Schools in Columbia, MS

The city of Columbia, Mississippi, is home to 6 schools, including 3 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 2 high schools. The schools in this area serve a predominantly economically disadvantaged student population, with all schools reporting 100% of their students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

Among the standout schools in the area, Columbia Elementary School consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in the state, with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger in 2022-2023 and strong performance on state assessments, particularly in math and science. Jefferson Middle School has also maintained a 3-star rating and has performed well on state assessments, with test scores in several subjects exceeding the state averages. While not the highest-ranked high school in the state, Columbia High School has shown improvement in its performance, with a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger in the most recent year and a graduation rate of 89.4%.

However, the data also reveals some challenges facing the schools in Columbia, Mississippi. All schools in the data set have a chronic absenteeism rate of 23.9%, which is quite high and may be an area of concern. Additionally, while the Columbia School District as a whole is ranked 49th out of 130 districts in the state, there are significant disparities in performance between the schools within the district, suggesting opportunities for targeted interventions and support to help underperforming schools improve.