Columbus City Schools


Columbus City Schools, formerly known as Columbus Public Schools, is the official school district for the city of Columbus, Ohio, and serves most of the city. The district has over 56,000 students enrolled, making it the largest school district in the state of Ohio as of August 2006. At its peak during the 1971 school year the district served 110,725 students.
The first school built in the area which is now part of Columbus was a log cabin school-house built in Franklinton, in 1806. It wasn't until 1845 that the state of Ohio Legislature entrusted the management of Columbus schools to a Board of Education. Two years later the school board elected Dr. Asa Lord as the district's first superintendent. Dr. Gene T. Harris served as the 19th superintendent of Columbus City Schools and was succeeded by Dr. Dan Good. For most of its history, the district has been referred to as "Columbus Public Schools". In August 2007, the district decided to begin using its official name of "Columbus City Schools."

1977 Desegregation

Although technically the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case made segregation in schools illegal, some schools were still segregated by the neighborhoods they served. In March 1977 Federal District Court Judge Robert M. Duncan ruled in Penick v. Columbus Board of Education that the school boundary methods used by Columbus Public Schools promoted segregation by sending black students to predominantly black schools and white students to predominantly white schools. The result was forced busing to desegregate all schools in the Columbus Public School district.
Before the 1978-1979 school year the Columbus Public School district petitioned Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist for a stay on the forced busing, and the petition was granted. However, in April 1979 the Supreme Court made their decision and upheld the original Duncan decision.
Before this landmark decision was handed down, the district had a peak of 110,725 students enrolled in 1971 and operated 20 high schools. Many parents moved their children out of the Columbus district to the suburbs to avoid the desegregation. As a result, district enrollment significantly declined, forcing two high schools, Central High School and North High School to be closed, as well as several elementary and middle schools.

School Enrollment

Enrollment figures in the school district have significantly increased in the past and recently decreased. Following is a list of school enrollments over the years.
YearEnrollment
192032,442
194740,000
196293,000
1971110,725
197695,571
198072,698
199562,812
199663,610
200755,235
201250,784
201948,982

Board of education

There are 7 members on the Board of Education. Current members are listed below:
There are a total of 118 active schools in the district.

Elementary schools

For the 06-07 school year, the district improved its rating to "Continuous Improvement" on the department of education's rating scale. The district met 42 of 42 adequate yearly progress goals, which allowed the rating to improve.

Columbus City Schools: By the Numbers

The Columbus City School District does not discriminate based upon sex, race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, ancestry, familial status or military status with regard to admission, access, treatment or employment. This policy is applicable in all district programs and activities.
Students: 50,809
Expenditures per student: $13,674
...by gender
Male: 51.0% Female: 49.0%
...by ethnicity
African-American: 58.07%
Caucasian: 25.58%
Hispanic: 6.74% Multi-racial: 5.29%
Asian: 2.09%
American Indian/Native Alaskan: 0.2%
...about our students
Languages spoken at home: 89
Speak English as a second language: 11.5%
Have Limited English Proficiency: 9.5%
Receive district ESL services: 6.4%
Students transported by CCS daily: 32, 140 Identified as Gifted & Talented: 17.7%
Receive Special Education services: 16.06%
Receive a free or reduced-price meal: 68.93%
Student Mobility Rate: 19.7%
Average Daily Attendance: 94.5%
Schools: 118
...by grade level
Elementary : 63
STEM Elementary Academies : 4
K-6: 6
K-8 Schools: 4
K-12 Schools : 1
Middle Schools : 18 STEM Academy 7-12 : 1
High School/Middle School 7-12 : 1
ESL Welcome Center : 1
High Schools : 16
Career Centers: 2
Special Services Schools: 3
Staff: 6,571 #
Staff demographics as of June 2011: by gender
Male: 28.5% Female: 71.5%
...by ethnicity
Caucasian: 62.6%
African-American: 35.3%
Hispanic: 1.2% Asian: 0.7%
American Indian/Native Alaskan: 0.2%