- Enrollment
- 814
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lake Waccamaw, NC
East Columbus Junior-Senior High
Federal NCES profile for East Columbus Junior-Senior High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370096000145
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
East Columbus Junior-Senior High earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most North Carolina schools.
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.2:1
- students per teacher
- 99.5%
- free-lunch eligible
- 576
- students enrolled
East Columbus Junior-Senior High has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Columbus County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370096000145 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-34 students YoY
East Columbus Junior-Senior High shrank from 594 students in 2022-23 to 560 in 2023-24 (-5.7%).
Teacher FTE held 38.1 → 38.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-34 students YoY 370096000145 · Lake Waccamaw, NC Other · MID · TRAD
576 enr · 15.2:1 · 99.5% lunch · RII 27
Nearest enrollment peer: West Columbus School (814 students)
East Columbus Junior-Senior High shrank from 594 students in 2022-23 to 560 in 2023-24 (-5.7%). Teacher FTE held 38.1 → 38.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
East Columbus Junior-Senior High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- West Columbus
West Columbus School
814 students
- South Columbus
South Columbus High
669 students
- Williams Towns
Williams Township
659 students
- This school
East Columbus Junior-Senior High
576 students
- West Columbus
West Columbus High
459 students
- Tabor City Ele
Tabor City Elementary
415 students
What this shows East Columbus Junior-Senior High reports 576 students on the CCD universe file.
How East Columbus Junior-Senior High compares
East Columbus Junior-Senior High is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.2:1 | ▼ 4% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.5% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 576 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
576
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
99.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 52% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
45.3%
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
$14,006
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,294
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 576 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
288
in-school suspensions + 146 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 50.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 75.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 31.9%
White 26.4%
Hispanic or Latino 18.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 12.3%
Two or More 10.8%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 31.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 76.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 76.8, East Columbus Junior-Senior High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Columbus County Schools reports $14,006 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How East Columbus Junior-Senior High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Columbus School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Columbus High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Williams Township | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Columbus High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Tabor City Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to East Columbus Junior-Senior High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 669
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 659
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 459
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 415
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar other schools in Lake Waccamaw
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Nationwide other 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 (~576 students)
Frequently asked questions about East Columbus Junior-Senior High
How many students attend East Columbus Junior-Senior High?
East Columbus Junior-Senior High has 576 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lake Waccamaw, NC. CCD year-over-year: 594 (2022-23) → 560 (2023-24), down 34.
What is the student-teacher ratio at East Columbus Junior-Senior High?
The student-teacher ratio at East Columbus Junior-Senior High is 15.2:1, which is 4% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 3% 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 East Columbus Junior-Senior High?
99.5% of students at East Columbus Junior-Senior High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of East Columbus Junior-Senior High?
The largest demographic group at East Columbus Junior-Senior High is African American at 31.9% of enrollment, in Lake Waccamaw, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 76.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for East Columbus Junior-Senior High?
East Columbus Junior-Senior High has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 County Schools?
Besides East Columbus Junior-Senior High, Columbus County Schools also operates West Columbus School (814 students), South Columbus High (669 students), and Williams Township (659 students). See the Columbus County Schools district page for the complete list.