Total enrollment
5,440
+809 (+17%) vs SY 2020-21
14 schools in Columbus County Schools
North Carolina · 5,440 students · 8 cities
Columbus County Schools's public-school count of 14 reflects a system enrolling about 5,440 students inside North Carolina, broken out as 7 elementary, 1 middle, and 4 high.
4-year change in Columbus County Schools
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
12
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Columbus County Schools ranks
Among districts| Measure | This district | In North Carolina | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 43.1% | #86 of 112 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 5,440 | #59 of 116 | #1,758 of 9,234 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 12 | #63 of 116 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 15.7:1 | #56 of 116 | #6,147 of 9,044 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 99.1% | #23 of 114 | #284 of 8,164 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 65.7% | #43 of 111 | #896 of 6,853 |
Districts need at least 2 schools and 500 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Inside Columbus County Schools
State test results across the district's 12 scored schools run from Columbus Career and College Academy at 70.2% proficient to West Columbus High at 26.9%, a gap of 43.3 points. That is the 52nd widest gap among 104 North Carolina districts with four or more scored schools.
Since 2017-18, the 10 district schools that reported both years went from 4,139 to 4,028 students (down 3%) and from 257 to 260 full-time teachers (up 1%), as of 2024-25.
Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across each school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25; schools with fewer than 100 students and schools serving specialized populations are left out. Staffing figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data and count only schools that reported students and teachers in both years.
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Columbus School | Cerro Gordo | Elementary | PK-08 | 814 |
| South Columbus High | Tabor City | High | 09-12 | 669 |
| Williams Township | Whiteville | Elementary | PK-08 | 659 |
| Tabor City School | Tabor City | Elementary | PK-08 | 598 |
| East Columbus Junior-Senior High | Lake Waccamaw | High | 07-12 | 576 |
| West Columbus High | Cerro Gordo | High | 09-12 | 459 |
| Hallsboro-Artesia Elementary | Hallsboro | Elementary | PK-06 | 394 |
| Acme Delco Elementary | Riegelwood | Elementary | PK-06 | 349 |
| Old Dock Elementary | Whiteville | Elementary | PK-04 | 265 |
| Chadbourn Elementary | Chadbourn | Elementary | PK-05 | 233 |
| Columbus Career and College Academy | Whiteville | High | 09-13 | 230 |
| Nakina Middle | Nakina | Middle | 05-08 | 194 |
| Tabor City Elementary | Tabor City | Combined | M-M | · |
| Tabor City Middle | Tabor City | Combined | M-M | · |
About Columbus County Schools
Columbus County Schools is a sparse public-school district in North Carolina. The district operates 14 schools and hosts approximately 5,440 students.
For a sense of the school types, Columbus County Schools covers 7 elementary, 1 middle, 4 high schools, and 2 combined or other.
Average enrollment per school in Columbus County Schools is about 389, lower than the North Carolina average of roughly 571.
Five-year track record. Combined enrollment now sits at 5,440 students, rose 17% from the 4,631 reported in SY 2020-21.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Columbus County Schools discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.