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Best Public Schools in Columbus, IN

At a glance

Schools

11,046

Students

Districts

5-star school

Top rankedCSA Lincoln Campus45^th of 1,005 Indiana elementary schools

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Biggest riser

CSA Fodrea Campus up 80 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

Clifty Creek Elementary School 14.6 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

4★

3★

2★

2 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)

Compare Indiana cities →See the top-ranked Indiana schools →

Summary:

The city of Columbus, Indiana is home to 15 schools, including 11 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 2 high schools, all part of the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation. The district is ranked 160 out of 380 in Indiana and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

A few schools stand out in the data, including CSA Lincoln Campus, an elementary school that ranks 45th out of 1,005 Indiana elementary schools and has a 5-star rating. It boasts exceptional test scores, with 70.65% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 82.09% in Math. Other high-performing elementary schools include Southside Elementary School and Rockcreek Elementary School, both with 4-star ratings and strong test scores.

However, the data also reveals significant performance gaps between the top-performing schools and those with lower test scores, such as Clifty Creek Elementary and Mount Healthy Elementary. This disparity appears to be linked to socioeconomic factors, as schools with higher rates of free and reduced-price lunch tend to have lower academic achievement. Addressing these achievement gaps and chronic absenteeism issues will be crucial for improving outcomes across the district.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing (2025)	SAT Mathematics (2025)	ILEARN English Language Arts (2025)							ILEARN Math (2025)							ILEARN Science (2025)			ILEARN Social Studies (2025)	ILEARN Biology (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 3rd Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 4th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 5th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 6th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 7th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 8th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts All Grades	ILEARN Math 3rd Grade	ILEARN Math 4th Grade	ILEARN Math 5th Grade	ILEARN Math 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Science 4th Grade	ILEARN Science 6th Grade	ILEARN Science All Grades	ILEARN Social Studies 5th Grade	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Central Middle School	Public	7-8	725 7th St	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 376-4287	790	52	15.2	45.4%	502 (63.5%)	25 (3.2%)	142 (18.0%)	81 (10.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (4.9%)	56.7	199^th of 480 public middle schools	58.5%		59.7	188^th of 491 public middle schools	61.7%	11							33.3	42.4	38.0					33.9	32.8	33.3					98.4	$12,099	$814	$11,286
Columbus East High School	Public	9-12	230 S Marr Rd	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 376-4369	1,452	97	14.9	39.5%	1,085 (74.7%)	40 (2.8%)	238 (16.4%)	16 (1.1%)	3 (0.2%)	2 (0.1%)	68 (4.7%)	46.5	223^rd of 429 public high schools	48.0%		46.1	225^th of 432 public high schools	47.9%	2	51.4	22.2																			27.5	$13,435	$811	$12,624
Columbus North High School	Public	9-12	1400 25th St	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 376-4432	2,360	159	14.8	35.0%	1,448 (61.4%)	59 (2.5%)	581 (24.6%)	179 (7.6%)	4 (0.2%)	2 (0.1%)	87 (3.7%)	66.6	98^th of 429 public high schools	77.2%		65.8	101^st of 432 public high schools	76.6%	3	57.2	39.2																			35.7	$12,244	$888	$11,356
L F Smith Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	4505 Waycross Dr	Columbus	47203	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(812) 376-4317	420	27	15.4	57.9%	297 (70.7%)	15 (3.6%)	68 (16.2%)	8 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (7.6%)	40.8	613^th of 1005 public elementary schools	39.0%		41.3	614^th of 1011 public elementary schools	39.3%	1			41.4	25.0	42.1	30.5			34.6	41.4	18.3	45.6	22.0			31.6	32.2	32.2	32.2	42.1		$14,082	$2,150	$11,932
Lillian Schmitt Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	2675 California	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(812) 376-4307	704	40	17.7	61.8%	408 (58.0%)	49 (7.0%)	154 (21.9%)	11 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	82 (11.6%)	34	684^th of 1005 public elementary schools	31.9%		37.1	659^th of 1011 public elementary schools	34.8%	25			32.7	19.8	39.5	35.9			31.2	45.5	31.9	24.7	28.2			33.2	24.4	33.0	28.4	24.4		$12,177	$1,428	$10,749
Mount Healthy Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	12150 S Sr 58	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 342-2463	365	22	16.8	46.0%	297 (81.4%)	7 (1.9%)	34 (9.3%)	13 (3.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.6%)	32.4	703^rd of 1005 public elementary schools	30.0%		25.4	765^th of 1011 public elementary schools	24.3%	62			25.0	25.0	15.4	32.3			24.9	39.3	36.4	13.5	36.9			31.8	34.1	44.6	40.4	9.6		$11,948	$876	$11,072
Northside Middle School	Public	7-8	1400 27th St	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 376-4405	908	58	15.7	45.0%	586 (64.5%)	16 (1.8%)	240 (26.4%)	34 (3.7%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	30 (3.3%)	57.8	189^th of 480 public middle schools	60.6%		54.3	216^th of 491 public middle schools	56.0%	27							36.6	38.1	37.3					35.5	34.7	35.1					100.0	$11,987	$830	$11,157
Parkside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1400 Parkside Dr	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 376-4314	733	45	16.3	42.0%	420 (57.3%)	13 (1.8%)	175 (23.9%)	77 (10.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	47 (6.4%)	72.5	260^th of 1005 public elementary schools	74.1%		70.6	289^th of 1011 public elementary schools	71.4%	29			42.9	54.1	53.2	44.7			48.7	49.0	60.2	51.4	48.3			52.0	56.1	42.1	48.6	54.1		$12,160	$1,064	$11,096
Rockcreek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	13000 E 200 S	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 579-5221	351	19	18.4	32.2%	326 (92.9%)	2 (0.6%)	14 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.6%)	76.3	220^th of 1005 public elementary schools	78.1%		76.4	218^th of 1011 public elementary schools	78.4%	2			51.1	60.4	44.9	44.7			50.3	55.6	77.1	53.1	57.5			60.9	56.3	54.2	55.2	34.7		$11,892	$702	$11,190
Southside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1320 W 200 S	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 376-4423	891	50	18.0	21.0%	439 (49.3%)	28 (3.1%)	104 (11.7%)	282 (31.6%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (4.0%)	86	125^th of 1005 public elementary schools	87.6%		85.6	116^th of 1011 public elementary schools	88.5%	9			50.4	54.7	60.6	63.3			57.2	63.5	67.6	68.5	65.0			66.3	52.5	61.5	56.6	58.3		$11,559	$733	$10,826
W D Richards Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	3311 Fairlawn Dr	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 376-4311	610	31	19.8	45.2%	380 (62.3%)	23 (3.8%)	139 (22.8%)	33 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (5.7%)	48.3	536^th of 1005 public elementary schools	46.7%		46.7	561^st of 1011 public elementary schools	44.5%	25			28.3	47.4	41.3	37.7			38.0	40.4	46.2	39.2	35.3			40.2	50.0	28.2	38.7	29.7		$11,130	$772	$10,359
Columbus Area Career Connection	Public	6-12	1400 25th St	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 376-4240	0	0	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Clifty Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	4625 E 50 N	Columbus	47203	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(812) 376-4342	705	48	14.6	66.0%	330 (46.8%)	35 (5.0%)	293 (41.6%)	8 (1.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (5.2%)	27.9	745^th of 1005 public elementary schools	25.9%		25.9	762^nd of 1011 public elementary schools	24.6%	17			36.9	12.8	33.7	28.8			28.0	47.6	18.6	24.7	27.4			29.5	18.6	20.6	19.5	23.6		$12,189	$1,383	$10,805
CSA Lincoln Campus	Public	K-6	750 5th St	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 376-4447	357	18	19.6	25.5%	278 (77.9%)	3 (0.8%)	37 (10.4%)	22 (6.2%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	15 (4.2%)	93.2	45^th of 1005 public elementary schools	95.5%		95	28^th of 1011 public elementary schools	97.2%	17			72.6	64.0	71.7	74.5			70.7	80.4	88.0	75.5	85.1			82.1	64.0	61.7	62.9	45.3		$11,253	$496	$10,757
CSA Fodrea Campus	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	2775 Illinois St	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	Yes	No	No	(812) 376-4321	351	20	17.5	40.7%	177 (50.4%)	8 (2.3%)	45 (12.8%)	88 (25.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (9.1%)	45.1	571^st of 1005 public elementary schools	43.2%		38	651^st of 1011 public elementary schools	35.6%	80			32.6	33.3	31.8	31.8			32.4	52.3	50.0	47.7	29.6			44.8	38.1	27.3	32.6	32.6		$11,072	$625	$10,446
Excel Center - Bartholomew County	Public, Charter	9-12	1235 Jackson Street	Columbus	47305	Bartholomew County	Excel Center - Bartholomew County	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(812) 372-4448	49	6	8.1	67.3%	32 (65.3%)	4 (8.2%)	10 (20.4%)	1 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (4.1%)								(n/a)

Cities Near Columbus

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Taylorsville	6.83 mi	1	378^th
Edinburgh	10.66 mi	3	340^th
Hope	10.91 mi	2	215^th
Nashville	12.9 mi	3	301^st
Nineveh	14.54 mi	1	249^th

See the top IN Indiana cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Indiana Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.