E D U C AT I O N
nn BY JENNA ALLEN
PHOTO BY COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Get Schooled
A look inside Columbia public and private education
School Pride Easily identify Columbia high schools by reading about the colors and mascots of each below. PUBLIC Battle High School Colors: Navy blue and gold Mascot: Spartans Douglass High School Colors: Royal blue and white Mascot: Bulldogs Hickman High School Colors: Purple and gold Mascot: Kewpies Rock Bridge High School Colors: Green and gold Mascot: Bruins PRIVATE Columbia Independent School Colors: Blue and gold Mascot: Lions Heritage Academy Colors: Maroon and blue Mascot: Warriors Christian Fellowship School Colors: Red, black and white Mascot: Knights Father Tolton Catholic High School Colors: White and Columbia blue Mascot: Trailblazers
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R E LO C AT I N G I N C O LU M B I A
An excellent education and an emphasis on its importance are staples of the Columbia community. Students excel in their classrooms and in their postsecondary education careers, whether they attend public or private school. Both systems equip students with the tools necessary to succeed — it’s just a matter of finding the right fit for your family and, most importantly, your child. Explore key components of Columbia public and private schools below.
Columbia Public Schools Accredited with distinction by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Columbia Public Schools is the fifth largest district in the state and includes 21 elementary schools, six middle schools, four high schools, a career education center and an early childhood learning center. The school district currently has a new middle school under construction in south Columbia. John Warner Middle School is slated to open in August 2020. The district is also renovating and completing an addition to Locust Street Expressive Arts Elementary School. A classroom addition to Rock Bridge Elementary School is slated to begin construction this summer. In 2019-20, CPS had an enrollment of 19,052 students from preschool to grade 12 and a student-to-teacher ratio of 13:1. Columbia’s students excel in the classroom and in their post-secondary education careers. Eighty to 90 percent of Columbia students extend their education beyond high school. More than 30 percent of Columbia graduates earn the College Preparatory Studies Certificate, and more than 75 percent attend a college or university. Student performance on the ACT and SAT exams
