Enrollment
265
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lodi, NJ
Columbus School
Federal NCES profile for Columbus School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 340885000552
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Columbus School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of New Jersey schools.
- #4 of 6
- schools in Lodi · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.7:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 30.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Columbus School has class sizes larger than 90% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Columbus School ranks #4 of 6 schools in Lodi, NJ.
School address
District: Lodi School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 340885000552 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.0%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Columbus School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Columbus School
Columbus School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Lodi, New Jersey, enrolling 265 students.
Class loads run heavy: 14.7:1 is larger than about 90% of New Jersey schools and 25% above the 11.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 30.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 265 puts it in the smaller third of New Jersey schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Against 278 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #155.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (60%) and White (22%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 265 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Lodi School District spends $19,135 per pupil, 23% below the New Jersey average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Lodi School District also operates Lodi High School (906 students) and Thomas Jefferson Middle School (686 students) alongside Columbus 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 School compares
Columbus School on the metrics families compare, against New Jersey and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Jersey | New Jersey avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.7:1 | ▲ 25% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.0% | ▲ 1% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 265 | top 81% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
265
Bigger than 27% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 1% above the New Jersey average of 29.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 90% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
18.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$19,135
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Jersey avg of $24,984
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 265 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 60.0%
White 21.5%
African American 7.5%
Asian 7.2%
Two or More 3.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 60.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.2, Columbus School is more mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lodi School District, which includes Columbus School.
$19,135
Per student
-23%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.1%
State 43.8%
Federal 11.2%
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 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lodi High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Wilson School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Washington School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hilltop School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Columbus School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 906
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 686
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 382
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 358
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 337
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New Jersey, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~265 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Columbus School's federal record.
- Compare Columbus School against another school. Compare schools
- Lodi School District'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 School
How many students attend Columbus School?
Columbus School has 265 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lodi, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbus School?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbus School is 14.7:1, which is 25% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Columbus School?
30.0% of students at Columbus School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Columbus School?
The largest demographic group at Columbus School is Hispanic or Latino at 60.0% of enrollment, in Lodi, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbus School?
Columbus School has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (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 School rank among schools in Lodi?
By Resource Investment Index, Columbus School ranks #4 of 6 schools in Lodi, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Lodi on the city page.
Is Columbus School a good school?
Columbus School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of New Jersey 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 Lodi School District?
Besides Columbus School, Lodi School District also operates Lodi High School (906 students), Thomas Jefferson Middle School (686 students), and Wilson School (382 students). See the Lodi School District 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.