- Enrollment
- 865
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Columbus, MS
Columbus Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Columbus Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 280120001380
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 16
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Columbus Middle School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Mississippi schools.
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.2:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
- 597
- students enrolled
Columbus Middle School has class sizes near the Mississippi median. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Columbus Municipal School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280120001380 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-87 students YoY
Columbus Middle School shrank from 667 students in 2022-23 to 580 in 2023-24 (-13.0%).
Teacher FTE lost 50.0 → 47.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-87 students YoY 280120001380 · Columbus, MS Middle · MID · TRAD
597 enr · 12.2:1 · 100.0% lunch · RII 44
Nearest enrollment peer: Columbus High School (865 students)
Columbus Middle School shrank from 667 students in 2022-23 to 580 in 2023-24 (-13.0%). Teacher FTE lost 50.0 → 47.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Mississippi schools → · Find another →
Columbus Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Columbus High
Columbus High School
865 students
- This school
Columbus Middle School
597 students
- Cook Elementar
Cook Elementary School
415 students
- Stokes Beard E
Stokes Beard Elementary School
369 students
- Sale Elementar 290
Sale Elementary School
290 students
- Fairview Eleme 244
Fairview Elementary School
244 students
What this shows Columbus Middle School reports 597 students on the CCD universe file.
How Columbus Middle School compares
Columbus Middle School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Mississippi and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Mississippi | Mississippi avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.2:1 | ▼ 8% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 24% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 597 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.2:1
Leaner classes than 74% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
597
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% above the Mississippi average of 80.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.2:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 33% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 67% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
33.7%
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
$13,944
per pupil, district-wide
- above Mississippi avg of $13,683
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 299 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 238 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 40.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 93.1%
Hispanic or Latino 2.3%
White 2.2%
Two or More 2.0%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 93.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 13.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 13.2, Columbus Middle School is less mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Columbus Municipal School Dist reports $13,944 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Columbus Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cook Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Stokes Beard Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sale Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fairview Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Columbus Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 415
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 369
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 290
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 244
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
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 (~597 students)
Frequently asked questions about Columbus Middle School
How many students attend Columbus Middle School?
Columbus Middle School has 597 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Columbus, MS. CCD year-over-year: 667 (2022-23) → 580 (2023-24), down 87.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbus Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbus Middle School is 12.2:1, which is 8% lower than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 22% 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 Columbus Middle School?
100.0% of students at Columbus Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Columbus Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Columbus Middle School is African American at 93.1% of enrollment, in Columbus, MS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbus Middle School?
Columbus Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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).
What other schools are in Columbus Municipal School Dist?
Besides Columbus Middle School, Columbus Municipal School Dist also operates Columbus High School (865 students), Cook Elementary School (415 students), and Stokes Beard Elementary School (369 students). See the Columbus Municipal School Dist district page for the complete list.