African American students comprise 92% of Columbia High School enrollment for 2024-25

Columbia High School had 764 African American students enrolled for the 2024-25 school year, a decrease of 6.7% compared to the prior year, according to the Georgia Department of Education.

Total enrollment at Columbia High School was 831 students during 2024-25, with African American students representing 92%—the largest share among all student groups at the school.

The school is part of DeKalb County School District, which has its central office in Decatur.

Out of 129 schools in DeKalb County School District, Lithonia High School recorded the largest enrollment of African American students for the 2024-25 school year at 1,288 students.

The National Center for Education Statistics reported that public school students in Georgia were about 36.4% Black, 35.9% white, 18.1% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 4.6% multiracial, 0.2% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.1% Pacific Islander.

Chronic absenteeism continues to pose challenges for Georgia schools following the pandemic, with 20.7% of students missing at least 10% of school days in 2024, according to the Georgia Department of Education. In response, GaDOE introduced a statewide initiative featuring a real-time attendance dashboard, public awareness outreach, and focused support for districts with higher needs to increase daily attendance.

Georgia lawmakers in 2025 passed legislation to update school attendance laws, prohibiting expulsion solely due to absenteeism. The law also stipulates new reporting measures and aligns with programs to help students earn diplomas through alternative methods. More information is available here.

As of 2026, Georgia’s average student-to-teacher ratio was about 14:1, which is an improvement over the national average of 15:1.