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Public elementary school · Columbus County Schools · Cerro Gordo, North Carolina

West Columbus School

West Columbus School rates 5.5, below most Columbus County Schools elementary schools, whose rated median is 6.1.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
5.5this school

5.5 on a one-to-ten scale; the Columbus County Schools median is 6.1.

#1,893 of 2,660 schools in North Carolina · Columbus County Schools: 6 elementary schools rated, median 6.1

The brief

A Columbus County Schools elementary school where students score 14 points below what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 1,893 of 2,660 schools in North Carolina and 6 of 11 in Columbus County Schools.

West Columbus School is listed in Columbus County Schools, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math35%25 points below the North Carolina average of 60%2026 NC
Reading37%19 points below the North Carolina average of 56%2026 NC
In 2026, 35% of students were proficient in math and 37% in reading, against North Carolina averages of 60% and 56%.2026 NC; 56 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
6.5
50% of the rating
Academics
3.0
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
6.6
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 6 sources, 2019–2026

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 35% (multi-year average, 2023-2026) · reading/ELA 37% (multi-year average, 2023-2026).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2026 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2026 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 28430; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2023-2026; directory SY 2023–24

About our dataHow we calculate scores

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
West Columbus School and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$66,786
Median home value
$121,000
Median rent
$594/mo
College educated
10.4%
Homeownership
62.4%
Poverty rate
10.1%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28430; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
20
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
30
Somewhat Bikeable

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
99.6%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible district peers, best rated first.
  1. Old Dock Elementarysame district
    6.8Compare →
  2. Hallsboro-Artesia Elementarysame district
    6.7Compare →
  3. West Columbus Schoolthis school
    5.5
  4. Acme Delco Elementarysame district
    4.2Compare →
No grade-compatible school using the same rating model is available within 5 miles, so these are three recorded peers in Columbus County Schools, best rated first, and two rate higher than West Columbus School.Public-school ratings. Same-district campuses. A district label is not attendance eligibility; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does West Columbus School serve?

West Columbus School serves students in grades Pre-K through 8th.

How many students attend West Columbus School?

West Columbus School has an enrollment of approximately 812 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at West Columbus School?

The student-teacher ratio at West Columbus School is 15:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does West Columbus School rank in NC?

West Columbus School ranks #1,893 of 2,660 schools in NC.

What is West Columbus School's MySchoolScout rating?

West Columbus School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at West Columbus School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, West Columbus School has 35% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2023-2026) and 37% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2023-2026).

Is West Columbus School a charter school?

No, West Columbus School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is West Columbus School a Title I school?

No, West Columbus School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for West Columbus School?

99.6% of students at West Columbus School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
Pre-K – 8th
Enrollment
812
Student-teacher ratio
15:1
Teachers (FTE)
54
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Remote Rural
County
Columbus County
Phone
(910) 654-4250
Rank in district
#6 of 11
Schools in district
12
District spending per student
$14,006
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
24.1%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 28430)
1,678
Area median age
43.8

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Sources and official links

Keep exploring

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, North Carolina Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.