Enrollment
852
Ohio · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Columbus, OH
Independence High School
Federal NCES profile for Independence High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 390438000654
👥 S:T ratio 19
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Independence High School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Ohio schools.
- #28 of 44
- high schools in Columbus · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.3:1
- large classes for Ohio
- 852
- students enrolled
Independence High School has class sizes larger than 77% of Ohio schools. Computed live against every Ohio school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Independence High School ranks #28 of 44 high schools in Columbus, OH.
School address
District: Columbus City Schools District · Ohio
NCES ID 390438000654 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.3:1
vs 18.2:1 Ohio avg
+12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Independence High School compares with Ohio and U.S. medians
What stands out at Independence High School
Independence High School is a large high school in Columbus, Ohio, enrolling 852 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Ohio schools by student-teacher ratio.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Ohio, bigger than 91% of state schools at 852 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,574 scored Ohio schools.
Its student body is led by African American (67%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%) (diversity index 49/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 2 Advanced Placement courses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 71.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Columbus City Schools District spends $20,324 per pupil, 39% above the Ohio average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 18.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 247 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 852 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 36 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Columbus's high schools, it stands alongside Worthington Kilbourne High School (1,623 students): Independence High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (20.3:1 vs 20.8:1).
Columbus City Schools District also operates Northland High School (1,029 students) and Whetstone High School (1,017 students) alongside Independence High 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 Independence High School compares
Independence High School on the metrics families compare, against Ohio and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Ohio | Ohio avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.3:1 | ▲ 12% | 18.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 852 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.3:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
852
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
20.3:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 77% in Ohio - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
71.7%
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
$20,324
per pupil, district-wide
- above Ohio avg of $14,655
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
108
in-school suspensions + 139 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 12.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 29.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 36 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
African American 67.4%
Hispanic or Latino 22.7%
White 4.2%
Two or More 3.8%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 67.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.1, Independence High School is more mixed than the Ohio school average of 35.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 2
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Columbus City Schools District, which includes Independence High School.
$20,324
Per student
+39%
vs Ohio
Avg $14,655
+22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 61.4%
State 19.7%
Federal 18.9%
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 Independence High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northland High School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Whetstone High School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Briggs High School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| South High School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| West High School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Independence High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,029
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,017
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 956
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 873
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 846
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar high schools in Columbus
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Worthington Kilbourne High School
Standard public school
1,623 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Franklin Heights High School
Standard public school
1,398 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
Northland High School
Standard public school
1,029 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Whetstone High School
Standard public school
1,017 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Briggs High School
Standard public school
956 students 19.1:1 students per teacher
Hamilton Township High School
Standard public school
873 students 21.8:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~852 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Independence High School's federal record.
- Compare Independence High School against another school. Compare schools
- Columbus City Schools 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 Independence High School
How many students attend Independence High School?
Independence High School has 852 students enrolled. It is a high school in Columbus, OH.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Independence High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Independence High School is 20.3:1, which is 12% higher than the Ohio average of 18.2:1 and 29% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Independence High School?
The largest demographic group at Independence High School is African American at 67.4% of enrollment, in Columbus, OH.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Independence High School?
Independence High School has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Independence High School rank among high schools in Columbus?
By Resource Investment Index, Independence High School ranks #28 of 44 high 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 high schools in Columbus on the city page.
Is Independence High School a good school?
Independence High School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of 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 City Schools District?
Besides Independence High School, Columbus City Schools District also operates Northland High School (1,029 students), Whetstone High School (1,017 students), and Briggs High School (956 students). See the Columbus City Schools 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.