Columbia High

Summary:

Columbia High is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Columbia, South Carolina, with a student population of 665. The school is part of the Richland 01 school district, which is ranked 53 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's student body is predominantly African American, making up 85.41% of the population in the 2022-2023 school year.

Despite the school's high percentage of students from low-income households, with a 100% free and reduced lunch rate, Columbia High has consistently underperformed compared to the Richland 01 district and the state of South Carolina in various end-of-course (EOC) exams. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 was 53.66% at Columbia High, compared to 59.45% for Richland 01 and 72.5% for the state. Similar gaps are observed in English 1 and U.S. History and the Constitution. This has resulted in Columbia High ranking in the bottom quartile of South Carolina high schools, with a ranking of 194 out of 235 schools in the 2023-2024 school year and a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

When comparing Columbia High to other high schools in the Richland 01 district, such as C.A. Johnson High and Eau Claire High, the performance gaps are evident. However, the contrast is even more stark when comparing Columbia High to high schools in the neighboring Lexington 05 district, such as Irmo High and River Bluff High, which consistently outperform Columbia High and the Richland 01 district in academic measures.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 1701 Westchester Drive
       Columbia, SC  29210


(803) 731-8950

District: Richland 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
194th of 235 South Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $18,517 Help


Feeder schools for Columbia High:

Elementary:    H. B. Rhame Elementary
    Logan Elementary
    Pine Grove Elementary
    Sandel Elementary
Middle:    St. Andrews Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  13.5 Help
Number of students:  665

Racial breakdown:

African American:
85.4%
Hispanic:
5.1%
Two or more races:
5.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


 See top rated South Carolina high schools

 Compare Columbia High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Columbia High ranks worse than 82.6% of high schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 3rd among 7 ranked high schools in the Richland 01 School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 20.12. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (85.4%), Hispanic (5.1%), two or more races (5%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Columbia High is 13.5. 4 high schools in the Richland 01 School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Columbia High employs 49 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Columbia High is $18,517. 4 high schools in the Richland 01 School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Columbia High:

SchoolDigger ranks Columbia High 194th of 235 South Carolina public high schools. (See Columbia High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
African American students:


Richland 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Richland 01 53rd of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Columbia High.

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Rank History for Columbia High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Columbia High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 33.48 156th 187 16.6%
2006 39.02 158th 191 17.3%
2007 45.46 150th 191 21.5%
2008 26.15 154th 185 16.8%
2009 46.48 125th 188 33.5%
2010 23.86 165th 199 17.1%
2011 20.46 167th 199 16.1%
2012 20.49 172nd 202 14.9%
2013 19.38 173rd 203 14.8%
2014 21.01 175th 210 16.7%
2015 12.62 216th 232 6.9%
2016 11.71 209th 231 9.5%
2017 8.98 203rd 223 9.0%
2018 8.36 198th 216 8.3%
2019 8.44 209th 225 7.1%
2021 6.64 218th 227 4.0%
2022 6.40 215th 226 4.9%
2023 15.35 203rd 237 14.3%
2024 20.12 194th 235 17.4%
See the entire list of South Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Columbia High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.46 189th 214 11.7%
2019 12.33 199th 217 8.3%
2021 8.78 206th 213 3.3%
2022 9.35 213th 220 3.2%
2023 20.56 187th 226 17.3%
2024 28.73 173rd 229 24.5%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Columbia High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.39 184th 210 12.4%
2019 6.18 206th 213 3.3%
2021 9.62 197th 213 7.5%
2022 8.83 207th 220 5.9%
2023 13.41 198th 223 11.2%
2024 24.64 173rd 225 23.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Columbia High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.74 130th 137 5.1%
2019 14.72 132nd 143 7.7%
2022 19.41 115th 139 17.3%
2023 28.41 106th 141 24.8%
2024 32.60 103rd 145 29.0%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Columbia High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 27.00 135th 156 13.5%
2024 6.18 149th 157 5.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Columbia High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 7.33 202nd 213 5.2%
2019 10.43 198th 218 9.2%
2021 4.55 209th 215 2.8%
2022 4.83 218th 224 2.7%
2023 15.80 195th 229 14.8%
2024 14.73 203rd 228 11.0%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Columbia High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.25 130th 183 29.0%
2019 25.57 148th 184 19.6%
2021 22.87 151st 178 15.2%
2022 16.74 177th 190 6.8%
2023 33.71 132nd 199 33.7%
2024 39.26 125th 194 35.6%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: South Carolina Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Columbia High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: South Carolina State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.3)
33%

0%

0%

0%

67%

  

Reviews:
by a teacher
Friday, March 6, 2020

Open Quote Lets GO!!! Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Open Quote My child went from being an A-honor rolled student to a 11th grade flunky in just 2 months. This school defy's the term don't hang with the wrong crowd if the whole school is the crowd. everyday he would come home telling me about who got beat up today and its funny how he knew evey persons name when hes only been there for a week Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, November 17, 2011

Open Quote Teacher don't care about your child education just a paycheck. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Columbia High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 375 522 11 2 0 n/a n/a 0 910
1989 329 518 7 5 0 n/a n/a 0 859
1990 294 510 3 3 0 n/a n/a 0 810
1991 285 483 3 5 0 n/a n/a 0 776
1992 262 482 2 5 0 n/a n/a 0 751
1993 255 551 1 1 0 n/a n/a 0 808
1994 241 586 3 4 1 n/a n/a 0 835
1995 181 683 5 7 1 n/a n/a 0 877
1996 181 683 5 7 1 n/a n/a 0 877
1997 149 666 9 10 1 n/a n/a 0 835
1998 135 688 6 9 0 n/a n/a 0 838
1999 111 664 8 9 2 n/a n/a 0 794
2000 65 728 2 3 2 n/a n/a 0 800
2001 73 1125 4 3 0 n/a n/a 0 1205
2002 49 845 1 5 0 n/a n/a 1 901
2003 49 845 1 5 0 n/a n/a 1 901
2004 48 812 4 9 2 n/a n/a 4 879
2005 30 781 1 15 1 n/a n/a 4 832
2006 23 737 1 18 0 n/a n/a 5 784
2007 21 755 2 18 0 n/a n/a 0 796
2008 23 717 7 14 0 n/a n/a 4 765
2009 24 722 11 14 0 n/a n/a 3 774
2010 19 672 14 14 0 n/a n/a 4 723
2011 12 664 27 14 0 0 11 0 728
2012 11 650 40 15 0 0 16 0 732
2013 18 672 43 17 0 0 24 0 774
2014 17 643 38 17 0 0 20 0 735
2015 14 639 39 16 1 0 20 0 729
2016 14 637 38 17 1 0 22 0 729
2017 20 547 31 17 2 1 19 0 637
2018 16 533 31 13 0 1 28 0 622
2019 20 549 27 16 0 0 28 0 640
2020 19 519 24 27 0 0 32 0 621
2021 21 572 18 30 0 0 30 0 671
2022 21 596 15 33 0 0 26 0 691
2023 25 568 4 34 0 1 33 0 665

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Columbia High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 910 48.0 18.9 n/a
1989 859 49.0 17.5 n/a
1990 810 51.1 15.8 n/a
1991 776 48.0 16.1 25
1992 751 47.5 15.8 24.2
1993 808 46.6 17.3 21
1994 835 57.2 14.6 24.7
1995 877 62.4 14.1 25.5
1996 877 62.4 14.1 25.5
1997 835 64.4 13.0 26.6
1998 838 59.9 14.0 31.3
1999 794 66.4 12.0 28.2
2000 800 65.4 12.2 26.3
2001 1205 56.0 21.5 28.6
2002 901 62.0 14.5 37
2003 901 62.0 14.5 37
2004 879 64.5 13.6 43.2
2005 832 59.5 14.0 49.6
2006 784 62.0 12.6 50.8
2007 796 76.0 10.5 54.9
2008 765 56.3 13.6 55.6
2009 774 45.3 17.1 55
2010 723 51.0 14.1 58.3
2011 728 47.0 15.4 66.8
2012 732 53.0 13.8 59
2013 774 53.0 14.6 65.9
2014 735 55.0 13.3 69.8
2015 729 54.0 13.5 71.9
2016 729 56.0 13.0 100
2017 637 52.0 12.2 100
2018 622 50.0 12.4 100
2019 640 51.0 12.5 100
2020 621 48.0 12.9 100
2021 671 49.0 13.6 100
2022 691 48.0 14.3 100
2023 665 49.0 13.5 100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Columbia High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 910 48.0 18.9 n/a
1989 859 49.0 17.5 n/a
1990 810 51.1 15.8 n/a
1991 776 48.0 16.1 25
1992 751 47.5 15.8 24.2
1993 808 46.6 17.3 21
1994 835 57.2 14.6 24.7
1995 877 62.4 14.1 25.5
1996 877 62.4 14.1 25.5
1997 835 64.4 13.0 26.6
1998 838 59.9 14.0 31.3
1999 794 66.4 12.0 28.2
2000 800 65.4 12.2 26.3
2001 1205 56.0 21.5 28.6
2002 901 62.0 14.5 37
2003 901 62.0 14.5 37
2004 879 64.5 13.6 43.2
2005 832 59.5 14.0 49.6
2006 784 62.0 12.6 50.8
2007 796 76.0 10.5 54.9
2008 765 56.3 13.6 55.6
2009 774 45.3 17.1 55
2010 723 51.0 14.1 58.3
2011 728 47.0 15.4 66.8
2012 732 53.0 13.8 59
2013 774 53.0 14.6 65.9
2014 735 55.0 13.3 69.8
2015 729 54.0 13.5 71.9
2016 729 56.0 13.0 100
2017 637 52.0 12.2 100
2018 622 50.0 12.4 100
2019 640 51.0 12.5 100
2020 621 48.0 12.9 100
2021 671 49.0 13.6 100
2022 691 48.0 14.3 100
2023 665 49.0 13.5 100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Columbia High

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $493 (3.0%) $427 (2.6%) $920 (5.6%) $12,388 (76.0%) $2,995 (18.4%) $15,383 (94.4%) $16,303
2020 $848 (4.9%) $755 (4.4%) $1,602 (9.3%) $12,695 (73.7%) $2,925 (17.0%) $15,619 (90.7%) $17,222
2021 $657 (3.8%) $593 (3.5%) $1,251 (7.3%) $13,127 (76.5%) $2,782 (16.2%) $15,909 (92.7%) $17,160
2022 $707 (4.3%) $565 (3.5%) $1,272 (7.8%) $12,300 (75.7%) $2,683 (16.5%) $14,983 (92.2%) $16,255
2023 $848 (4.6%) $978 (5.3%) $1,826 (9.9%) $13,740 (74.2%) $2,951 (15.9%) $16,691 (90.1%) $18,517

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Columbia High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 209th of 225 High schoolsRanks 203rd of 237 High schools
 7.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Columbia High)34.143.1
 9%
   End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Richland 01)55.558
 2.5%
   End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (South Carolina)68.668.3
 0.3%
End of Course Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (Columbia High)43.431
 12.4%
   End of Course Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (Richland 01)49.740.6
 9.1%
   End of Course Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (South Carolina)67.259.1
 8.1%
End of Course English 1 (Columbia High)46.578.3
 31.8%
   End of Course English 1 (Richland 01)67.976.3
 8.4%
   End of Course English 1 (South Carolina)78.984
 5.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students640665
 3.9%
African American549568
 3.5%
American Indian00
Asian274
 85.2%
Hispanic1634
 112.5%
Pacific Islander01
White2025
 25%
Two or More Races2833
 17.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%


Schools Near Columbia High









Frequently Asked Questions about Columbia High

In the 2022-23 school year, 665 students attended Columbia High.

Columbia High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : H. B. Rhame Elementary
Elementary : Logan Elementary
Elementary : Pine Grove Elementary
Elementary : Sandel Elementary
Middle : St. Andrews Middle

Students at Columbia High are 85% African American, 5% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 4% White.

Columbia High ranks in the bottom 17.4% of South Carolina high schools.


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