School district or education agency · NCES 2801200

Columbus Municipal School District

Columbus, MS

District overview See comparisons

Students3,065

Student membership reported by NCES for 2023–24.

Schools9

operational schools · 2023–24

Students3,065

students in linked records

Latest attendance year2022–23

federal comparable series

Latest finance record$13,944

per student

District, state and country

How does this district compare?

State and national figures use the same measure and reporting period. They are weighted by students or staffing whenever the source provides a denominator.

MeasureDistrictMSUnited States

Academic standing2025

24th percentile44th percentile45th percentile

This district is 20 percentile points lower than the state figure and 21 percentile points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students chronically absent2022–23

33.2%26.5%27.8%

This district is 6.7 percentage points higher than the state figure and 5.4 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Revenue per studentFY 2023

$17,072$14,528$19,509

This district is $2,544 per student higher than the state figure and $2,437 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Spending per studentFY 2023

$13,944$12,134$15,859

This district is $1,810 per student higher than the state figure and $1,915 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Capital outlay per studentFY 2023

$2,486$1,876$1,964

This district is $610 per student higher than the state figure and $522 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Equipment spending per studentFY 2023

$782$557$336

This district is $225 per student higher than the state figure and $446 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Special-education spending per studentFY 2023

$1,446$1,238$1,793

This district is $208 per student higher than the state figure and $347 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Salaries per studentFY 2023

$7,907$6,915$8,742

This district is $992 per student higher than the state figure and $835 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Benefits per studentFY 2023

$2,792$2,429$3,769

This district is $363 per student higher than the state figure and $977 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Debt outstanding per studentFY 2023

$1,105$4,456$11,715

This district is $3,351 per student lower than the state figure and $10,610 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Debt retired per studentFY 2023

$892$313$869

This district is $579 per student higher than the state figure and $23 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Students per teacher2023–24

13:113:115:1

This district is about the same as the state figure and 2.0 students per teacher lower than the U.S. figure.

Students per counselor2023–24

265:1374:1376:1

This district is 109 students per counselor lower than the state figure and 111 students per counselor lower than the U.S. figure.

District staff per 1,000 students2023–24

178.2157.6138.9

This district is 20.6 staff per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 39.3 staff per 1,000 students higher than the U.S. figure.

Instructional aides per 1,000 students2023–24

15.019.018.5

This district is 4.0 aides per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 3.5 aides per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

Regular diplomas among completers2023–24

93.9%98.3%99.0%

This district is 4.4 percentage points lower than the state figure and 5.1 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–122023–24

2.8%1.1%2.6%

This district is 1.7 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Pre-K students as a share of enrollment2023–24

3.1%2.1%2.9%

This district is 1.0 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students learning English2021–22 · reporting schools

2.2%4.4%12.0%

This district is 2.2 percentage points lower than the state figure and 9.8 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · reporting schools

14.0%13.0%14.0%

This district is 1.0 percentage points higher than the state figure and about the same as the U.S. figure.

Students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · reporting schools

0.5%1.6%3.9%

This district is 1.1 percentage points lower than the state figure and 3.4 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Teachers reported as certified2021–22 · reporting schools

100.0%96.5%95.8%

This district is 3.5 percentage points higher than the state figure and 4.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Enrollment change2021–22 to 2023–24

-4.6%-1.3%+0.5%

This district is 3.3 percentage points lower than the state figure and 5.1 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals2021–22 · valid district records

100.0%99.6%50.6%

This district is 0.4 percentage points higher than the state figure and 49.4 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students without disabilities2021–22 · matched enrollment

26.2%8.9%4.5%

This district is 17.3 percentage points higher than the state figure and 21.7 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · matched enrollment

29.4%14.1%9.0%

This district is 15.3 percentage points higher than the state figure and 20.4 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · matched enrollment

15.4%6.6%6.7%

This district is 8.8 percentage points higher than the state figure and 8.7 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students enrolled in district distance education2021–22 · matched enrollment

0.8%2.8%5.1%

This district is 2.0 percentage points lower than the state figure and 4.3 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

School-age children in poverty2024 Census estimate

33.6%23.8%14.4%

This district is 9.8 percentage points higher than the state figure and 19.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Enrollment · 2023–24

Who attends this district?

Pre-K96 students

3.1%

Kindergarten–grade 51,426 students

46.5%

Grades 6–8566 students

18.5%

Grades 9–12916 students

29.9%

See enrollment for every grade

Pre-Kindergarten96

Kindergarten250

Grade 1248

Grade 2262

Grade 3247

Grade 4203

Grade 5216

Grade 6174

Grade 7213

Grade 8179

Grade 9246

Grade 10253

Grade 11234

Grade 12183

Students by race and ethnicity

Black or African American2,841 (92.7%)

White95 (3.1%)

Hispanic/Latino55 (1.8%)

Two or more races55 (1.8%)

Asian19 (0.6%)

Final NCES Common Core of Data membership file, 2023–24. Suppressed or missing cells are not estimated.

Early learning · 2023–24

How much public pre-K is reported?

96Students enrolled in pre-K

7.3Pre-K teachers, full-time equivalent

13.2:1Reported pre-K students per pre-K teacher

Pre-K students as a share of district enrollment

District3.1%

MS2.1%

United States2.9%

Final NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2023–24. Enrollment shows children attending district-run public pre-K. It does not show open seats, waitlists, private providers, program hours, eligibility or the cost to families.

Current staffing · 2023–24

How many staff members support students?

546.1All district staff, full-time equivalent

233.4Teachers, full-time equivalent

11.6School counselors, full-time equivalent

45.9Instructional aides, full-time equivalent

7Librarians and media specialists, full-time equivalent

16.2School administrators, full-time equivalent

34.5Student support staff, full-time equivalent

See detailed staffing

Pre-K teachers7.3 FTE

Kindergarten teachers10.1 FTE

Elementary teachers90 FTE

Secondary teachers108.6 FTE

Ungraded teachers17.4 FTE

Elementary school counselors4.9 FTE

Secondary school counselors6.7 FTE

Instructional coordinators6.3 FTE

District administrators13 FTE

District administrative support26.6 FTE

School administrative support28.2 FTE

Other support staff123.6 FTE

Final NCES Common Core of Data staff file, 2023–24. These are full-time-equivalent positions, not employee headcounts, vacancies or caseloads.

High-school outcomes · 2023–24

How many students completed school or dropped out?

214Total completers

201Regular diplomas

13Other state-recognized credentials

26Reported dropouts, grades 9–12

Regular diplomas among completers

District93.9%

MS98.3%

United States99.0%

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–12

District2.8%

MS1.1%

United States2.6%

Final NCES Common Core of Data completer and dropout files, 2023–24. The dropout rate divides the reported annual grades 9–12 dropout count by complete grades 9–12 enrollment. It is not a cohort graduation rate. The diploma share describes credentials among completers and should not be read as a graduation rate.

Graduation · 2022–23

How many students graduated within four years?

Loading the district's official graduation record…

Learning support · 2021–22 federal snapshot

How many students may need specialized support?

Counts and shares use only schools with a usable value for that measure. The reporting-school denominator prevents missing schools from being counted as zero.

2.2%Students learning English62 students · 7 of 8 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District2.2%

MS4.4%

U.S.12.0%

14.0%Students receiving IDEA special-education services446 students · 8 of 8 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District14.0%

MS13.0%

U.S.14.0%

0.5%Students with Section 504 plans13 students · 5 of 8 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District0.5%

MS1.6%

U.S.3.9%

0.3%English learners also receiving IDEA services8 students · 8 of 8 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District0.3%

MS0.4%

U.S.1.7%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Public-use counts are privacy-protected. These figures describe the reporting year, not current enrollment, diagnoses, service quality or unmet need.

Teacher quality and early learning · 2021–22

What did the district report about teachers and preschool?

100.0%Teachers reported as certified

140Children ages 3–5 in district preschool

Teacher certification comparison

District100.0%

MS96.5%

United States95.8%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Certification status is district-reported and may not match current staffing. Preschool counts cover the federal reporting year and are not a measure of available seats.

Community context · 2024

How many school-age children live in poverty?

This Census estimate provides context about families in the district. It does not measure school quality or describe every student enrolled in the district.

4,959children ages 5 to 17

1,668estimated to live in families below the poverty line

33.6%about 1 in 3 school-age children

District33.6%

MS23.8%

United States14.4%

U.S. Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. The estimate covers related children ages 5 to 17 in families in poverty and uses 2024–25 district boundaries.

District geography · 2024–25

What area does this district cover?

NCES publishes a geographic boundary for traditional school districts. Charter agencies and some special-purpose agencies may not have one.

Loading the official district boundary…

Source: NCES EDGE School District Boundaries, school year 2024–25.

Comparable districts

Districts serving a similar student population

These peers are matched using enrollment and available student population measures. Districts in MS receive geographic preference, but a closer national match may appear when it is more comparable. Open any profile for a full comparison.

Neshoba County School DistrictPhiladelphia, MS3,089 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Wayne County School DistrictWaynesboro, MS2,977 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Union County School DistrictBlue Springs, MS3,047 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Simpson County School DistrictMagee, MS2,905 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Sunflower Cty Consolidated School DistrictDrew, MS2,863 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, special-education enrollment · View profile →

District makeup

What kinds of schools are in the district?

1Other schools

2High schools

1Middle schools

4Elementary schools

7Town setting

1Rural setting

4Magnet schools

School levels, settings and types use the NCES 2021–22 directory matched to the federal civil-rights collection.

District finances

How is the district funded, and how does it spend?

Sources of funds

Where the money comes from

Share of district revenue supplied by each level of government.

35%Federal

36.9%State

28.1%Local

Uses of funds

Where the money goes

Annual spending for each enrolled student.

$13,944Total current spending per student

$6,900Instruction per student

$5,775Support services per student

Revenue by source: percentages and dollars

$18.5MFederal revenue35% of total revenue

$19.5MState revenue36.9% of total revenue

$14.8MLocal revenue28.1% of total revenue

How operating money was used

$6,900Instructionper student

$5,775Student and instructional supportper student

$1,446Special educationper student

$1,661Building operations and maintenanceper student

$672Student transportationper student

$1,255Food servicesper student

$292Technologyper student

People costs

$24.4MSalaries$7,907 per student

$8.6MEmployee benefits$2,792 per student

Equipment, buildings and debt

$2.4MEquipmentFY 2023

$7.7MCapital outlay$2,486 per student

$5.3MConstructionincluded in capital outlay

$3.4MDebt outstanding at year end$1,105 per student

$0New debt issuedFY 2023

$2.8MDebt principal retiredFY 2023

$186KInterest paid on debtFY 2023

Selected federal program revenue

$3.2MTitle I$1,051 per student

$1.3MIDEA special education$419 per student

$54KCareer and technical education$17 per student

$3.5MChild nutrition$1,140 per student

What changed since FY 2022

Operating spending per student

FY 2022$12,239

FY 2023$13,944

Capital spending per student

FY 2022$875

FY 2023$2,486

Debt outstanding per student

FY 2022$1,920

FY 2023$1,105

Revenue shares and spending categories answer different questions and should not be added together. Source: NCES F-33 district finance, FY 2023.

Attendance

How has chronic absence changed?

2020–2126.4%

843 of 3,199 students

2021–2238.5%

1,171 of 3,038 students

2022–2333.2%

995 of 2,995 students

Specialized support and security · 2021–22

What specialized roles were reported?

6Sworn law-enforcement officer FTE6 reporting schools

0Security staff FTE6 reporting schools

Staffing is reported as full-time equivalents in the 2021–22 CRDC collection.

Learning opportunities

What do district schools offer?

Algebra I1 reporting schools

Calculus1 reporting schools

Biology1 reporting schools

Chemistry1 reporting schools

Physics1 reporting schools

Computer science1 reporting schools

Advanced Placement1 reporting schools

Dual enrollment1 reporting schools

Gifted programs6 reporting schools

International Baccalaureate1 reporting schools

Athletics1 reporting schools

Shares use only schools for which the program was applicable and reported. A districtwide percentage does not guarantee availability at every grade or campus. Source: 2021–22 CRDC.

Safety and discipline

What was reported across district schools?

804Out-of-school suspensions6 reporting schoolsSee schools →410In-school suspensions6 reporting schoolsSee schools →0Law-enforcement referrals6 reporting schoolsSee schools →0School-related arrests6 reporting schoolsSee schools →

Counts are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Open a measure to see the schools behind the district total.

Technology and safety · 2021–22

What access and incident data is available?

100%Schools reporting Wi-Fi6 reporting schools

100%Schools reporting fiber6 reporting schools

0Student devices reported6 reporting schools

10Weapon-possession reports6 reporting schoolsSee schools →0Threats involving a weapon6 reporting schoolsSee schools →0Threats without a weapon6 reporting schoolsSee schools →0Attacks involving a weapon6 reporting schoolsSee schools →166Attacks without a weapon6 reporting schoolsSee schools →0Firearm incidents6 reporting schoolsSee schools →0Robberies without a weapon6 reporting schoolsSee schools →0Robberies involving a weapon6 reporting schoolsSee schools →0Homicide incidents6 reporting schoolsSee schools →

Technology and incident figures are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Device counts describe the reporting year, not current inventory.

Six questions parents ask

What the available data says

Each answer shows its reporting year and opens a deeper comparison. Missing and suppressed results are never shown as zero.

Are students making academic progress?5 years of resultsLatest research estimate: 2025Explore and compare →Are students missing too much school?33.2% chronically absent2022–23 · 2,995 students measuredExplore and compare →Is the district improving?Declined overallCompare the earliest and latest available yearsExplore and compare →Where are student-group gaps largest?0 student groups2025 research estimatesExplore and compare →How much does the district spend?$13,944current spending per studentExplore and compare →Does the district have enough support staff?265:1 counselor ratioStudents per counselor in the 2023–24 federal staffing fileExplore and compare →

Data status

8 of 8 national data layers are matched to this NCES district ID. Identity and school counts use NCES records. Academic estimates use SEDA, attendance uses EDFacts, finance uses NCES F-33, staffing and enrollment use 2023–24 NCES CCD where available, teacher certification, preschool and policy fields use the 2021–22 CRDC, and community poverty context uses Census SAIPE. Four-year graduation rates use 2022–23 EDFacts. Every detailed view preserves its reporting year.

See all sources →