River Road Elementary School

Summary:

River Road Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 403 students in grades PK-5 in Columbus, Georgia, which is part of the Muscogee County School District. Unfortunately, the school has consistently underperformed, ranking in the bottom half of Georgia elementary schools over the past 10 years and earning a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Key factors that differentiate River Road Elementary include its significantly lower test scores compared to the district and state averages, an extremely high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (96.49% to 96.62%), and relatively high per-student spending ($9,551 to $10,951). While the school has a low student-teacher ratio, these factors alone do not appear to be driving improved outcomes. In comparison, nearby Britt David Elementary Computer Magnet Academy consistently ranks among the top 3 elementary schools in the state and has exceptional test scores, despite being only about 2 miles away.

The consistent underperformance of River Road Elementary highlights the need for targeted interventions and support to address the specific challenges faced by the school and its students. The high percentage of students from low-income families may be a contributing factor, and a more strategic allocation of resources, beyond just increased funding, may be necessary to improve student outcomes. Addressing the unique needs of River Road Elementary through a data-driven, tailored approach could be key to providing a high-quality education for its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

516 Heath Dr
Columbus, GA 31904

(706) 748-3072

District: Muscogee County

SchoolDigger Rank:
1061^st of 1,248 Georgia Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,951

Students who attend River Road Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Double Churches Middle School
High:	Northside High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.5

Number of students: 435

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

38.4%

African American:

26.4%

White:

25.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 97.5%

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Compare River Road Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details River Road Elementary School ranks worse than 85% of elementary schools in Georgia. It also ranks 20^th among 32 ranked elementary schools in the Muscogee County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 17.01. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at River Road Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (38.4%), African American (26.4%), White (25.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 97.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at River Road Elementary School is 13.5, which is the 10^th best among 32 elementary schools in the Muscogee County School District. (See more...)

Compare River Road Elementary School employs 32 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at River Road Elementary School is $10,951, which is the 10^th highest among 32 elementary schools in the Muscogee County School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

River Road Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Muscogee County:

SchoolDigger ranks Muscogee County 155^th of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for River Road Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	45.65	692^nd	1101	37.1%
2007	59.57	499^th	1125	55.6%
2008	38.37	779^th	1134	31.3%
2009	47.36	680^th	1133	40.0%
2010	27.78	963^rd	1183	18.6%
2011	22.39	1034^th	1212	14.7%
2012	35.05	908^th	1201	24.4%
2013	28.35	985^th	1225	19.6%
2014	41.43	871^st	1231	29.2%
2015	33.77	818^th	1240	34.0%
2016	47.90	598^th	1233	51.5%
2017	36.09	769^th	1205	36.2%
2018	36.32	766^th	1209	36.6%
2019	33.36	814^th	1234	34.0%
2021	18.15	991^st	1214	18.4%
2022	13.83	1091^st	1244	12.3%
2023	22.19	970^th	1242	21.9%
2024	17.01	1061^st	1248	15.0%

See the entire list of Georgia Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Georgia Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for River Road Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	333	333
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	546	546
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	601	601
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	547	547
1994	417	117	4	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	543
1995	408	118	6	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	537
1996	408	118	6	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	537
1997	366	140	3	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	514
1998	348	167	0	5	3	n/a	n/a	0	523
1999	360	174	0	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	541
2000	359	199	3	10	1	n/a	n/a	0	572
2001	307	165	0	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	484
2002	274	152	7	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	450
2003	274	152	7	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	450
2004	270	163	2	17	1	n/a	n/a	0	453
2005	263	150	3	22	1	n/a	n/a	13	452
2006	263	158	2	30	1	n/a	n/a	13	467
2007	256	126	5	28	1	n/a	n/a	19	435
2008	225	109	4	31	0	n/a	n/a	19	388
2009	242	115	7	29	0	n/a	n/a	24	417
2010	239	122	17	0	1	2	51	0	432
2011	213	97	10	49	0	2	7	0	378
2012	215	111	9	65	0	0	13	0	413
2013	213	117	7	76	4	0	14	0	431
2014	198	114	8	93	3	0	17	0	433
2015	165	110	8	112	3	0	24	0	422
2016	173	94	2	137	3	0	28	0	437
2017	170	98	0	126	3	0	26	0	423
2018	163	94	2	112	5	0	28	0	404
2019	173	100	3	134	2	0	32	0	444
2020	171	105	3	159	0	0	34	0	472
2021	130	99	2	141	2	0	37	0	411
2022	113	102	1	147	1	0	37	0	401
2023	106	113	2	140	1	0	41	0	403
2024	110	115	4	167	1	0	38	0	435

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 River Road Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	333	20.0	16.6	27.6
1991	546	29.0	18.8	29.7
1992	601	31.0	19.3	37.9
1993	547	30.0	18.2	51.2
1994	543	35.7	15.2	37.6
1995	537	31.5	17.0	35.8
1996	537	31.5	17.0	35.8
1997	514	31.4	16.4	43.6
1998	523	34.5	15.2	49.9
1999	541	35.2	15.4	48.6
2000	572	33.8	16.9	51.6
2001	484	29.0	16.7	48.1
2002	450	29.2	15.4	46.2
2003	450	29.2	15.4	46.2
2004	453	27.4	16.5	51.7
2005	452	27.8	16.3	50.1
2006	467	28.4	16.4	61.5
2007	435	30.3	14.4	58.4
2008	388	26.5	14.6	65.6
2009	417	30.6	13.6	57
2010	432	31.0	13.9	59.5
2011	378	32.0	11.8	65.1
2012	413	28.0	14.7	66.8
2013	431	28.5	15.1	69.8
2014	433	28.6	15.1	77.6
2015	422	25.0	16.8	78.7
2016	437	29.0	15.0	80.8
2017	423	28.5	14.8	100
2018	404	28.5	14.1	94.3
2019	444	28.0	15.8	94.6
2020	472	29.5	16.0	91.7
2021	411	31.0	13.2	96.6
2022	401	32.0	12.5	n/a
2023	403	31.0	13.0	96.5
2024	435	32.0	13.5	97.5

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 River Road Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	333	20.0	16.6	27.6
1991	546	29.0	18.8	29.7
1992	601	31.0	19.3	37.9
1993	547	30.0	18.2	51.2
1994	543	35.7	15.2	37.6
1995	537	31.5	17.0	35.8
1996	537	31.5	17.0	35.8
1997	514	31.4	16.4	43.6
1998	523	34.5	15.2	49.9
1999	541	35.2	15.4	48.6
2000	572	33.8	16.9	51.6
2001	484	29.0	16.7	48.1
2002	450	29.2	15.4	46.2
2003	450	29.2	15.4	46.2
2004	453	27.4	16.5	51.7
2005	452	27.8	16.3	50.1
2006	467	28.4	16.4	61.5
2007	435	30.3	14.4	58.4
2008	388	26.5	14.6	65.6
2009	417	30.6	13.6	57
2010	432	31.0	13.9	59.5
2011	378	32.0	11.8	65.1
2012	413	28.0	14.7	66.8
2013	431	28.5	15.1	69.8
2014	433	28.6	15.1	77.6
2015	422	25.0	16.8	78.7
2016	437	29.0	15.0	80.8
2017	423	28.5	14.8	100
2018	404	28.5	14.1	94.3
2019	444	28.0	15.8	94.6
2020	472	29.5	16.0	91.7
2021	411	31.0	13.2	96.6
2022	401	32.0	12.5	n/a
2023	403	31.0	13.0	96.5
2024	435	32.0	13.5	97.5

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 River Road Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$766 (8.0%)	$8,785 (92.0%)	$9,551
2018	$910 (8.6%)	$9,673 (91.4%)	$10,583
2019	$748 (6.8%)	$10,204 (93.2%)	$10,951

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on River Road Elementary School

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 814^th of 1234 Elementary schools	Ranks 970^th of 1242 Elementary schools	12.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (River Road Elementary School)	29	32.5	3.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Muscogee County)	34	26.6	7.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	38.6	3.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (River Road Elementary School)	55.1	40	15.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Muscogee County)	37.6	28.7	8.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	52	45.6	6.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (River Road Elementary School)	31.6	8.6	23%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Muscogee County)	30	27.3	2.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	36.1	5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (River Road Elementary School)	29.1	24.1	5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Muscogee County)	32.2	29.5	2.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	49	45.7	3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (River Road Elementary School)	30.4	20.3	10.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Muscogee County)	38.7	31.4	7.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	45	41.6	3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (River Road Elementary School)	20.3	6.3	14%
5th Grade Mathematics (Muscogee County)	29.2	21.2	8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	41	37.4	3.6%
5th Grade Science (River Road Elementary School)	31.9	26.6	5.3%
5th Grade Science (Muscogee County)	35.1	29.2	5.9%
5th Grade Science (Georgia)	43	40	3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	444	403	9.2%
African American	100	113	13%
American Indian	2	1	50%
Asian	3	2	33.3%
Hispanic	134	140	4.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	173	106	38.7%
Two or More Races	32	41	28.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	94.6%	96.5%	1.9%

Schools Near River Road Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Milestones Assessment English Language Arts (2024)			Milestones Assessment Mathematics (2024)			Milestones Assessment 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	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 3rd Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 4th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 3rd Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
River Road Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	516 Heath Dr	Columbus	31904	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 748-3072	435	32	13.5	97.5%	110 (25.3%)	115 (26.4%)	167 (38.4%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (8.7%)	17	1061^st of 1248 public elementary schools	15.0%		22.2	970^th of 1242 public elementary schools	21.9%	91	17.1	34.0	7.1	15.7	29.6	16.1	14.5	$10,951	$748	$10,204
Fox Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	600 38th St	Columbus	31904	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 748-2723	350	24	14.5	100.0%	29 (8.3%)	266 (76.0%)	19 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (9.7%)	7.2	1228^th of 1248 public elementary schools	1.6%		5.9	1233^rd of 1242 public elementary schools	0.7%	5	17.1	4.3	20.0	14.3	6.4	4.1	10.2	$11,053	$974	$10,079
Johnson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3700 Woodlawn Ave	Columbus	31904	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 748-2795	373	32	11.8	99.5%	117 (31.4%)	168 (45.0%)	41 (11.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	45 (12.1%)	26.5	905^th of 1248 public elementary schools	27.5%		30	835^th of 1242 public elementary schools	32.8%	70	13.3	13.3	42.2	30.0	26.7	35.6	31.1	$12,635	$1,627	$11,009
Allen Elementary School	Public	K-5	5201 23rd Ave	Columbus	31904	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 748-2418	446	31	14.6	100.0%	143 (32.1%)	121 (27.1%)	146 (32.7%)	3 (0.7%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (7.0%)	21.7	984^th of 1248 public elementary schools	21.2%		29.5	845^th of 1242 public elementary schools	32.0%	139	19.4	14.9	35.3	12.5	23.9	39.7	19.1	$10,716	$791	$9,925
Hannan Elementary	Public	K-5	1338 Talbotton Rd	Columbus	31901	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 748-2744	361	33	10.9	95.8%	46 (12.7%)	259 (71.7%)	31 (8.6%)	5 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.5%)	30	855^th of 1248 public elementary schools	31.5%		36.3	751^st of 1242 public elementary schools	39.5%	104	22.0	26.5	50.0	20.0	19.1	28.3	33.3	$11,152	$1,346	$9,806
Britt David Elementary Computer Magnet Academy	Public, Magnet	K-5	5801 Armour Rd	Columbus	31909	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	Yes	No	No	(706) 748-2617	510	31	16.4	25.7%	217 (42.5%)	101 (19.8%)	40 (7.8%)	125 (24.5%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.7%)	99.6	2^nd of 1248 public elementary schools	99.8%		99.8	2^nd of 1242 public elementary schools	99.8%		96.6	84.3	98.9	95.5	95.2	98.9	96.6	$8,707	$225	$8,483
Clubview Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2836 Edgewood Rd	Columbus	31906	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	No	(706) 565-3017	579	38	15.4	47.8%	261 (45.1%)	176 (30.4%)	65 (11.2%)	12 (2.1%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	63 (10.9%)	60.8	448^th of 1248 public elementary schools	64.1%		57	487^th of 1242 public elementary schools	60.8%	39	55.2	44.6	51.0	48.3	53.3	32.7	37.8	$9,689	$341	$9,348
Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1400 1st Ave	Columbus	31901	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	Yes	No	Yes	(706) 748-2702	347	26	13.3	100.0%	21 (6.1%)	261 (75.2%)	37 (10.7%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (7.5%)	42.1	661^st of 1248 public elementary schools	47.0%		39.4	696^th of 1242 public elementary schools	44.0%	35	36.8	30.6	47.2	36.8	30.6	30.6	38.9	$12,500	$1,052	$11,448
Double Churches Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1213 Double Churches Rd	Columbus	31904	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	No	(706) 748-2660	461	29	16.1	57.7%	200 (43.4%)	150 (32.5%)	46 (10.0%)	15 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (10.8%)	45.5	620^th of 1248 public elementary schools	50.3%		47.6	582^nd of 1242 public elementary schools	53.1%	38	29.3	30.3	53.4	34.5	39.4	35.2	38.6	$8,740	$225	$8,515
Wynnton Elementary School	Public	K-5	2303 Wynnton Rd	Columbus	31906	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 748-3147	359	28	13.0	100.0%	51 (14.2%)	236 (65.7%)	38 (10.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	32 (8.9%)	30.9	835^th of 1248 public elementary schools	33.1%		28.2	868^th of 1242 public elementary schools	30.1%	33	32.7	31.1	39.0	20.4	23.0	30.5	28.8	$11,144	$925	$10,219

Frequently Asked Questions about River Road Elementary School

Is River Road Elementary School a good school?

River Road Elementary School ranks in the bottom 15.0% of Georgia elementary schools.

What district is River Road Elementary School in?

Muscogee County

How many students attend River Road Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 435 students attended River Road Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of River Road Elementary School?

Students at River Road Elementary School are 38% Hispanic, 26% African American, 25% White, 9% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of River Road Elementary School attend?

Students who attend River Road Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Double Churches Middle School
High : Northside High School

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Georgia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.