Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 15 schools in district

Houston County High School

200 W Church St, Columbia, AL 36319Houston County →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 07–12Non-Charter
322
Students
Total enrolled
98%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↑ 13% vs nat'l
$11,627
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 19% vs nat'l
16.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
37/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 26% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 322 students in grades 07–12 in Columbia, Alabama.
19% below average funding
District spends $11,627 per pupil, 19% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 37th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Houston County High School is a mid-sized high in Columbia, Alabama, serving grades 07–12 with 322 students. The district invests $11,627 per student — 19% below the national average of $14,347, with a 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 81% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 37/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Houston County High School

322
Total Students
16.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
81%
Free Lunch
20
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (07–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution158 male · 164 female
49%
51%
Male 49%Female 51%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility81%
National avg 52% · 262 students
Student Composition
43%
8%
45%
White43%
Hispanic / Latino8%
Black45%
Multiracial2%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 010177000614

Academic Outcomes at Houston County High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
GE95
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
98%
State avg
91%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
37
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 37th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 16th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 36319

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$11,627Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$11,627
State avg
$14,511
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,116
Student Support$2,209
Administration$1,395
Operations$1,744
Other$1,163
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $11,627 spent per student, an estimated $5,151 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
59%
25%
State government
58.7%
Local (property tax)
24.8%
Federal programs
16.5%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 98% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $11,627/student, 19% less than the national average
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (37/100) — national median is 50
  • 81% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Rehobeth Elementary SchoolAshford Elementary SchoolWicksburg Elementary SchoolCottonwood Elementary School
+1 more
↓
Middle
Rehobeth Middle SchoolAshford Middle School
↓
High School
Rehobeth High SchoolWicksburg High SchoolAshford High SchoolCottonwood High School
+1 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades07 – 12
Location—
CountyHouston County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictHouston County →
Phone: (334)696-2221
NCES ID: 010177000614
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Columbia seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing strong graduation outcomes and academic completion. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Houston County
Elem
Rehobeth Elementary School
1,174 students · PK–05
● 40 opp58% FRL
High
Rehobeth High School
788 students · 09–12
● 40 opp52% FRL
Mid
Rehobeth Middle School
626 students · 06–08
● 40 opp58% FRL
Elem
Ashford Elementary School
625 students · PK–05
68% FRL
Elem
Wicksburg Elementary School
606 students · PK–06
● 39 opp42% FRL
Elem
Cottonwood Elementary School
481 students · PK–06
● 40 opp73% FRL
High
Wicksburg High School
471 students · 07–12
● 39 opp39% FRL
Elem
Webb Elementary School
461 students · PK–06
● 34 opp78% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
200 W Church St, Columbia, AL 36319
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.