Public schools in Columbus, MS
18 open public schools with an address in Columbus, operated by 3 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
4,893
15 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
12.9:1
Mississippi median 13.9:1
Charter schools
0
5 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Columbus public schools
The federal directory lists 18 public schools in Columbus, MS: 7 elementary, 3 middle, 6 high, 2 combined or other. The 15 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 4,893 students, an average of 326 per school. The largest campus is Columbus High School (865 students), and the largest elementary school is Cook Elementary School (415).
Columbus Municipal School District operates the most schools here (9), and 2 regular districts have at least one Columbus campus, 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 12.9:1, lower than the statewide school median of 13.9:1. 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 5 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 4 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 4 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 89% 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
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook Elementary School Columbus Municipal School District · Magnet | PK–04 | 415 | 14.2:1 | |
| Fairview Elementary School Columbus Municipal School District · Magnet | KG–04 | 244 | 15.4:1 | |
| New Hope Lower Elementary Lowndes County School District | PK–02 | — | — | |
| New Hope Upper Elementary Lowndes County School District | 03–05 | — | — | |
| Sale Elementary School Columbus Municipal School District · Magnet | PK–04 | 290 | 16.5:1 | |
| Stokes Beard Elementary School Columbus Municipal School District · Magnet | PK–04 | 369 | 14.5:1 | |
| West Lowndes Elementary Lowndes County School District | PK–06 | 276 | 11.1:1 |
Middle schools in Columbus
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus Middle School Columbus Municipal School District | 07–08 | 597 | 11.6:1 | |
| Hunt Intermediate School Columbus Municipal School District | 05–06 | — | — | |
| New Hope Middle School Lowndes County School District | 06–08 | 604 | 13.1:1 |
High schools in Columbus
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus High School Columbus Municipal School District | 09–13 | 865 | 11.7:1 | |
| Lowndes Co Voc Complex Lowndes County School District · Career and Technical School | 08–12 | 0 | — | |
| McKellar Vocational Center Columbus Municipal School District · Career and Technical School | 08–12 | 0 | — | |
| Mississippi School for Math and Science Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science · Magnet | 11–12 | 240 | 9.2:1 | |
| New Hope High School Lowndes County School District | 09–12 | 787 | 12.9:1 | |
| West Lowndes High School Lowndes County School District | 07–12 | 206 | 7.7:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Columbus
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cmsd Alternative School Columbus Municipal School District · Alternative School | 01–12 | 0 | — | |
| Lowndes County Alternative School Lowndes County School District · Alternative School | 01–12 | 0 | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White18.5%
- Hispanic2.3%
- Black75.8%
- Asian1.5%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial1.9%
Enrollment-weighted across 11 Columbus schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (4,893 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Columbus
How many public schools are in Columbus, MS?
The current NCES directory lists 18 open public schools with a location address in Columbus: 7 elementary, 3 middle, 6 high, 2 combined or other. Together they reported 4,893 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 3 education agencies, led by Columbus Municipal School District (9 schools), Lowndes County School District (8 schools), Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science (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 High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Columbus, with 865 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–13). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Columbus?
No school with an address in Columbus is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Mississippi.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Columbus schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Columbus public schools is 12.9:1, lower than the Mississippi school median of 13.9:1. 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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi cities