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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.

Columbia school board: Sessions and Cone file, Rose declines run

Columbia School Board
KBIA File Photo

Tuesday was the first day candidates could file to run for the school board, and School board member Tom Rose has announced he will not run for reelection.

After seven years on the school board, Rose's term will expire in April. Rose plans to focus on his private veterinary practice, but he said he will still be involved with education.

“I'll still stay involved in the school, especially involved in early childhood education and those types of things but I also see that there are, can certainly give an opportunity for other people that had expressed interest in serving on the board as well," Rose said.

Rose said hiring Superintendent Chris Belcher and balancing the budget were some of the things he is most proud of in the past four years.

“I wish I could have done more, that we could do more, as far as you look at achievement gaps and the performance of our subset of students, minorities and lower-income students,” Rose said.

Three school board terms are set to expire, and with Rose not running for reelection, that leaves at least one open seat for someone who is not an incumbent.

So far, school board member Jonathan Sessions has decided to run for reelection. Board member Helen Wade's term will also expire, but she has not announced if she will run for reelection or not.

Newcomer Rex Cone has also filed to run for a board seat. This will be the third time he has run for the position.

Candidates have until January 21 at 5:00 to submit an application for candidacy at the school board building on Worley. The election will be held on April 8.