Public schools in Columbia, MO
39 open public schools with an address in Columbia, operated by 4 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
39
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
18,648
38 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
12.1:1
Missouri median 12.3:1
Charter schools
0
3 magnet · 1 virtual
An overview of Columbia public schools
The federal directory lists 39 public schools in Columbia, MO: 22 elementary, 7 middle, 6 high, 4 combined or other. The 38 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 18,648 students, an average of 491 per school. The largest campus is David H. Hickman High (2,007 students), and the largest elementary school is Beulah Ralph Elementary (656).
Columbia 93 operates the most schools here (36), and 2 regular districts have at least one Columbia campus, plus 2 charter, service, or other agencies. 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 12.1:1, similar to the statewide school median of 12.3:1. 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 3 magnet schools, 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 5 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 3 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 0 of 6 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 Columbia
Elementary schools in Columbia
22| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha Hart Lewis Columbia 93 | PK–05 | 468 | 11.8:1 | |
| Beulah Ralph Elementary Columbia 93 | KG–05 | 656 | 15.2:1 | |
| Blue Ridge Elem. Columbia 93 | PK–05 | 453 | 12.2:1 | |
| Cedar Ridge Elem. Columbia 93 | PK–05 | 453 | 13.5:1 | |
| Derby Ridge Elem. Columbia 93 | PK–05 | 323 | 9.9:1 | |
| Eliot Battle Elementary Columbia 93 | KG–05 | 344 | 10.2:1 | |
| Eugene Field Center Columbia 93 | 01–05 | 0 | — | |
| Fairview Elem. Columbia 93 | PK–05 | 471 | 15.4:1 | |
| John Ridgeway Elem. Columbia 93 · Magnet | KG–05 | 227 | 14.3:1 | |
| Locus St Expressive Arts Elem Columbia 93 · Magnet | PK–05 | 283 | 12.5:1 | |
| Mary Paxton Keeley Elem. Columbia 93 | PK–05 | 619 | 15.5:1 | |
| Midway Heights Elem. Columbia 93 | PK–05 | 251 | 15.7:1 | |
| Mill Creek Elem. Columbia 93 | PK–05 | 583 | 17.6:1 | |
| New Haven Elem. Columbia 93 | PK–05 | 248 | 10.3:1 | |
| Parkade Elem. Columbia 93 | PK–05 | 359 | 11.4:1 | |
| Rock Bridge Elem. Columbia 93 | PK–05 | 556 | 15.1:1 | |
| Russell Blvd. Elem. Columbia 93 | PK–05 | 500 | 14.5:1 | |
| Shepard Blvd. Elem. Columbia 93 | PK–05 | 538 | 11.8:1 | |
| Thomas Benton Elem. Columbia 93 · Magnet | PK–05 | 232 | 11.7:1 | |
| Two Mile Prairie Elem. Columbia 93 | KG–05 | 125 | 12.5:1 | |
| Ulysses S. Grant Elem. Columbia 93 | PK–05 | 296 | 13.7:1 | |
| West Blvd. Elem. Columbia 93 | PK–05 | 327 | 10.6:1 |
Middle schools in Columbia
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Hawkins Gentry Mid. School Columbia 93 | 06–08 | 736 | 13:1 | |
| Jefferson Middle School Columbia 93 | 06–08 | 593 | 11.7:1 | |
| John B. Lange Middle Columbia 93 | 06–08 | 510 | 11:1 | |
| John Warner Middle School Columbia 93 | 06–08 | 579 | 12.4:1 | |
| Oakland Middle School Columbia 93 | 06–08 | 589 | 10.8:1 | |
| Smithton Middle Columbia 93 | 06–08 | 605 | 12.1:1 | |
| West Middle School Columbia 93 | 06–08 | 553 | 11.3:1 |
High schools in Columbia
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Area Career Ctr. Columbia 93 · Career and Technical School | 10–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| David H. Hickman High Columbia 93 | 09–12 | 2,007 | 15.9:1 | |
| Frederick Douglass High Columbia 93 · Alternative School | 09–12 | 185 | 9.2:1 | |
| MOCA at Louisiana Louisiana R-II | 07–12 | — | — | |
| Muriel Battle High School Columbia 93 | 09–12 | 1,492 | 13.5:1 | |
| Rock Bridge Sr. High Columbia 93 | 09–12 | 1,997 | 18.3:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Columbia
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center for Early Lrning-North Columbia 93 | PK–PK | 458 | 7.6:1 | |
| Delmar a Cobble School Mo Schls for the Sev Disabled · Special Education School | KG–12 | 8 | 4:1 | |
| Juvenile Justice Ctr. Columbia 93 · Alternative School | 01–12 | 24 | 12:1 | |
| Mizzou Academy University of Mo - Columbia · Virtual | KG–12 | 0 | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White51.8%
- Hispanic8.9%
- Black21.9%
- Asian5.9%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial11.1%
Enrollment-weighted across 35 Columbia schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (18,648 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Columbia
How many public schools are in Columbia, MO?
The current NCES directory lists 39 open public schools with a location address in Columbia: 22 elementary, 7 middle, 6 high, 4 combined or other. Together they reported 18,648 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Columbia?
Schools with an address in Columbia belong to 4 education agencies, led by Columbia 93 (36 schools), Louisiana R-II (1 school), Mo Schls for the Sev Disabled (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 Columbia?
David H. Hickman High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Columbia, with 2,007 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Columbia?
No school with an address in Columbia is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Missouri.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Columbia schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Columbia public schools is 12.1:1, similar to the Missouri school median of 12.3:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Columbia 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 Missouri 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 Missouri cities