Public schools in Columbus, IN
18 open public schools with an address in Columbus, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
18
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
11,126
17 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
15.7:1
Indiana median 14.8:1
Charter schools
1
2 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Columbus public schools
The federal directory lists 18 public schools in Columbus, IN: 10 elementary, 2 middle, 5 high, 1 combined or other. The 17 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 11,126 students, an average of 654 per school. The largest campus is Columbus North High School (2,360 students), and the largest elementary school is Southside Elementary School (891).
Bartholomew Con School Corp operates the most schools here (17), plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 15.7:1, higher than the statewide school median of 14.8:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 charter school, 2 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 2 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 2 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 2 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 42% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Columbus
Elementary schools in Columbus
10| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clifty Creek Elementary School Bartholomew Con School Corp · Magnet | PK–06 | 705 | 14.6:1 | |
| CSA Fodrea Campus Bartholomew Con School Corp · Magnet | PK–06 | 351 | 17.5:1 | |
| CSA Lincoln Campus Bartholomew Con School Corp | KG–06 | 357 | 19.6:1 | |
| L F Smith Elementary Bartholomew Con School Corp | PK–06 | 420 | 15.5:1 | |
| Lillian Schmitt Elementary School Bartholomew Con School Corp | PK–06 | 704 | 17.7:1 | |
| Mount Healthy Elementary School Bartholomew Con School Corp | PK–06 | 365 | 16.8:1 | |
| Parkside Elementary School Bartholomew Con School Corp | PK–06 | 733 | 16.4:1 | |
| Rockcreek Elementary School Bartholomew Con School Corp | PK–06 | 351 | 18.5:1 | |
| Southside Elementary School Bartholomew Con School Corp | PK–06 | 891 | 18:1 | |
| W D Richards Elementary School Bartholomew Con School Corp | PK–06 | 610 | 19.9:1 |
Middle schools in Columbus
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Middle School Bartholomew Con School Corp | 07–08 | 790 | 15.3:1 | |
| Northside Middle School Bartholomew Con School Corp | 07–08 | 908 | 15.7:1 |
High schools in Columbus
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus Area Career Connection Bartholomew Con School Corp · Career and Technical School | 06–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Columbus East High School Bartholomew Con School Corp | 09–12 | 1,452 | 15:1 | |
| Columbus North High School Bartholomew Con School Corp | 09–12 | 2,360 | 14.9:1 | |
| Columbus Signature Academy New Tech High School Bartholomew Con School Corp | 09–12 | — | — | |
| Excel Center - Bartholomew County Excel Center - Bartholomew County · Charter | 09–12 | 49 | 8.2:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Columbus
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard L Johnson Early Educ Cntr Bartholomew Con School Corp | PK–PK | 80 | 12.3:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White63.5%
- Hispanic20.6%
- Black3%
- Asian7.7%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial5.1%
Enrollment-weighted across 16 Columbus schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (11,126 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Columbus
How many public schools are in Columbus, IN?
The current NCES directory lists 18 open public schools with a location address in Columbus: 10 elementary, 2 middle, 5 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 11,126 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Columbus?
Schools with an address in Columbus belong to 2 education agencies, led by Bartholomew Con School Corp (17 schools), Excel Center - Bartholomew County (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Columbus?
Columbus North High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Columbus, with 2,360 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Columbus?
Yes. 1 of the 18 public schools in Columbus are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Excel Center - Bartholomew County. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Columbus schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Columbus public schools is 15.7:1, higher than the Indiana school median of 14.8:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Columbus guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Indiana cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Indiana cities