- Enrollment
- 480
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Catawissa, PA
Southern Columbia Ms
Federal NCES profile for Southern Columbia Ms, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 422226000558
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 27
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southern Columbia Ms earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Pennsylvania schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Pennsylvania schools.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in Catawissa · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.7:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 21.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Southern Columbia Ms has class sizes larger than 72% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southern Columbia Ms ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Catawissa, PA.
School address
District: Southern Columbia Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 422226000558 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-19 students YoY
Southern Columbia Ms held near 382 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-19 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 25.9 → 28.4 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-19 students YoY 422226000558 · Catawissa, PA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
367 enr · 14.7:1 · 21.9% lunch · RII 39
Nearest enrollment peer: Hartman El Ctr (480 students)
Southern Columbia Ms held near 382 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-19 headcount). Teacher FTE added 25.9 → 28.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Pennsylvania schools → · Find another →
Southern Columbia Ms in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Hartman El Ctr
Hartman El Ctr
480 students
- This school
Southern Columbia Ms
367 students
- Southern Colum
Southern Columbia Hs
348 students
What this shows Southern Columbia Ms reports 367 students on the CCD universe file.
How Southern Columbia Ms compares
Southern Columbia Ms held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.7:1 | ▲ 8% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.9% | ▼ 62% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 367 | top 66% | - | - |
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.
367
Bigger than 42% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
21.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 62% below the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 72% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
33.0%
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
$16,798
per pupil, district-wide
- below Pennsylvania avg of $18,725
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 367 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
19
in-school suspensions + 24 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 94.8%
Hispanic or Latino 2.5%
Two or More 1.9%
African American 0.5%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 94.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 10.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 10.0, Southern Columbia Ms is less mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Southern Columbia Area Sd reports $16,798 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Southern Columbia Ms Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartman El Ctr | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Southern Columbia Hs | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southern Columbia Ms's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 348
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
Similar elementary schools in Catawissa
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary 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 (~367 students)
Frequently asked questions about Southern Columbia Ms
How many students attend Southern Columbia Ms?
Southern Columbia Ms has 367 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Catawissa, PA. CCD year-over-year: 401 (2022-23) → 382 (2023-24), nearly flat (-19).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southern Columbia Ms?
The student-teacher ratio at Southern Columbia Ms is 14.7:1, which is 8% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southern Columbia Ms?
21.9% of students at Southern Columbia Ms are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southern Columbia Ms?
The largest demographic group at Southern Columbia Ms is White at 94.8% of enrollment, in Catawissa, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southern Columbia Ms?
Southern Columbia Ms has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical 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).
How does Southern Columbia Ms rank among public schools in Catawissa?
By Resource Investment Index, Southern Columbia Ms ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Catawissa, PA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Southern Columbia Area Sd?
Besides Southern Columbia Ms, Southern Columbia Area Sd also operates Hartman El Ctr (480 students) and Southern Columbia Hs (348 students). See the Southern Columbia Area Sd district page for the complete list.