Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Columbus Alternative High School

Q: Is Columbus Alternative High School a good school?

Columbus Alternative High School ranks 373 rd of 795 Ohio high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

373^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 795 Ohio High Schools

Better than 53% of Ohio high schools

Summary

Columbus Alternative High School is a public high school serving about 820 students in grades 9–12 on McGuffey Road in Columbus, Ohio, part of the Columbus City Schools District. The contrast between school and district is striking: Columbus Alternative High School ranked 373 of 795 Ohio high schools (53rd percentile, 3 stars) in 2025–2026, while the district ranked 683 of 773 (12th percentile, 1 star). That said, the school is not at its historical peak — in 2018–2019 it was a 90th-percentile, 5-star school, and it has since settled into the middle of the statewide pack.

Test results split sharply by subject. In 2025–2026, proficiency was above the state average in American Government (82.4%), American History (82.2%), Biology (72.1%), and English II (70.9%), and roughly double the district rate in every subject. Math is the weak spot: Geometry (38.4%) falls below the state average, and Algebra I (59.0%) is just under it. Graduation is a major strength at 94.7% in 2025–2026, against a district rate of 81.5%, with prior years ranging from 96.8% to 100%. Chronic absenteeism is high at 50.3%, but still below the district's 53.8%.

Among nearby schools, Columbus Alternative posts the strongest statewide rank, ahead of Fort Hayes Arts and Academic High School, Whetstone High School, Mifflin High School, and Columbus International High School, and it outscored all of them in every tested subject. Horizon Science Academy Columbus is the closest competitor, with lower absenteeism (35.9%) and higher Algebra I proficiency (68.1% vs. 59.0%). Subgroup results are uneven: low-income students (76th percentile), English learners (80th), and gifted students (60th, up from 26th) do well, while special education students rank in the 15th percentile with 1 star.

820

Students ?

20.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,588

Per pupil spending ?

37.6%

Directly certified for free meals (2024-25) ?

2632 Mcguffey Rd
Columbus, OH 43211-1237

(614) 365-6006

District: Columbus City Schools District

Racial breakdown:

African American:

53.4%

White:

27.9%

Hispanic:

7.7%

See top rated Ohio high schools

Compare Columbus Alternative High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 86th percentile in 2016 → 53rd in 2026

Strengths

✓95% graduate within 4 years

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Columbus City Schools District

✓Above the Ohio median (53rd percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 33 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school68%

District avg34%

Ohio avg63%

373^rd of 795

Ohio public high schools ?

Top 47%▼ down 33 pts since 2016

From top 14% (2016) to top 47% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Ohio High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 17High Schools in the Columbus City Schools District

683^rd of 773Columbus City Schools District among Ohio districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2026	53.5	373 of 795	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	56.9	378 of 855	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.0	426 of 864	50.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	56.4	383 of 867	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	48.8	454 of 836	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	56.1	332 of 819	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	78.2	81 of 836	90.3%	★★★★★
2018	74.1	115 of 800	85.6%	★★★★☆
2017	70.8	140 of 773	81.9%	★★★★☆
2016	73.6	113 of 784	85.6%	★★★★☆
2015	67.2	218 of 778	72.0%	★★★★☆
2014	76.3	97 of 769	87.4%	★★★★☆
2013	81.1	24 of 767	96.9%	★★★★★
2012	76.8	86 of 832	89.7%	★★★★☆
2011	74.8	133 of 818	83.7%	★★★★☆
2010	73.1	168 of 819	79.5%	★★★★☆
2009	75.1	116 of 791	85.3%	★★★★☆
2008	76.9	90 of 767	88.3%	★★★★☆
2007	80.0	40 of 756	94.7%	★★★★★
2006	75.0	142 of 696	79.6%	★★★★☆
2005	69.5	208 of 689	69.8%	★★★☆☆
2004	83.6	96 of 681	85.9%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2026	70.5	81 of 296	72.6%	★★★★☆
2025	69.3	87 of 328	73.5%	★★★★☆
2024	63.8	98 of 318	69.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	68.9	86 of 323	73.4%	★★★★☆
2022	60.2	112 of 306	63.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	75.8	41 of 284	85.6%	★★★★☆
2019	89.8	24 of 303	92.1%	★★★★★
2018	89.2	22 of 279	92.1%	★★★★★

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2026	26.4	60 of 73	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	56.0	44 of 77	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	46.9	53 of 78	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	45.4	62 of 87	28.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	46.7	53 of 84	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	77.1	18 of 76	76.3%	★★★★☆
2018	71.5	24 of 87	72.4%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2022	29.9	417 of 606	31.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	65.3	125 of 596	79.0%	★★★★☆
2019	96.4	15 of 628	97.6%	★★★★★

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2026	73.9	27 of 135	80.0%	★★★★☆
2025	77.6	23 of 128	82.0%	★★★★☆
2024	79.8	15 of 111	86.5%	★★★★☆
2023	76.9	18 of 107	83.2%	★★★★☆
2022	66.1	26 of 111	76.6%	★★★★☆
2021	49.7	54 of 119	54.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	88.8	12 of 112	89.3%	★★★★★
2018	91.7	8 of 100	92.0%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2026	50.4	445 of 763	41.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	53.3	452 of 809	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	51.9	445 of 798	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	54.3	428 of 813	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	44.7	492 of 794	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	59.3	322 of 775	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	76.6	142 of 781	81.8%	★★★★☆
2018	67.6	175 of 751	76.7%	★★★★☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2026	65.9	112 of 283	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	58.5	129 of 244	47.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	43.8	207 of 280	26.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	33.9	270 of 308	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	51.1	193 of 312	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	42.7	261 of 349	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	72.7	44 of 272	83.8%	★★★★☆
2018	48.9	331 of 538	38.5%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2026	65.0	91 of 272	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	61.6	115 of 270	57.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	70.7	70 of 273	74.4%	★★★★☆
2023	60.1	108 of 270	60.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	66.6	85 of 260	67.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	76.0	46 of 239	80.8%	★★★★☆
2019	77.6	40 of 207	80.7%	★★★★☆
2018	70.3	51 of 184	72.3%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2026	69.8	182 of 761	76.1%	★★★★☆
2025	69.6	215 of 815	73.6%	★★★★☆
2024	68.3	225 of 822	72.6%	★★★★☆
2023	70.2	178 of 805	77.9%	★★★★☆
2022	62.8	257 of 773	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	67.4	187 of 763	75.5%	★★★★☆
2019	90.3	16 of 779	97.9%	★★★★★
2018	86.7	26 of 758	96.6%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2026	65.6	276 of 765	63.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	64.6	299 of 817	63.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	54.8	411 of 816	49.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	58.3	369 of 819	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	47.9	466 of 808	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	58.9	308 of 778	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	84.3	68 of 792	91.4%	★★★★★
2018	72.8	126 of 763	83.5%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2026	77.6	43 of 240	82.1%	★★★★☆
2025	61.9	104 of 254	59.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	54.1	117 of 242	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	65.2	84 of 239	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	73.4	53 of 222	76.1%	★★★★☆
2019	85.5	20 of 208	90.4%	★★★★★
2018	92.7	5 of 201	97.5%	★★★★★

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2026	23.8	489 of 575	15.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	40.6	339 of 617	45.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	17.3	544 of 598	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	35.3	380 of 614	38.1%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2026	80.9	96 of 709	86.5%	★★★★☆
2025	81.0	100 of 748	86.6%	★★★★☆
2024	80.0	111 of 754	85.3%	★★★★☆
2023	74.5	163 of 756	78.4%	★★★★☆
2022	82.3	83 of 749	88.9%	★★★★☆
2021	80.8	84 of 727	88.4%	★★★★☆
2019	90.2	15 of 739	98.0%	★★★★★
2018	84.0	28 of 718	96.1%	★★★★★

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)

White (2026)86th percentile+33 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)82nd percentile+29 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)80th percentile+27 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)76th percentile+23 vs school

African American (2026)73rd percentile+20 vs school

Hispanic (2026)67th percentile+13 vs school

Male (2026)64th percentile+11 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)60th percentile+7 vs school

Female (2026)42nd percentile-11 vs school

Disabled (2022)31st percentile-15 vs school

Asian (2026)18th percentile-35 vs school

Special Education (2026)15th percentile-38 vs school

By subject vs Ohio (2025-2026) ?

American Government82%+11 vs state

American History82%+9 vs state

Biology72%+5 vs state

English II71%+8 vs state

Algebra I59%-3 vs state

Geometry38%-5 vs state

5.0

2 ratings

5★2

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Columbus Alternative High School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Columbus Alternative High School

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				Ohio State Tests Science (2026)	Ohio State Tests American Government (2026)	Ohio State Tests American History (2026)	Ohio State Tests Mathematics (2026)		Ohio State Tests English Language Arts (2026)		Ohio State Tests Biology (2026)	Ohio State Tests English II (2026)	Ohio State Tests Geometry (2026)	Ohio State Tests Algebra I (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Directly certified (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Ohio State Tests Science 8th Grade	Ohio State Tests American Government End of Course	Ohio State Tests American History End of Course	Ohio State Tests Mathematics 7th Grade	Ohio State Tests Mathematics 8th Grade	Ohio State Tests English Language Arts 7th Grade	Ohio State Tests English Language Arts 8th Grade	Ohio State Tests Biology End of Course	Ohio State Tests English II End of Course	Ohio State Tests Geometry End of Course	Ohio State Tests Algebra I End of Course	Total
Columbus Alternative High School	Public	9-12	2632 Mcguffey Rd	Columbus	43211	Franklin County	Columbus City Schools District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(614) 365-6006	820	41	20.0	37.6%	229 (27.9%)	438 (53.4%)	63 (7.7%)	35 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (6.7%)	53.5	373^rd of 795 public high schools	53.1%		56.9	378^th of 855 public high schools	55.8%	5		82.4	82.2					72.1	70.9	38.4	59.0	$15,588
Linden-McKinley STEM Academy	Public	7-12	1320 Duxberry Ave	Columbus	43211	Franklin County	Columbus City Schools District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(614) 365-5583	795	40	19.8	68.9%	36 (4.5%)	599 (75.3%)	114 (14.3%)	4 (0.5%)	5 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (4.7%)	3.2	763^rd of 795 public high schools	4.0%		5.8	792^nd of 855 public high schools	7.4%	29	18.7	49.3	40.3	13.9	16.0	27.5	22.0	15.6	26.6	2.6	15.9	$15,407
Graham School The	Public, Charter	9-12	3950 Indianola Ave	Columbus	43214	Franklin County	Graham School The	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(614) 262-1111	139	11	12.6	45.3%	53 (38.1%)	49 (35.3%)	25 (18.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (8.6%)	9.3	704^th of 795 public high schools	11.4%		15.7	701^st of 855 public high schools	18.0%	3		61.3	46.7					38.9	41.9	6.7	3.3	$39,325
Columbus International High School	Public	9-12	4077 Karl Rd	Columbus	43224	Franklin County	Columbus City Schools District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(614) 365-4054	540	32	16.8	—	23 (4.3%)	192 (35.6%)	288 (53.3%)	25 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.2%)	3.9	750^th of 795 public high schools	5.7%		9.5	740^th of 855 public high schools	13.5%	10		44.2	40.2					27.3	31.9	4.0	26.5	$17,114
Charles School at Ohio Dominican University	Public, Charter	9-12	1270 Brentnell Ave	Columbus	43214	Franklin County	Charles School at Ohio Dominican University	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(614) 258-8588	320	14	22.8	44.4%	31 (9.7%)	220 (68.8%)	50 (15.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.6%)	20	656^th of 795 public high schools	17.5%		19.6	672^nd of 855 public high schools	21.4%	16		53.8	73.8					59.0	40.3	17.9	25.9	$11,514
Horizon Science Academy Columbus	Public, Charter	9-12	1070 Morse Rd	Columbus	43229	Franklin County	Horizon Science Academy Columbus	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(614) 846-7616	680	53	12.8	29.7%	14 (2.1%)	569 (83.7%)	66 (9.7%)	8 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (3.4%)	30.6	592^nd of 795 public high schools	25.5%		40.7	558^th of 855 public high schools	34.7%	34		76.1	64.1					47.3	50.3	23.8	68.1	$13,036
Fort Hayes Career Center	Public	10-12	546 Jack Gibbs Blvd	Columbus	43215	Franklin County	Columbus City Schools District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(614) 365-6681	102	28	3.6	—	54 (52.9%)	34 (33.3%)	2 (2.0%)	3 (2.9%)	1 (1.0%)	1 (1.0%)	7 (6.9%)								(n/a)
Fort Hayes Arts and Academic High School	Public	9-12	546 Jack Gibbs Blvd	Columbus	43215	Franklin County	Columbus City Schools District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(614) 365-6681	752	38	19.7	81.0%	105 (14.0%)	487 (64.8%)	94 (12.5%)	16 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (6.6%)	21.5	651^st of 795 public high schools	18.1%		16.5	693^rd of 855 public high schools	18.9%	42		59.0	66.7					55.2	60.0	12.4	15.0	$17,925
Focus North High School	Public, Charter	9-12	4807 Evanswood Dr	Columbus	43229	Franklin County	Focus North High School	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(614) 310-0430	202	11	19.0	33.7%	42 (20.8%)	116 (57.4%)	27 (13.4%)	4 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (6.4%)								(n/a)												$12,806
Mifflin High School	Public	9-12	3245 Oak Spring St	Columbus	43219	Franklin County	Columbus City Schools District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(614) 365-5466	801	46	17.4	49.4%	66 (8.2%)	504 (62.9%)	177 (22.1%)	21 (2.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (4.0%)	3.4	759^th of 795 public high schools	4.5%		7.6	764^th of 855 public high schools	10.6%	5		41.4	43.1					28.7	30.8	2.0	18.2	$28,778

Frequently Asked Questions about Columbus Alternative High School

How many students attend Columbus Alternative High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 820 students attended Columbus Alternative High School.

What is the racial makeup of Columbus Alternative High School?

Students at Columbus Alternative High School are 53% African American, 28% White, 8% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

What district is Columbus Alternative High School in?

Columbus City Schools District

Is Columbus Alternative High School a good school?

Columbus Alternative High School ranks 373^rd of 795 Ohio high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Columbus Alternative High School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

OHOhio High School Rankings

OHOhio District Rankings

Schools in Columbus, OH

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Columbus Alternative High School!

Latest Ohio data All new data »

2017–18 through 2025–26 immunization ratesNewOct 19, 2026

2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesSep 15, 2026

2025–26 Ohio State Tests scoresSep 15, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJan 6, 2026

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.