Columbus City Schools is the largest public school district in Ohio, serving tens of thousands of students across the city of Columbus.

Quick Scoop

Columbus City Schools (CCS), founded in 1845, serves about 46,000–47,000 students, making it the largest district in the state. The district operates roughly 113 schools and employs close to 9,000 teachers and staff under the leadership of Superintendent/CEO Dr. Angela Chapman and a seven‑member Board of Education.

District snapshot

  • Official public school district for most of the city of Columbus, Ohio.
  • Approximately 46,000+ enrolled students across preschool through grade 12.
  • Around 113 school buildings, including elementary, middle, high schools and specialty programs.
  • Mission centers on each student being highly educated, prepared for leadership and service, and empowered for success in a global community.

Students and services

  • CCS serves a diverse population, including students with disabilities (about 18% of students) and gifted learners (around 7%).
  • The district identifies and supports more than 4,300 “vulnerable youth,” including students who are homeless, in foster care, or in temporary/emergency housing.
  • All schools participate in the federal free breakfast and lunch program, serving about 45,000 meals daily and more than 7.7 million meals per year.

Early childhood focus

  • CCS has a dedicated Early Childhood Education Department, established in 1990, focused on children ages three through eight.
  • For the 2025–2026 school year, the early childhood program is tuition‑waived for families living in the district.
  • The program emphasizes developmentally appropriate learning plus health, social services, and strong family/community partnerships to ensure children enter kindergarten ready to learn.

Community and current context

  • The district describes a vision of “100% Student Success” and works to align curriculum and assessment with state and national standards.
  • Public discussions and forums often highlight both pride in CCS’s scale and offerings, and concern about issues like discipline, data reporting, and classroom conditions, showing a mix of supportive and critical community perspectives.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.