Best Public Schools in Columbia, MS

Columbia, Mississippi, is served by 7 public schools spanning grades PK–12 across two districts: the higher-ranked Columbia School District and the Marion County School District, enrolling a total of 2,296 students.

The standout is Columbia High School, which has dramatically improved from a 2-star rating two years ago to a 4-star rating this year, now ranking #53 in the state and outperforming state averages in Algebra I, Biology, and English II, with a 92.7% graduation rate. Its counterpart, East Marion High School, is also improving and overperforms despite almost all of its students being economically disadvantaged, matching state proficiency averages in core subjects. At the middle school level, the picture is starkly different: Jefferson Middle School has slipped slightly and struggles with a 42% chronic absenteeism rate, while East Marion Middle School is the city's highest concern, ranking in the 20th percentile with severe proficiency gaps in math and ELA. Among elementary schools, Columbia Elementary School outperforms East Marion Elementary School, though East Marion is showing signs of momentum from a low base, while Columbia Primary School posts the city's lowest absenteeism.

A major city-wide issue is chronic absenteeism, which spikes in secondary schools—Jefferson Middle (42%), Columbia High (35%), and East Marion High (31.5%)—far above the state average of 23.9%. Science is a relative strength across all schools, with both high schools exceeding state Biology averages and both elementary schools meeting or exceeding 5th-grade science averages. However, U.S. History is a consistent weak spot, with both high schools scoring well below the state average. Ultimately, the Columbia School District (4 stars) clearly outperforms the Marion County School District (3 stars); however, the rapid high school improvements suggest positive momentum that the city can build on by addressing middle-school proficiency and absenteeism.