Is South Columbus High a good school?

South Columbus High ranks 439 th of 640 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend South Columbus High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 689 students attended South Columbus High.

What is the racial makeup of South Columbus High?

Students at South Columbus High are 63% White, 22% African American, 11% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

What schools feed into South Columbus High?

South Columbus High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Old Dock Elementary Elementary : Williams Township Middle : Nakina Middle

South Columbus High

Summary:

South Columbus High School is a public high school in Tabor City, North Carolina, serving 692 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Columbus County Schools district, which is ranked 183 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While South Columbus High has a significantly higher percentage of white students (66.33%) compared to nearby schools, its academic performance is generally lower than state and district averages. The school's proficiency rates on end-of-course (EOC) tests in subjects like Biology, English II, Math I, and Math III are all below the state and district averages. Additionally, the school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with African American and white students performing much worse than Hispanic and low socioeconomic status students. South Columbus High's statewide ranking has fluctuated, ranging from 291 out of 594 high schools in 2020-2021 to 439 out of 640 high schools in 2023-2024, placing it in the bottom half of North Carolina high schools.

Interestingly, South Columbus High's performance for disabled students is relatively strong, with the school ranking 149 out of 334 North Carolina high schools in 2020-2021 and 109 out of 364 high schools in 2018-2019 for this subgroup. However, the school's performance for gifted and talented students is relatively weak, with the school ranking 317 out of 403 North Carolina high schools in 2023-2024 and 229 out of 398 high schools in 2021-2022 for this subgroup. Additionally, South Columbus High's spending per student ($9,661 in 2018-2019) is lower than the nearby West Columbus High ($11,672) and Whiteville High ($10,302), which may contribute to the school's academic challenges.

Detail:

Public 9-12

40 Stallion Drive
Tabor City, NC 28463-9801

(910) 653-4073

District: Columbus County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
439^th of 640 North Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,661

Student/teacher ratio: 16.5

Number of students: 689

Racial breakdown:

White:

63.4%

African American:

22.4%

Hispanic:

11.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.4%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare South Columbus High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details South Columbus High ranks worse than 68.6% of high schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 2^nd among 4 ranked high schools in the Columbus County Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 31.26. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details South Columbus High has the largest high school student body size in the Columbus County Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (63.4%), African American (22.4%), Hispanic (11%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Columbus High is 16.5. 2 high schools in the Columbus County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare South Columbus High employs 41.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Columbus High is $9,661. 2 high schools in the Columbus County Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

South Columbus High:

SchoolDigger ranks South Columbus High 439^th of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See South Columbus High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Gifted and Talented students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Columbus County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Columbus County Schools 183^rd of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for South Columbus High.

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Your rating for South Columbus High?

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Rank History for South Columbus High

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Rank History for all students at South Columbus High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2006	42.76	292^nd	431	32.3%
2007	47.38	252^nd	453	44.4%
2008	57.45	177^th	477	62.9%
2009	46.26	288^th	490	41.2%
2010	65.67	124^th	499	75.2%
2011	55.66	229^th	506	54.7%
2012	70.26	67^th	502	86.7%
2013	26.08	337^th	505	33.3%
2014	30.37	271^st	451	39.9%
2015	32.26	327^th	531	38.4%
2016	28.34	326^th	507	35.7%
2017	41.80	236^th	476	50.4%
2018	32.23	311^th	469	33.7%
2019	34.44	318^th	514	38.1%
2021	47.33	291^st	594	51.0%
2022	37.00	377^th	621	39.3%
2023	37.40	377^th	626	39.8%
2024	31.26	439^th	640	31.4%

See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Columbus High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	34.95	253^rd	424	40.3%
2019	40.67	210^th	446	52.9%
2021	41.01	185^th	432	57.2%
2022	29.43	380^th	544	30.1%
2023	35.71	360^th	597	39.7%
2024	34.58	384^th	613	37.4%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at South Columbus High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	36.54	291^st	449	35.2%
2019	41.77	255^th	475	46.3%
2021	53.95	165^th	475	65.3%
2022	45.57	314^th	594	47.1%
2023	43.62	329^th	588	44.0%
2024	34.35	399^th	602	33.7%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at South Columbus High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	32.67	221^st	349	36.7%
2019	55.91	109^th	364	70.1%
2021	44.22	149^th	334	55.4%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at South Columbus High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	29.21	80^th	100	20.0%
2019	76.29	43^rd	325	86.8%
2021	59.89	152^nd	337	54.9%
2022	53.65	229^th	398	42.5%
2023	42.19	296^th	403	26.6%
2024	37.36	317^th	403	21.3%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at South Columbus High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	25.42	350^th	463	24.4%
2019	25.97	351^st	488	28.1%
2021	39.57	241^st	481	49.9%
2022	30.03	410^th	585	29.9%
2023	30.87	413^th	602	31.4%
2024	28.63	441^st	607	27.3%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at South Columbus High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	23.80	290^th	359	19.2%
2019	29.31	266^th	369	27.9%
2021	30.61	226^th	364	37.9%
2022	20.05	379^th	430	11.9%
2023	25.10	340^th	434	21.7%
2024	23.47	361^st	437	17.4%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at South Columbus High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	56.65	104^th	340	69.4%
2019	60.98	70^th	354	80.2%
2021	59.41	66^th	370	82.2%
2022	42.21	224^th	436	48.6%
2023	57.53	144^th	449	67.9%
2024	42.43	236^th	454	48.0%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at South Columbus High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	21.02	366^th	427	14.3%
2019	23.35	357^th	444	19.6%
2021	46.32	190^th	439	56.7%
2022	39.87	318^th	534	40.4%
2023	31.52	391^st	537	27.2%
2024	25.66	439^th	553	20.6%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for South Columbus High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1993	578	209	2	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	792
1994	560	206	1	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	771
1995	508	230	1	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	744
1996	508	230	1	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	744
1997	526	242	0	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	773
1998	518	238	0	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	764
1999	536	245	1	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	787
2000	513	246	1	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	766
2001	524	230	1	5	3	n/a	n/a	0	763
2002	524	224	0	11	2	n/a	n/a	0	761
2003	524	224	0	11	2	n/a	n/a	0	761
2004	535	201	0	14	4	n/a	n/a	0	754
2005	533	214	1	15	5	n/a	n/a	0	768
2006	564	237	0	17	9	n/a	n/a	0	827
2007	546	209	0	16	9	n/a	n/a	4	784
2008	479	205	1	19	9	n/a	n/a	6	719
2009	480	210	1	31	6	n/a	n/a	0	728
2010	495	191	1	32	3	n/a	n/a	0	722
2011	544	187	0	40	6	0	5	0	782
2012	521	190	0	53	6	0	8	0	778
2013	546	168	0	52	5	0	8	0	779
2014	536	157	1	56	7	0	8	0	765
2015	548	158	1	64	6	0	8	0	785
2016	561	172	1	60	6	0	8	0	808
2017	536	177	2	69	7	0	5	0	796
2018	539	160	1	65	10	0	5	0	780
2019	521	165	0	61	8	0	3	0	758
2020	499	147	0	68	8	0	8	0	730
2021	481	139	0	66	7	0	4	0	697
2022	459	141	0	70	3	0	8	0	681
2023	459	144	0	75	3	0	11	0	692
2024	437	154	0	76	5	0	17	0	689

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at South Columbus High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1993	792	51.0	15.5	26.5
1994	771	52.0	14.8	36.4
1995	744	45.0	16.5	39.1
1996	744	45.0	16.5	39.1
1997	773	50.0	15.5	40.8
1998	764	56.0	13.6	37.7
1999	787	56.0	14.1	40.4
2000	766	54.0	14.2	47
2001	763	54.0	14.1	46.3
2002	761	47.0	16.2	47.7
2003	761	47.0	16.2	47.7
2004	754	47.0	16.0	49.3
2005	768	47.0	16.3	55.1
2006	827	47.0	17.6	47.5
2007	784	55.0	14.3	46
2008	719	57.5	12.5	53.3
2009	728	54.0	13.5	n/a
2010	722	53.0	13.6	55
2011	782	43.3	18.0	58.2
2012	778	42.9	18.1	57.3
2013	779	46.7	16.6	47.6
2014	765	45.0	17.0	46.5
2015	785	43.0	18.2	47.6
2016	808	44.0	18.3	99.6
2017	796	45.5	17.4	91
2018	780	45.6	17.1	97.7
2019	758	43.2	17.5	99.6
2020	730	44.4	16.4	99.2
2021	697	44.0	15.8	99.6
2022	681	44.2	15.4	98.2
2023	692	42.6	16.2	99.6
2024	689	41.7	16.5	99.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio South Columbus High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1993	792	51.0	15.5	26.5
1994	771	52.0	14.8	36.4
1995	744	45.0	16.5	39.1
1996	744	45.0	16.5	39.1
1997	773	50.0	15.5	40.8
1998	764	56.0	13.6	37.7
1999	787	56.0	14.1	40.4
2000	766	54.0	14.2	47
2001	763	54.0	14.1	46.3
2002	761	47.0	16.2	47.7
2003	761	47.0	16.2	47.7
2004	754	47.0	16.0	49.3
2005	768	47.0	16.3	55.1
2006	827	47.0	17.6	47.5
2007	784	55.0	14.3	46
2008	719	57.5	12.5	53.3
2009	728	54.0	13.5	n/a
2010	722	53.0	13.6	55
2011	782	43.3	18.0	58.2
2012	778	42.9	18.1	57.3
2013	779	46.7	16.6	47.6
2014	765	45.0	17.0	46.5
2015	785	43.0	18.2	47.6
2016	808	44.0	18.3	99.6
2017	796	45.5	17.4	91
2018	780	45.6	17.1	97.7
2019	758	43.2	17.5	99.6
2020	730	44.4	16.4	99.2
2021	697	44.0	15.8	99.6
2022	681	44.2	15.4	98.2
2023	692	42.6	16.2	99.6
2024	689	41.7	16.5	99.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for South Columbus High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,025 (10.6%)	$8,636 (89.4%)	$9,661

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Columbus High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 318^th of 514 High schools	Ranks 377^th of 626 High schools	1.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Biology (South Columbus High)	61.2	48.6	12.6%
End of Course Biology (Columbus County Schools)	55	38.6	16.4%
End of Course Biology (North Carolina)	59.6	54.1	5.5%
End of Course English II (South Columbus High)	46.9	41.8	5.1%
End of Course English II (Columbus County Schools)	52.1	46.7	5.4%
End of Course English II (North Carolina)	59.7	58.5	1.2%
End of Course Math I (South Columbus High)	33.3	40.4	7.1%
End of Course Math I (Columbus County Schools)	33.3	24.5	8.8%
End of Course Math I (North Carolina)	41.2	35.9	5.3%
End of Course Math III (South Columbus High)	30.6	55.7	25.1%
End of Course Math III (Columbus County Schools)	40	46.2	6.2%
End of Course Math III (North Carolina)	46.8	58.3	11.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	758	692	8.7%
African American	165	144	12.7%
American Indian	8	3	62.5%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	61	75	23%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	521	459	11.9%
Two or More Races	3	11	266.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	99.6%	99.6%	0%

Schools Near South Columbus High

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				EOC Biology (2024)	EOC English II (2024)	EOC Math I (2024)	EOC Math III (2024)	EOG Mathematics (2024)	EOG Reading (2024)	EOG Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
South Columbus High	Public	9-12	40 Stallion Drive	Tabor City	28463	Columbus County	Columbus County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 653-4073	689	42	16.5	99.4%	437 (63.4%)	154 (22.4%)	76 (11.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (2.5%)	31.3	439^th of 640 public high schools	31.4%		37.4	377^th of 626 public high schools	39.8%	62	43.7	42.0	42.6	43.9				$9,661	$1,025	$8,636
Columbus Career and College Academy	Public	9-12	4564 Chadbourn Hwy	Whiteville	28472	Columbus County	Columbus County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 788-6281	242	13	18.3	97.1%	133 (55.0%)	46 (19.0%)	50 (20.7%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.7%)	56.1	255^th of 640 public high schools	60.2%		40.7	348^th of 626 public high schools	44.4%	93	56.3	71.7	41.3	63.0				$6,813	$326	$6,488
North Whiteville Academy	Public	6-12	310 S Martin Luther King Jr Av	Whiteville	28472	Columbus County	Whiteville City Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 914-4161	23	6	3.8	87.0%	6 (26.1%)	14 (60.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (13.0%)								(n/a)								$24,391	$612	$23,779
West Columbus High	Public	9-12	7294 Andrew Jackson Hwy	Cerro Gordo	28430	Columbus County	Columbus County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 654-6111	455	29	15.9	99.3%	206 (45.3%)	194 (42.6%)	21 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.4%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (4.8%)	17.1	537^th of 640 public high schools	16.1%		17.4	528^th of 626 public high schools	15.7%	9	16.8	35.2	27.2	45.8				$11,672	$1,304	$10,369
Whiteville High	Public	9-12	413 N Lee Street	Whiteville	28472	Columbus County	Whiteville City Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 914-4189	635	43	14.8	99.5%	251 (39.5%)	238 (37.5%)	84 (13.2%)	8 (1.3%)	7 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (7.4%)	45.2	331^st of 640 public high schools	48.3%		31.7	421^st of 626 public high schools	32.7%	90	49.7	56.4	28.2	70.4				$10,302	$1,532	$8,770
Thomas Academy	Public, Charter	6-12	206-B Rube MCCRAY Circle	Lake Waccamaw	28450	Columbus County	Thomas Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(910) 646-2237	70	3	22.8		19 (27.1%)	21 (30.0%)	17 (24.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (17.1%)								(n/a)					6.3	18.8	25.0

South Columbus High

South Columbus High:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Columbus County Schools:

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Rank History for South Columbus High

Rank History for all students at South Columbus High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Columbus High

Rank History for Female students at South Columbus High

Rank History for Disabled students at South Columbus High

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at South Columbus High

Rank History for Male students at South Columbus High

Rank History for African American students at South Columbus High

Rank History for Hispanic students at South Columbus High

Rank History for White students at South Columbus High

Review counts

Enrollment information for South Columbus High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at South Columbus High

Student/Teacher Ratio South Columbus High

Per Pupil Expenditures for South Columbus High

Impact of COVID-19 on South Columbus High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near South Columbus High

Frequently Asked Questions about South Columbus High

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