Enrollment
797
Ohio · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbus, OH
Columbus Preparatory Academy
Federal NCES profile for Columbus Preparatory Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 390030704844Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 12
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Columbus Preparatory Academy earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Ohio median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Ohio schools.
- #72 of 88
- schools in Columbus · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17:1
- students per teacher
- 32.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Columbus Preparatory Academy has class sizes near the Ohio median. Computed live against every Ohio school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Columbus Preparatory Academy ranks #72 of 88 schools in Columbus, OH.
School address
District: Columbus Preparatory Academy · Ohio
NCES ID 390030704844 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17:1
vs 18.2:1 Ohio avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.1%
vs 31.6% Ohio avg
+2% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Columbus Preparatory Academy compares with Ohio and U.S. medians
What stands out at Columbus Preparatory Academy
Columbus Preparatory Academy is a large charter combined-grade school in Columbus, Ohio, enrolling 797 students.
At 17:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Ohio median, within a few percentage points of the 18.2:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 32.1% lands close to the Ohio typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 797 puts it in the larger third of Ohio schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,574 scored Ohio schools.
Among 479 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Ohio schools statewide, it ranks #438, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (31%) and African American (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 77/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 399 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Columbus Preparatory Academy spends $10,017 per pupil, 32% below the Ohio average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Columbus's public schools, it stands alongside Kipp Columbus (1,945 students): Columbus Preparatory Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17:1 vs 17.4:1).
Columbus Preparatory Academy is a single-school charter district, so Columbus Preparatory Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Preparatory Academy compares
Columbus Preparatory Academy on the metrics families compare, against Ohio and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Ohio | Ohio avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17:1 | ▼ 7% | 18.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.1% | ▲ 2% | 31.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 797 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
797
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% above the Ohio average of 31.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 48% in Ohio - lower ratio than 52% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
35.1%
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
$10,017
per pupil, district-wide
- below Ohio avg of $14,655
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 399 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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
White 31.1%
African American 28.2%
Hispanic or Latino 16.8%
Asian 14.2%
Two or More 6.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Largest group: White at 31.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 77.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 77.1, Columbus Preparatory Academy is more mixed than the Ohio school average of 35.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Columbus Preparatory Academy, which includes Columbus Preparatory Academy.
$10,017
Per student
-32%
vs Ohio
Avg $14,655
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 7.7%
State 74.9%
Federal 17.4%
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.
Similar other schools in Columbus
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Kipp Columbus
Standard public school
1,945 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Great River Connections Academy
Standard public school
1,608 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
South High School
Standard public school
873 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Metro Early College High School
Standard public school
869 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Linden-Mckinley Stem Academy
Standard public school
795 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Patriot Preparatory Academy
Standard public school
743 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Ohio, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~797 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Columbus Preparatory Academy's federal record.
- Compare Columbus Preparatory Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Columbus Preparatory Academy'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 Preparatory Academy
How many students attend Columbus Preparatory Academy?
Columbus Preparatory Academy has 797 students enrolled. It is a public school in Columbus, OH.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbus Preparatory Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbus Preparatory Academy is 17:1, which is 7% lower than the Ohio average of 18.2:1 and 8% higher 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 Preparatory Academy?
32.1% of students at Columbus Preparatory Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Ohio average of 31.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Columbus Preparatory Academy?
The largest demographic group at Columbus Preparatory Academy is White at 31.1% of enrollment, in Columbus, OH. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 77.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbus Preparatory Academy?
Columbus Preparatory Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (lower 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 Preparatory Academy rank among schools in Columbus?
By Resource Investment Index, Columbus Preparatory Academy ranks #72 of 88 schools in Columbus, OH. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Columbus on the city page.
Is Columbus Preparatory Academy a good school?
Columbus Preparatory Academy earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Ohio median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Ohio 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 Columbus Preparatory Academy?
None; Columbus Preparatory Academy is a single-school charter district, and Columbus Preparatory Academy is its only campus.
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.