Enrollment
1,166
Nebraska · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Columbus, NE
Columbus Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Columbus Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 310534000165
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Columbus Middle School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Nebraska schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Nebraska.
- #3 of 11
- public schools in Columbus · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.9:1
- large classes for Nebraska
- 42.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Columbus Middle School has class sizes larger than 70% of Nebraska schools. Computed live against every Nebraska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Columbus Middle School ranks #3 of 11 public schools in Columbus, NE.
School address
District: Columbus Public Schools · Nebraska
NCES ID 310534000165 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
78.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 13.5:1 Nebraska avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.4%
vs 30.9% Nebraska avg
+37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Columbus Middle School compares with Nebraska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Columbus Middle School
Columbus Middle School is a large elementary school in Columbus, Nebraska, enrolling 1,166 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Nebraska schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 42.4% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Nebraska, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,166 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,003 scored Nebraska schools.
Among 22 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Nebraska schools statewide, it ranks #1, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (54%) and White (42%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 292 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
14.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Columbus Public Schools spends $12,223 per pupil, 31% below the Nebraska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Columbus Public Schools also operates Columbus High School (1,337 students) and Centennial Elementary School (353 students) alongside Columbus 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 Columbus Middle School compares
Columbus Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Nebraska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nebraska | Nebraska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.9:1 | ▲ 10% | 13.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.4% | ▲ 37% | 30.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,166 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,166
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% above the Nebraska average of 30.9%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 70% in Nebraska - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
14.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$12,223
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nebraska avg of $17,680
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 292 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
78
in-school suspensions + 66 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 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
Hispanic or Latino 53.7%
White 41.6%
African American 1.9%
Two or More 1.1%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 53.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.8, Columbus Middle School is more mixed than the Nebraska school average of 34.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Columbus Public Schools, which includes Columbus Middle School.
$12,223
Per student
-31%
vs Nebraska
Avg $17,680
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.5%
State 38.1%
Federal 10.3%
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 Columbus Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Centennial Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lost Creek Elementary Sch | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Park Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Emerson Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher 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
- 1,337
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 353
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 318
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 304
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 286
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Nebraska, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,166 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Columbus Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Columbus Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Columbus Public Schools'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 Columbus Middle School
How many students attend Columbus Middle School?
Columbus Middle School has 1,166 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Columbus, NE.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbus Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbus Middle School is 14.9:1, which is 10% higher than the Nebraska average of 13.5:1 and 5% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Columbus Middle School?
42.4% of students at Columbus Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nebraska average of 30.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Columbus Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Columbus Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 53.7% of enrollment, in Columbus, NE. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbus Middle School?
Columbus Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher 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 Columbus Middle School rank among public schools in Columbus?
By Resource Investment Index, Columbus Middle School ranks #3 of 11 public schools in Columbus, NE. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Columbus on the city page.
Is Columbus Middle School a good school?
Columbus Middle School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Nebraska schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Nebraska. 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 Columbus Public Schools?
Besides Columbus Middle School, Columbus Public Schools also operates Columbus High School (1,337 students), Centennial Elementary School (353 students), and Lost Creek Elementary Sch (318 students). See the Columbus Public Schools 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.