Best Public Schools in Zip Code 68602

The 68602 zip code area of Columbus, Nebraska is home to 8 schools, including 6 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school, all part of the Columbus Public Schools district. While the district as a whole is performing significantly below the state averages on standardized tests, a few schools stand out with stronger academic performance.

Centennial Elementary School and North Park Elementary have the highest test scores among the elementary schools, with over 50% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and Mathematics. In contrast, the other elementary schools in the district struggle to match these levels of academic achievement. At the middle school level, Columbus Middle School has the highest student performance, with around 43% of students proficient or better in core subjects.

The data also reveals significant disparities in other key metrics, such as student-teacher ratios, spending per student, and free/reduced lunch rates. The higher-performing schools generally have lower student-teacher ratios and higher spending per student, while the district as a whole grapples with a concerning 19.3% chronic absenteeism rate. These factors likely contribute to the overall academic challenges faced by the Columbus Public Schools district, which is ranked 112 out of 115 districts in Nebraska and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.