School district or education agency · NCES 3105340

Columbus Public Schools

Columbus, NE

District overview See comparisons

Students4,145

Student membership reported by NCES for 2023–24.

Schools9

operational schools · 2023–24

Students4,145

students in linked records

Latest attendance year2022–23

federal comparable series

Latest finance record$12,835

per student

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.

Nationally comparable trend · 2019–2025

Are results improving over time?

30^thlatest estimated national standing

20192022202320242025

20 percentile points lower than 2019.

Annual dropout · 2023–24

How many high-school students left during the year?

2.3%of students enrolled in grades 9–12

District2.3%

NE2.5%

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.

Graduation · 2022–23

How many students graduated within four years?

Loading the district's official graduation record…

What has changed?

The district’s recent direction

Each card uses its own clearly labeled period. Measures from different sources are never blended.

Academic standing20 percentile points

Lower than the first comparable year.

2019–2025 · Stanford research estimate

Chronic absence5.0 points

Higher than the first year. More students were chronically absent.

2020–21–2022–23

Enrollment+1.2%

Student enrollment grew.

2021–22 to 2023–24 · NCES

Operating spending+5.0%

Spending per student increased before adjusting for inflation.

FY 2022 to FY 2023 · NCES F-33

Enrollment 2023–24Finance 2022–23Attendance 2022–23State tests 2024–25 where published

Enrollment · 2023–24

Who attends this district?

Pre-K244 students

5.9%

Kindergarten–grade 51,700 students

41.0%

Grades 6–8906 students

21.9%

Grades 9–121,295 students

31.2%

See enrollment for every grade

Pre-Kindergarten244

Kindergarten252

Grade 1284

Grade 2275

Grade 3292

Grade 4296

Grade 5301

Grade 6306

Grade 7254

Grade 8346

Grade 9303

Grade 10329

Grade 11308

Grade 12355

Students by race and ethnicity

Hispanic/Latino2,090 (50.4%)

White1,836 (44.3%)

Black or African American81 (2.0%)

Two or more races71 (1.7%)

American Indian or Alaska Native35 (0.8%)

Asian31 (0.7%)

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander1 (0.0%)

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?

244Students enrolled in pre-K

6Pre-K teachers, full-time equivalent

40.7:1Reported pre-K students per pre-K teacher

Pre-K students as a share of district enrollment

District5.9%

NE5.9%

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?

660All district staff, full-time equivalent

256.5Teachers, full-time equivalent

13School counselors, full-time equivalent

3.3School psychologists, full-time equivalent

153.3Instructional aides, full-time equivalent

6Librarians and media specialists, full-time equivalent

14School administrators, full-time equivalent

15.7Student support staff, full-time equivalent

See detailed staffing

Pre-K teachers6 FTE

Elementary teachers173.9 FTE

Secondary teachers76.6 FTE

Elementary school counselors9 FTE

Secondary school counselors4 FTE

Instructional coordinators16.2 FTE

District administrators6 FTE

District administrative support12 FTE

School administrative support20 FTE

Library and media support7 FTE

Other support staff137 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?

298Total completers

288Regular diplomas

10Other state-recognized credentials

30Reported dropouts, grades 9–12

Regular diplomas among completers

District96.6%

NE99.3%

United States99.0%

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–12

District2.3%

NE2.5%

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.

Teachers and staff

Teacher workforce

Loading the district’s workforce comparison…

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.

5,013children ages 5 to 17

430estimated to live in families below the poverty line

8.6%about 1 in 12 school-age children

District8.6%

NE10.6%

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 NE receive geographic preference, but a closer national match may appear when it is more comparable. Open any profile for a full comparison.

Bennington Public SchoolsBennington, NE

Students: 4,285
Community poverty: 2.6%
English learners: 1.3%
Special education: 12.5%

Matched on enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View →Norfolk Public SchoolsNorfolk, NE

Students: 4,541
Community poverty: 10.4%
English learners: 5.0%
Special education: 14.5%

Matched on enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View →So Sioux City Community SchoolsSo Sioux City, NE

Students: 3,801
Community poverty: 14.3%
English learners: 21.4%
Special education: 11.1%

Matched on enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View →North Platte Public SchoolsNorth Platte, NE

Students: 3,756
Community poverty: 12.3%
English learners: 1.6%
Special education: 19.9%

Matched on enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View →Hastings Public SchoolsHastings, NE

Students: 3,740
Community poverty: 14.0%
English learners: 6.9%
Special education: 23.6%

Matched on enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View →

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.

MeasureDistrictNEUnited States

Academic standing2025

30th percentile44th percentile45th percentile

This district is 14 percentile points lower than the state figure and 15 percentile points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students chronically absent2022–23

18.8%22.6%27.8%

This district is 3.8 percentage points lower than the state figure and 9.0 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Revenue per studentFY 2023

$13,812$16,894$19,509

This district is $3,082 per student lower than the state figure and $5,697 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Spending per studentFY 2023

$12,835$14,752$15,859

This district is $1,917 per student lower than the state figure and $3,024 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Capital outlay per studentFY 2023

$1,826$1,949$1,964

This district is $123 per student lower than the state figure and $138 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Equipment spending per studentFY 2023

$440$416$336

This district is $24 per student higher than the state figure and $104 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Special-education spending per studentFY 2023

$2,211$2,063$1,793

This district is $148 per student higher than the state figure and $418 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Salaries per studentFY 2023

$8,228$8,315$8,742

This district is $87 per student lower than the state figure and $514 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Benefits per studentFY 2023

$2,141$3,194$3,769

This district is $1,053 per student lower than the state figure and $1,628 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Debt outstanding per studentFY 2023

$11,097$13,554$11,715

This district is $2,457 per student lower than the state figure and $618 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Debt retired per studentFY 2023

$893$671$869

This district is $222 per student higher than the state figure and $24 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Students per teacher2023–24

16:114:115:1

This district is 2.0 students per teacher higher than the state figure and 1.0 students per teacher higher than the U.S. figure.

Students per counselor2023–24

319:1332:1376:1

This district is 13 students per counselor lower than the state figure and 57 students per counselor lower than the U.S. figure.

District staff per 1,000 students2023–24

159.2152.2138.9

This district is 7.0 staff per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 20.3 staff per 1,000 students higher than the U.S. figure.

Instructional aides per 1,000 students2023–24

37.022.118.5

This district is 14.9 aides per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 18.5 aides per 1,000 students higher than the U.S. figure.

School psychologists per 1,000 students2023–24

0.81.10.9

This district is 0.3 psychologists per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 0.1 psychologists per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

Regular diplomas among completers2023–24

96.6%99.3%99.0%

This district is 2.7 percentage points lower than the state figure and 2.4 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–122023–24

2.3%2.5%2.6%

This district is 0.2 percentage points lower than the state figure and 0.3 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Pre-K students as a share of enrollment2023–24

5.9%5.9%2.9%

This district is about the same as the state figure and 3.0 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students learning English2021–22 · reporting schools

13.9%9.0%12.0%

This district is 4.9 percentage points higher than the state figure and 1.9 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · reporting schools

16.2%15.4%14.0%

This district is 0.8 percentage points higher than the state figure and 2.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · reporting schools

0.9%2.2%3.9%

This district is 1.3 percentage points lower than the state figure and 3.0 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Teachers reported as certified2021–22 · reporting schools

100.0%99.4%95.8%

This district is 0.6 percentage points higher than the state figure and 4.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Enrollment change2021–22 to 2023–24

+1.2%+0.5%+0.5%

This district is 0.7 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.7 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

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

54.4%41.2%50.6%

This district is 13.2 percentage points higher than the state figure and 3.8 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

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

4.4%4.6%4.5%

This district is 0.2 percentage points lower than the state figure and 0.1 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

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

6.5%11.2%9.0%

This district is 4.7 percentage points lower than the state figure and 2.5 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

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

10.7%6.7%6.7%

This district is 4.0 percentage points higher than the state figure and 4.0 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

School-age children in poverty2024 Census estimate

8.6%10.6%14.4%

This district is 2.0 percentage points lower than the state figure and 5.8 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

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.

13.9%Students learning English565 students · 7 of 7 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District13.9%

NE9.0%

U.S.12.0%

16.2%Students receiving IDEA special-education services659 students · 7 of 7 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District16.2%

NE15.4%

U.S.14.0%

0.9%Students with Section 504 plans28 students · 4 of 7 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District0.9%

NE2.2%

U.S.3.9%

1.4%English learners also receiving IDEA services57 students · 7 of 7 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District1.4%

NE0.9%

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

203Children ages 3–5 in district preschool

Teacher certification comparison

District100.0%

NE99.4%

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.

Academic results · 2025

How do results differ among student groups?

Students not economically disadvantaged1,040 assessments

46 out of 100

White students1,334 assessments

44 out of 100

Fem1,353 assessments

33 out of 100

Mal1,811 assessments

32 out of 100

Hispanic students1,694 assessments

26 out of 100

Economically disadvantaged students1,832 assessments

24 out of 100

A 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?

5Elementary schools

1High schools

1Middle schools

2Prekindergarten schools

8Town setting

1Rural setting

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.

4.2%Federal

37.1%State

58.7%Local

Uses of funds

Where the money goes

Annual spending for each enrolled student.

$12,835Total current spending per student

$7,645Instruction per student

$4,568Support services per student

Revenue by source: percentages and dollars

$2.4MFederal revenue4.2% of total revenue

$21.1MState revenue37.1% of total revenue

$33.3MLocal revenue58.7% of total revenue

How operating money was used

$7,645Instructionper student

$4,568Student and instructional supportper student

$2,211Special educationper student

$950Building operations and maintenanceper student

$251Student transportationper student

$622Food servicesper student

$182Technologyper student

People costs

$33.8MSalaries$8,228 per student

$8.8MEmployee benefits$2,141 per student

Equipment, buildings and debt

$1.8MEquipmentFY 2023

$7.5MCapital outlay$1,826 per student

$12KConstructionincluded in capital outlay

$45.6MDebt outstanding at year end$11,097 per student

$0New debt issuedFY 2023

$3.7MDebt principal retiredFY 2023

$1MInterest paid on debtFY 2023

Selected federal program revenue

$166KTitle I$40 per student

$342KIDEA special education$83 per student

$48KCareer and technical education$12 per student

$112KChild nutrition$27 per student

What changed since FY 2022

Operating spending per student

FY 2022$12,223

FY 2023$12,835+5.0% year over year

Capital spending per student

FY 2022$1,550

FY 2023$1,826+17.8% year over year

Debt outstanding per student

FY 2022$12,040

FY 2023$11,097-7.8% year over year

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?

2020–2113.8%

547 of 3,965 students

2021–2216.8%

649 of 3,855 students

2022–2318.8%

730 of 3,875 students

Specialized support and security · 2021–22

What specialized roles were reported?

0Sworn law-enforcement officer FTE8 reporting schools

2Security staff FTE8 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 programs8 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?

158Out-of-school suspensions7 reporting schoolsSee schools →201In-school suspensions7 reporting schoolsSee schools →9Law-enforcement referrals7 reporting schoolsSee schools →0School-related arrests7 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?

88%Schools reporting Wi-Fi8 reporting schools

88%Schools reporting fiber8 reporting schools

0Student devices reported8 reporting 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?18.8% chronically absent2022–23 · 3,875 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?$12,835current spending per studentExplore and compare →Does the district have enough support staff?319:1 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 →