Education

Keep up with Columbia public schools

Below the overview of the district are links to KBIA's coverage of Columbia 93 district schools, updated as more stories are published. Columbia 93 at a glanceThe Columbia 93 school district currently includes 32 different schools. In 2014, the district had a k-12 enrollment of 17,204 students, which is 2% of the total k-12 enrollment for the state. Enrollment has been slightly increasing in recent years, 2% since 2011. While a small percent, that amounts to almost 400 more students. There have also been major re-drawing of attendance areas with the addition of Battle High School. Middle school attendance areas shape high school boundaries 00000178-cc7d-da8b-a77d-ec7d2f9e0000The changes have affected all schools in the district, including causing high school attendance to increase and overcrowding at one middle school at least.

Missouri student success on Advanced Placement tests doubles

KBIA | By Meredith Turk

Published February 22, 2013 at 9:38 AM CST

The number of Missouri students succeeding on Advanced Placement Tests has doubled in the last decade.

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education spokesperson Sarah Potter said AP tests saved a great deal of money for students in 2012.

“Potential cost savings for the students and families are more than fifteen million dollars by taking these exams and getting college credit,” Potter said.

Although Missouri is showing improvement among the students who do take the test, the number of students taking the test is low.

“Missouri ranks forty eight out of fifty states in D.C. in the percentage of students who are actually participating in the program," Potter said.

Potter says promoting the tests in rural areas is important to increase the number, who takes the test.

Columbia Public Schools spokesperson Michelle Baumstark said Columbia expects to keep increasing the numbers here.

“Every year we have more and more students who are taking the exam,” Baumstark said. According to Columbia Public Schools, its students are doing better on AP tests than the state or national averages. Close to eighteen percent of students in Columbia take the test versus nine percent state-wide.