- Enrollment
- 1,626
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Carthage, MO
Columbian Elem.
Federal NCES profile for Columbian Elem., including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 290746000204
👥 S:T ratio 57
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 79
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Columbian Elem. earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of Missouri schools.
- #4 of 5
- elementary schools in Carthage · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10.8:1
- small classes for Missouri
- 81.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Columbian Elem. has class sizes smaller than 75% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Columbian Elem. ranks #4 of 5 elementary schools in Carthage, MO.
School address
District: Carthage R-Ix · Missouri
NCES ID 290746000204 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-1 students YoY
Columbian Elem. held near 378 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-1 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 37.1 → 32.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-1 students YoY 290746000204 · Carthage, MO Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
398 enr · 10.8:1 · 81.0% lunch · RII 56
Nearest enrollment peer: Carthage High School (1,626 students)
Columbian Elem. held near 378 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-1 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 37.1 → 32.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Missouri schools → · Find another →
Columbian Elem. in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Carthage High
Carthage High School
1,626 students
- Carthage Jr. H
Carthage Jr. High
773 students
- Carthage Inter
Carthage Intermediate Center
664 students
- Fairview Elem. 444
Fairview Elem.
444 students
- This school 398
Columbian Elem.
398 students
- Carthage 6th G 377
Carthage 6th Grade Center
377 students
What this shows Columbian Elem. reports 398 students on the CCD universe file.
How Columbian Elem. compares
Columbian Elem. held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.8:1 | ▼ 16% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 81.0% | ▲ 76% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 398 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.8:1
Leaner classes than 84% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
398
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
81.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 76% above the Missouri average of 46.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
10.8:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 25% in Missouri - lower ratio than 75% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
8.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$12,082
per pupil, district-wide
- below Missouri avg of $14,087
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 398 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
14
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 66.3%
White 29.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.5%
Two or More 1.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 66.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.1, Columbian Elem. is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Carthage R-Ix reports $12,082 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Columbian Elem. Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carthage High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carthage Jr. High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carthage Intermediate Center | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fairview Elem. | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Carthage 6th Grade Center | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Columbian Elem.'s own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 773
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 664
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 444
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 377
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
Nationwide elementary 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 (~398 students)
Frequently asked questions about Columbian Elem.
How many students attend Columbian Elem.?
Columbian Elem. has 398 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Carthage, MO. CCD year-over-year: 379 (2022-23) → 378 (2023-24), nearly flat (-1).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbian Elem.?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbian Elem. is 10.8:1, which is 16% lower than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 31% 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 Columbian Elem.?
81.0% of students at Columbian Elem. are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Columbian Elem.?
The largest demographic group at Columbian Elem. is Hispanic or Latino at 66.3% of enrollment, in Carthage, MO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbian Elem.?
Columbian Elem. has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (higher 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 Columbian Elem. rank among elementary schools in Carthage?
By Resource Investment Index, Columbian Elem. ranks #4 of 5 elementary schools in Carthage, MO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Carthage on the city page.
What other schools are in Carthage R-Ix?
Besides Columbian Elem., Carthage R-Ix also operates Carthage High School (1,626 students), Carthage Jr. High (773 students), and Carthage Intermediate Center (664 students). See the Carthage R-Ix district page for the complete list.