Columbus

Located at 802 South High School Avenue in Columbus, Kansas, the Columbus school district operates as an active, regular public school system offering complete coverage from prekindergarten through twelfth grade. Situated in a distant rural setting within the broader Joplin metropolitan region, the district maintains three operational schools designed to foster student learning across early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school levels. Families, students, and researchers can engage with the district directly by phone at (620) 429-3661 or by visiting their official website at www.usd493.com.

Reflecting the 2024–2025 NCES dataset context, the district serves a total enrollment of 994 students, comprising 502 male and 492 female learners. The student population includes 831 White, 70 multiracial, 56 Hispanic, 24 American Indian, 10 Black, two Asian, and one Pacific Islander student. To effectively manage its academic programs and facilities, the district operates with a comprehensive full-time equivalent (FTE) staffing context of 281.54 total staff members. This includes a teaching force of 167.44 FTE certified teachers, supported by 7.6 FTE instructional aides and 106.5 FTE support staff personnel across its campuses.