Enrollment
814
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Cerro Gordo, NC
West Columbus School
Federal NCES profile for West Columbus School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370096003621
👥 S:T ratio 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Columbus School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.6:1
- students per teacher
- 99.6%
- free-lunch eligible
- 814
- students enrolled
West Columbus School 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 370096003621 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
49.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.6:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.6%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Columbus School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Columbus School
West Columbus School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Cerro Gordo, North Carolina, enrolling 814 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.6:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 99.6% of students qualify for free meals, 51% above the North Carolina average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 814 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 353 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #202.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and African American (31%) (diversity index 63/100).
Its district draws 21.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Columbus County Schools also operates South Columbus High (669 students) and Williams Township (659 students) alongside West 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 West Columbus School compares
West Columbus School on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.6:1 | ▲ 5% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.6% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 814 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.6:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
814
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.6%
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
16.6:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 69% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$12,909
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
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
White 51.2%
African American 30.7%
Hispanic or Latino 8.8%
Two or More 8.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 51.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.9, West Columbus School is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Columbus County Schools, which includes West Columbus School.
$12,909
Per student
+7%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 13.5%
State 64.6%
Federal 21.9%
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 West Columbus School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Columbus High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Williams Township | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Columbus Junior-Senior High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Columbus High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Tabor City Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Columbus School'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
- 576
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- 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 statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~814 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Columbus School's federal record.
- Compare West Columbus School against another school. Compare schools
- Columbus County Schools'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 West Columbus School
How many students attend West Columbus School?
West Columbus School has 814 students enrolled. It is a public school in Cerro Gordo, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Columbus School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Columbus School is 16.6:1, which is 5% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Columbus School?
99.6% of students at West Columbus School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Columbus School?
The largest demographic group at West Columbus School is White at 51.2% of enrollment, in Cerro Gordo, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Columbus School?
West Columbus School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 1 factor: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
Is West Columbus School a good school?
West Columbus School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. 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 County Schools?
Besides West Columbus School, Columbus County Schools also operates South Columbus High (669 students), Williams Township (659 students), and East Columbus Junior-Senior High (576 students). See the Columbus County Schools 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.