Enrollment
419
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbus, GA
Dorothy Height Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Dorothy Height Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130387004146
👥 S:T ratio 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 16
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dorothy Height Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of Georgia schools.
- #13 of 17
- schools in Columbus · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.3:1
- small classes for Georgia
- 96.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Dorothy Height Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 87% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dorothy Height Elementary School ranks #13 of 17 schools in Columbus, GA.
School address
District: Muscogee County · Georgia
NCES ID 130387004146 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.3:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
96.6%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dorothy Height Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dorothy Height Elementary School
Dorothy Height Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Columbus, Georgia, enrolling 419 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.3:1, Dorothy Height Elementary School is leaner than roughly 87% of Georgia schools and 22% under the state's 14.4:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 96.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 419 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Among 389 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #282, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (83% of enrollment) (diversity index 30/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 419 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 52.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.2% 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 North Columbus Elementary (737 students): Dorothy Height Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.3:1 vs 15.7:1).
Muscogee County also operates Northside High School (1,405 students) and Shaw High School (1,162 students) alongside Dorothy Height Elementary 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 Dorothy Height Elementary School compares
Dorothy Height Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Georgia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Georgia | Georgia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.3:1 | ▼ 22% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 96.6% | ▲ 59% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 419 | top 80% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.3:1
Leaner classes than 81% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
419
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
96.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% above the Georgia average of 60.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.3:1
students per teacher
- 22% below state mean
Top 13% in Georgia - lower ratio than 87% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
52.5%
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
$12,762
per pupil, district-wide
- below Georgia avg of $13,863
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 419 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.1 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
African American 83.1%
Hispanic or Latino 6.7%
Two or More 5.5%
White 3.3%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 83.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.1, Dorothy Height Elementary School is less mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Muscogee County, which includes Dorothy Height Elementary School.
$12,762
Per student
-8%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.8%
State 43.0%
Federal 18.2%
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 Dorothy Height Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northside High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shaw High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Columbus High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hardaway High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jordan Vocational High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dorothy Height Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,405
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,162
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,161
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 1,067
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,040
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar other schools in Columbus
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
North Columbus Elementary
Standard public school
737 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Eagle Ridge Academy
Standard public school
658 students 14:1 students per teacher
Clubview Elementary School
Standard public school
566 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Double Churches Elementary School
Standard public school
472 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
River Road Elementary School
Standard public school
454 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Rigdon Road Elementary School
Standard public school
437 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Georgia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~419 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dorothy Height Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Dorothy Height Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Muscogee County'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 Dorothy Height Elementary School
How many students attend Dorothy Height Elementary School?
Dorothy Height Elementary School has 419 students enrolled. It is a public school in Columbus, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dorothy Height Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Dorothy Height Elementary School is 11.3:1, which is 22% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 28% 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 Dorothy Height Elementary School?
96.6% of students at Dorothy Height Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dorothy Height Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Dorothy Height Elementary School is African American at 83.1% of enrollment, in Columbus, GA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dorothy Height Elementary School?
Dorothy Height Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical 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 Dorothy Height Elementary School rank among schools in Columbus?
By Resource Investment Index, Dorothy Height Elementary School ranks #13 of 17 schools in Columbus, GA. 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 Dorothy Height Elementary School a good school?
Dorothy Height Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of Georgia 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 Muscogee County?
Besides Dorothy Height Elementary School, Muscogee County also operates Northside High School (1,405 students), Shaw High School (1,162 students), and Columbus High School (1,161 students). See the Muscogee County 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.