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Columbus Preparatory and Fitness Academy

Public, Charter, Alternative Grades K-9
954th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 1,560 Ohio Alternative Schools
Better than 39% of Ohio alternative schools
Summary

Columbus Preparatory and Fitness Academy is an alternative public school in Columbus, Ohio, serving grades K–9 with 397 students as its own district, with a high economic-need profile — 61.84% free/reduced lunch in 2023–24.

Academically, the school has historically posted low proficiency rates, but 2025–26 brought a dramatic one-year improvement. Science is a standout: 5th grade hit 72.5% proficient and 8th grade 90%, both well above Ohio's averages, and 8th-grade science is the highest among nearby schools with data. Math is uneven — 5th, 7th, and 8th grades are strong (7th grade 76.1%, far above the state's 48.6%), while 3rd and 4th grade math lag well behind. English Language Arts remains the clearest weakness: the school was below the state in grades 3–7 and roughly even in 8th, with grades 3–8 averaging 52.1% versus the state's 62.1%. Compared with the closest academic peer, Columbus Preparatory Academy, CPFA trails in ELA almost across the board but beats it in 8th science and 5th, 7th, and 8th math. It also outperforms Metro Early College High School in science and upper-grade math.

Attendance is the biggest concern. Chronic absenteeism was 44.6% in 2025–26, up from 39.6% in 2023–24, and worse than most nearby options such as Metro Early College (13.6%), Great River Connections Academy (17.7%), Zenith Academy West (22.2%), Columbus Preparatory Academy (30.5%), and KIPP Columbus (35.1%) — only Summit Academy Columbus (60.5%) is higher. Because one year of gains can reflect cohort or instructional changes at a small K–9 school, these results are promising but need multi-year confirmation. High absenteeism could undermine them, especially in ELA and early-grade math. The school also operates with relatively low per-student spending ($6,736 in 2018–19) and a 2024–25 student-teacher ratio of 19.8.

397
Students ?
19.8
Student/teacher ratio ?
$11,560
Per pupil spending ?
61.8%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 1258 Demorest Rd
       Columbus, OH  43204-7003

(614) 318-0606

District: Columbus Preparatory and Fitness Academy

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
65.0%
African American:
18.1%
Two or more races:
10.8%
more
 See top rated Ohio elementary schools

 Compare Columbus Preparatory and Fitness Academy to nearby alternative schools!
At a glance
▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 18th percentile in 2022 → 59th in 2026
Strengths
✓Ranking is trending up — up 41 percentile points since 2022
Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?
This school61%
Ohio avg60%
Elementary school
954th of 1,560
Ohio public elementary schools ?
Bottom 39%▲ up 10 pts since 2016
From bottom 29% (2016) to bottom 39% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Ohio Elementary Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
Middle school
434th of 1,046
Ohio public middle schools ?
Top 41%▲ up 40 pts since 2016
From bottom 18% (2016) to top 41% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Ohio Middle Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)
Elementary school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankOhio percentileRating
202645.8954 of 156038.8%★★☆☆☆
202522.71218 of 155821.8%★☆☆☆☆
202437.51065 of 157732.5%★★☆☆☆
202315.51313 of 159617.7%★☆☆☆☆
202215.51301 of 158818.1%★☆☆☆☆
202118.01244 of 161022.7%★☆☆☆☆
201918.01387 of 167617.2%★☆☆☆☆
201827.81235 of 163624.5%★☆☆☆☆
201732.61206 of 165127.0%★☆☆☆☆
201634.61188 of 167829.2%★☆☆☆☆
201536.11193 of 168429.2%★☆☆☆☆
201419.21424 of 168715.6%★☆☆☆☆
201340.91219 of 170128.3%★☆☆☆☆
201227.81380 of 170919.3%★☆☆☆☆
201122.31396 of 168617.2%★☆☆☆☆
200946.71103 of 161031.5%★★☆☆☆
200712.21454 of 16099.6%☆☆☆☆☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankOhio percentileRating
202165.6117 of 53378.0%★★★★☆

Disabled

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankOhio percentileRating
202228.8619 of 82424.9%★☆☆☆☆
202169.2146 of 76580.9%★★★★☆
201919.9836 of 95612.6%★☆☆☆☆
201828.7786 of 102123.0%★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankOhio percentileRating
202659.6120 of 31862.3%★★★☆☆
202530.5207 of 28126.3%★☆☆☆☆
202440.6158 of 25838.8%★★☆☆☆
202324.2193 of 23919.2%★☆☆☆☆
202231.5155 of 21327.2%★☆☆☆☆
202124.0139 of 18324.0%★☆☆☆☆
201921.2146 of 16913.6%★☆☆☆☆
201819.9149 of 17414.4%★☆☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankOhio percentileRating
202643.9910 of 145237.3%★★☆☆☆
202521.11154 of 145220.5%★☆☆☆☆
202437.11002 of 146631.7%★★☆☆☆
20239.51302 of 148312.2%★☆☆☆☆
202213.51255 of 148815.7%★☆☆☆☆
202114.41189 of 146719.0%★☆☆☆☆
201912.71328 of 150211.6%★☆☆☆☆
201828.61156 of 151823.8%★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankOhio percentileRating
202659.5115 of 31563.5%★★★☆☆
202529.6187 of 25927.8%★☆☆☆☆
202444.9121 of 23448.3%★★☆☆☆
202322.3185 of 23320.6%★☆☆☆☆
202225.7160 of 21625.9%★☆☆☆☆
202127.7136 of 18928.0%★☆☆☆☆
201928.7173 of 22824.1%★☆☆☆☆
201834.6159 of 23933.5%★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankOhio percentileRating
202656.2701 of 146752.2%★★★☆☆
202527.71123 of 147323.8%★☆☆☆☆
202445.4909 of 148438.7%★★☆☆☆
202317.51199 of 144717.1%★☆☆☆☆
202219.21154 of 141918.7%★☆☆☆☆
202122.51057 of 140424.7%★☆☆☆☆
201924.61190 of 146518.8%★☆☆☆☆
201837.51045 of 146528.7%★☆☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankOhio percentileRating
202645.0918 of 146737.4%★★☆☆☆
202520.01179 of 146619.6%★☆☆☆☆
202435.11033 of 148530.4%★★☆☆☆
202317.31220 of 149818.6%★☆☆☆☆
202213.41280 of 151815.7%★☆☆☆☆
202114.31208 of 149919.4%★☆☆☆☆
201922.61238 of 153519.3%★☆☆☆☆
201823.01224 of 153620.3%★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankOhio percentileRating
202694.023 of 91497.5%★★★★★
202587.060 of 93593.6%★★★★★
202484.962 of 90093.1%★★★★★
202373.8137 of 85684.0%★★★★☆
Middle school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankOhio percentileRating
202661.8434 of 104658.5%★★★☆☆
202525.3768 of 103625.9%★☆☆☆☆
202418.0833 of 104620.4%★☆☆☆☆
202312.4892 of 104814.9%★☆☆☆☆
202213.3848 of 101716.6%★☆☆☆☆
202120.3773 of 103725.5%★☆☆☆☆
201912.9892 of 105015.0%★☆☆☆☆
201831.8712 of 101029.5%★☆☆☆☆
201719.2807 of 103822.3%★☆☆☆☆
201616.9858 of 105018.3%★☆☆☆☆
201538.8690 of 103533.3%★★☆☆☆
201420.4834 of 100817.3%★☆☆☆☆
201335.3748 of 100125.3%★☆☆☆☆
201225.0801 of 98919.0%★☆☆☆☆
201112.7815 of 92511.9%★☆☆☆☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankOhio percentileRating
202318.6366 of 43616.1%★☆☆☆☆
201922.8329 of 40518.8%★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankOhio percentileRating
202145.4257 of 57655.4%★★★☆☆
201913.2629 of 6584.4%☆☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankOhio percentileRating
202682.720 of 17288.4%★★★★☆
202542.475 of 14247.2%★★☆☆☆
202434.284 of 12331.7%★★☆☆☆
202319.298 of 11313.3%★☆☆☆☆
202225.189 of 11019.1%★☆☆☆☆
202120.7111 of 13417.2%★☆☆☆☆
201910.1123 of 1273.1%☆☆☆☆☆
201821.687 of 10718.7%★☆☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankOhio percentileRating
202663.2379 of 94760.0%★★★☆☆
202520.1744 of 93820.7%★☆☆☆☆
202419.2734 of 94222.1%★☆☆☆☆
20237.9845 of 94310.4%★☆☆☆☆
20227.6845 of 9258.6%☆☆☆☆☆
202112.7759 of 91016.6%★☆☆☆☆
201910.3815 of 91711.1%★☆☆☆☆
201838.9611 of 89731.9%★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankOhio percentileRating
202675.360 of 27077.8%★★★★☆
202529.6187 of 26228.6%★☆☆☆☆
202420.2188 of 23921.3%★☆☆☆☆
202313.8222 of 24910.8%★☆☆☆☆
202213.9225 of 2478.9%☆☆☆☆☆
202122.6180 of 22821.1%★☆☆☆☆
201913.7198 of 22210.8%★☆☆☆☆
201827.7148 of 19222.9%★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankOhio percentileRating
202671.2263 of 99673.6%★★★★☆
202529.3716 of 98327.2%★☆☆☆☆
202419.4797 of 98919.4%★☆☆☆☆
202314.7834 of 97414.4%★☆☆☆☆
202214.6807 of 94714.8%★☆☆☆☆
202124.4687 of 92325.6%★☆☆☆☆
201916.0810 of 94514.3%★☆☆☆☆
201841.4611 of 92433.9%★★☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankOhio percentileRating
202659.0414 of 95556.6%★★★☆☆
202522.3737 of 95422.7%★☆☆☆☆
202410.6840 of 95812.3%★☆☆☆☆
202311.5825 of 96314.3%★☆☆☆☆
202216.1766 of 94619.0%★☆☆☆☆
202116.9728 of 92421.2%★☆☆☆☆
201912.4810 of 93313.2%★☆☆☆☆
201817.9737 of 91619.5%★☆☆☆☆
How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)
Elementary school
Special Education (2026)97th percentile+59 vs school
African American (2021)78th percentile+55 vs school
Hispanic (2026)63rd percentile+25 vs school
English Language Learner (2026)62nd percentile+23 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)52nd percentile+13 vs school
Male (2026)37th percentile~ school
Female (2026)37th percentile~ school
Disabled (2022)25th percentile+7 vs school
Middle school
English Language Learner (2026)88th percentile+30 vs school
Hispanic (2026)78th percentile+19 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)74th percentile+15 vs school
Female (2026)60th percentile~ school
Male (2026)57th percentile~ school
Disabled (2021)55th percentile+30 vs school
African American (2023)16th percentile~ school
By subject vs Ohio (2025-2026) ?
Science81%+19 vs state
Mathematics62%+5 vs state
Algebra I62%~ state avg
English Language Arts52%-10 vs state

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What people are saying
by a parent
Saturday, July 27, 2019

Open Quote My oldest child started here in Kindergarten and had no issues initially. In the older kid classes there are some disciplinary issues and the teachers can't handle it. One of my son's teachers told the class that she'd rather work at the prison again than teach them. She also told them they were all destined for prison. I looked into her background and found out she doesn't even have a teaching license, nor do charter schools require them. I chose this school as an alternative to West Broad Elementary like many other parents but it's gone so downhill its insane. My daughter in kindergarten told me her teacher smoked inside the building. Another child in her class also showed kids his penis and the child was removed from class but parents were not notified that this occurred. My son injured his foot in basketball at 9AM and no one called me to get him until 2PM. A teacher also accused my son of stealing pencils, and told another child my child would steal his pencil if he left it out. She later admitted to me that she was mistaken. I have always dropped off extra supplies and pencils. My child has never been in trouble once in school but was repeatedly talked to like this by teachers. If you are a parent looking for a better alternative than CPS for your child, look into the EdChoice scholarship program and send your kid to private school through them. They do have certain teachers who are amazing but unfortunately there are also many awful ones. Close Quote





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Frequently Asked Questions about Columbus Preparatory and Fitness Academy

Students at Columbus Preparatory and Fitness Academy are 65% Hispanic, 18% African American, 11% Two or more races, 4% White, 2% Asian.

In the 2024-25 school year, 397 students attended Columbus Preparatory and Fitness Academy.

Columbus Preparatory and Fitness Academy ranks 954th of 1560 Ohio alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

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Latest Ohio data All new data »
2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesSep 15, 2026
2025–26 Ohio State Tests scoresSep 15, 2026
2024–25 school spending dataJan 6, 2026
2024–25 attendance data & graduation ratesSep 17, 2025


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

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