Lake on the city page.
What other schools are in Moses Lake School District?
Besides Columbia Middle School, Moses Lake School District also operates Moses Lake High School (1,856 students), Frontier Middle School (690 students), and Park Orchard Elementary School (454 students). See the Moses Lake School District district page for the complete list.