operational schools · 2023–24
School district or education agency · NCES 2901000
Columbia 93
Columbia, MO
Students18,769
Student membership reported by NCES for 2023–24.
students in linked records
federal comparable series
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.
MeasureDistrictMOUnited States
Academic standing2025
42nd percentile41st percentile45th percentileThis district is 1 percentile points higher than the state figure and 3 percentile points lower than the U.S. figure.
Students chronically absent2022–23
22.4%20.5%27.8%This district is 1.9 percentage points higher than the state figure and 5.4 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Revenue per studentFY 2023
$17,798$17,108$19,509This district is $690 per student higher than the state figure and $1,711 per student lower than the U.S. figure.
Spending per studentFY 2023
$13,936$13,588$15,859This district is $348 per student higher than the state figure and $1,923 per student lower than the U.S. figure.
Capital outlay per studentFY 2023
$1,807$2,157$1,964This district is $350 per student lower than the state figure and $157 per student lower than the U.S. figure.
Equipment spending per studentFY 2023
$452$394$336This district is $58 per student higher than the state figure and $116 per student higher than the U.S. figure.
Special-education spending per studentFY 2023
$2,246$1,960$1,793This district is $286 per student higher than the state figure and $453 per student higher than the U.S. figure.
Salaries per studentFY 2023
$8,343$8,117$8,742This district is $226 per student higher than the state figure and $399 per student lower than the U.S. figure.
Benefits per studentFY 2023
$2,693$2,573$3,769This district is $120 per student higher than the state figure and $1,076 per student lower than the U.S. figure.
Debt outstanding per studentFY 2023
$16,397$10,323$11,715This district is $6,074 per student higher than the state figure and $4,682 per student higher than the U.S. figure.
Debt retired per studentFY 2023
$990$961$869This district is $29 per student higher than the state figure and $121 per student higher than the U.S. figure.
Students per teacher2023–24
13:113:115:1This 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
258:1296:1376:1This district is 38 students per counselor lower than the state figure and 118 students per counselor lower than the U.S. figure.
District staff per 1,000 students2023–24
154.7144.6138.9This district is 10.1 staff per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 15.8 staff per 1,000 students higher than the U.S. figure.
Instructional aides per 1,000 students2023–24
22.616.818.5This district is 5.8 aides per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 4.1 aides per 1,000 students higher than the U.S. figure.
School psychologists per 1,000 students2023–24
1.10.50.9This district is 0.6 psychologists per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 0.2 psychologists per 1,000 students higher than the U.S. figure.
Regular diplomas among completers2023–24
100.0%100.0%99.0%This district is about the same as the state figure and 1.0 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–122023–24
3.3%1.8%2.6%This district is 1.5 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.7 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
Pre-K students as a share of enrollment2023–24
3.1%4.0%2.9%This district is 0.9 percentage points lower than the state figure and 0.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
Students learning English2021–22 · reporting schools
6.9%5.9%12.0%This district is 1.0 percentage points higher than the state figure and 5.1 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · reporting schools
11.5%13.3%14.0%This district is 1.8 percentage points lower than the state figure and 2.5 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · reporting schools
3.9%3.4%3.9%This district is 0.5 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.1 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Teachers reported as certified2021–22 · reporting schools
97.3%97.3%95.8%This district is about the same as the state figure and 1.5 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
Enrollment change2021–22 to 2023–24
+1.6%+0.5%+0.5%This district is 1.1 percentage points higher than the state figure and 1.1 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals2021–22 · valid district records
44.6%44.1%50.6%This district is 0.5 percentage points higher than the state figure and 6.0 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Out-of-school suspension rate · students without disabilities2021–22 · matched enrollment
5.5%5.1%4.5%This district is 0.4 percentage points higher than the state figure and 1.0 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
Out-of-school suspension rate · students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · matched enrollment
17.3%11.0%9.0%This district is 6.3 percentage points higher than the state figure and 8.3 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
Out-of-school suspension rate · students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · matched enrollment
10.9%5.8%6.7%This district is 5.1 percentage points higher than the state figure and 4.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
Students enrolled in district distance education2021–22 · matched enrollment
10.7%5.0%5.1%This district is 5.7 percentage points higher than the state figure and 5.6 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
School-age children in poverty2024 Census estimate
11.9%13.9%14.4%This district is 2.0 percentage points lower than the state figure and 2.5 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Enrollment · 2023–24
Who attends this district?
Pre-K582 students
3.1%Kindergarten–grade 58,373 students
44.6%Grades 6–84,060 students
21.6%Grades 9–125,754 students
30.7%See enrollment for every grade
Pre-Kindergarten582
Kindergarten1,336
Grade 11,352
Grade 21,502
Grade 31,347
Grade 41,388
Grade 51,448
Grade 61,393
Grade 71,353
Grade 81,314
Grade 91,399
Grade 101,502
Grade 111,445
Grade 121,408
Students by race and ethnicity
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?
Pre-K students as a share of district enrollment
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?
See detailed staffing
Pre-K teachers70.2 FTE
Kindergarten teachers79.7 FTE
Elementary teachers531.1 FTE
Secondary teachers751.1 FTE
Elementary school counselors29.3 FTE
Secondary school counselors19.4 FTE
Instructional coordinators57.8 FTE
District administrators10 FTE
District administrative support247.7 FTE
Other support staff359.2 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?
Regular diplomas among completers
Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–12
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.
Teachers and staff
Teacher workforce
Loading the district’s workforce comparison…
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.
6.9%Students learning English1,219 students · 31 of 33 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
11.5%Students receiving IDEA special-education services2,052 students · 33 of 33 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
3.9%Students with Section 504 plans688 students · 32 of 33 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
0.7%English learners also receiving IDEA services130 students · 33 of 33 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
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?
Teacher certification comparison
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.
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 MO receive geographic preference, but a closer national match may appear when it is more comparable. Open any profile for a full comparison.
Wentzville R-IvWentzville, MO17,944 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Lee'S Summit R-ViiLee'S Summit, MO17,797 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Rockwood R-ViGlencoe, MO20,088 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Francis Howell R-IiiSt Charles, MO17,241 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →St. Louis CitySt. Louis, MO18,284 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →
Student outcomes
How are students doing?
Four views answer different questions. State test percentages show grade-level expectations; the national research trend shows change over time; graduation and dropout measures describe high-school outcomes.
Are results improving over time?
42ndlatest estimated national standing
20192022202320242025
5 percentile points lower than 2019.
How many high-school students left during the year?
3.3%of students enrolled in grades 9–12
District3.3%
MO1.8%
U.S.2.6%
Lower is better. This annual rate is not the opposite of the graduation rate because the measures use different students and time periods.
State proficiency standards differ and should not be used for cross-state rankings. Graduation ranges and privacy protections are preserved exactly. The academic trend uses Stanford Education Data Archive estimates and is not a state proficiency percentage.
Academic results · 2025
How do results differ among student groups?
Students not economically disadvantaged7,746 assessments
66 out of 100Asian students604 assessments
63 out of 100White students7,776 assessments
59 out of 100Hispanic students1,266 assessments
29 out of 100Economically disadvantaged students7,296 assessments
20 out of 100Black students3,322 assessments
14 out of 100A score of 50 marks the national 2019 midpoint. Higher numbers indicate stronger results on the comparable Stanford research scale. This is not a state proficiency rate.
District makeup
What kinds of schools are in the district?
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.
Uses of funds
Where the money goes
Annual spending for each enrolled student.
Revenue by source: percentages and dollars
How operating money was used
People costs
Equipment, buildings and debt
Selected federal program revenue
What changed since FY 2022
FY 2022$13,719
→FY 2023$13,936
FY 2022$1,251
→FY 2023$1,807
FY 2022$15,532
→FY 2023$16,397
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?
1,063 of 17,186 students
4,132 of 17,967 students
4,077 of 18,203 students
Specialized support and security · 2021–22
What specialized roles were reported?
Staffing is reported as full-time equivalents in the 2021–22 CRDC collection.
Learning opportunities
What do district schools offer?
Algebra I5 reporting schools
80%
Calculus5 reporting schools
60%
Biology5 reporting schools
80%
Chemistry5 reporting schools
60%
Physics5 reporting schools
80%
Computer science5 reporting schools
0%
Advanced Placement4 reporting schools
75%
Dual enrollment5 reporting schools
100%
Gifted programs34 reporting schools
94%
International Baccalaureate4 reporting schools
0%
Athletics4 reporting schools
100%
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?
1,191Out-of-school suspensions33 reporting schoolsSee schools →1,419In-school suspensions32 reporting schoolsSee schools →80Law-enforcement referrals32 reporting schoolsSee schools →30School-related arrests32 reporting schoolsSee schools →92Physical restraint13 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?
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?22.4% chronically absent2022–23 · 18,203 students measuredExplore and compare →Is the district improving?Declined overallCompare the earliest and latest available yearsExplore and compare →Where are student-group gaps largest?6 student groups2025 research estimatesExplore and compare →How much does the district spend?$13,936current spending per studentExplore and compare →Does the district have enough support staff?258:1 counselor ratioStudents per counselor in the 2023–24 federal staffing fileExplore and compare →
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 →