Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 53 schools in district

Waddell Elementary School

6101 Miller Rd, Columbus, GA 31907Muscogee County →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–05Non-Charter
473
Students
Total enrolled
$14,671
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
~avg
16.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 8% vs nat'l
36/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 29% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 473 students in grades KG–05 in Columbus, Georgia.
Near-average funding
District spends $14,671 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 36th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Waddell Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary in Columbus, Georgia, serving grades KG–05 with 473 students. The district invests $14,671 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 16.6:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 97% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 36/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Waddell Elementary School

473
Total Students
16.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
97%
Free Lunch
29
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution239 male · 234 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility97%
National avg 52% · 457 students
Student Composition
11%
8%
76%
White11%
Hispanic / Latino8%
Black76%
Multiracial4%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 130387001434

Academic Outcomes at Waddell Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
36
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 36th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 11th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 31907

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$14,671Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$14,671
State avg
$15,679
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,455
Student Support$2,787
Administration$1,761
Operations$2,201
Other$1,467
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $14,671 spent per student, an estimated $6,499 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
43%
39%
State government
43.0%
Local (property tax)
38.8%
Federal programs
18.2%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (36/100) — national median is 50
  • 97% 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
Mathews Elementary SchoolNorth Columbus ElementaryMidland AcademyEagle Ridge Academy
+9 more
↓
Middle
Richards Middle SchoolVeterans Memorial Middle SchoolArnold Middle SchoolBaker Middle School
+5 more
↓
High School
Northside High SchoolShaw High SchoolHardaway High SchoolColumbus High School
+4 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 05
Location—
CountyMuscogee County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictMuscogee County →
Phone: (706)569-3722
NCES ID: 130387001434
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Columbus seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a diverse, community-focused learning environment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Muscogee County
High
Northside High School
1,402 students · 09–12
32% FRL
High
Shaw High School
1,234 students · 09–12
97% FRL
High
Hardaway High School
1,184 students · 09–12
● 45 opp97% FRL
High
Columbus High School
1,131 students · 09–12
● 45 opp18% FRL
High
Spencer High School
943 students · 09–12
● 33 opp97% FRL
High
Carver High School
916 students · 09–12
● 45 opp97% FRL
High
Kendrick High School
876 students · 09–12
● 36 opp97% FRL
High
Jordan Vocational High School
869 students · 09–12
● 40 opp97% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
6101 Miller Rd, Columbus, GA 31907
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.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
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.