Best Public Schools in Columbia, NC

Columbia, North Carolina, is a small, rural community whose public schools—Tyrrell Elementary (PK–6), Columbia Middle (7–8), and Columbia High (9–12)—serve about 462 students across the Tyrrell County Schools district, a system in which roughly 98% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The district ranks at the 24th percentile statewide with a 1-star rating, and no school in the city sits above the 40th percentile, indicating systemic challenges rather than isolated issues.

That said, there are clear standouts. Columbia High holds the strongest overall rank (40th percentile, 2 stars) and posts the district's most impressive result: an 86.4% proficiency rate in Math III, more than 17 points above the state average, and all four of its End-of-Course exams—Biology, English II, Math I, and Math III—improved in the latest school year. Columbia Middle also shines in one specific area: 74.2% of its 8th-graders are proficient in reading, an 18-point gap above the state average and the largest positive gap in the district. Its 8th-grade cohort improved dramatically across math, reading, and science, though 7th-grade math remains a major weakness at just 20% proficiency versus a 56.2% state average.

Tyrrell Elementary is the district's most urgent concern, having fallen from the 42nd percentile (2 stars) in 2023–24 to the 8th percentile (0 stars) today, with test scores in 4th-grade reading and 5th-grade math lagging the state by more than 30 points. Parents should also note that chronic absenteeism is a serious issue—47% of Columbia High students are chronically absent, nearly double the state average. Small cohorts mean large year-to-year swings in test scores may not reflect true programmatic changes, and a recent grade reconfiguration means Columbia Middle now serves only grades 7 and 8, making some comparisons imperfect. Still, high-poverty schools here are capable of exceeding state averages in advanced math and 8th-grade reading, giving families reason for cautious optimism alongside genuine concern.