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.

Columbia schools reconsider arming security directors

KBIA | By Associated Press

Published February 22, 2013 at 11:50 AM CST

A Columbia school district committee is looking into allowing two district employees to carry firearms.

Currently, only Columbia police officers working in district buildings as so-called "school resource officers" can carry weapons. The Columbia Daily Tribune reports that the district's security director and assistant security director want those in their positions to be able to carry guns, too.

The district's policy committee first looked at the issue last month and delved into more details of the plan this week.

Superintendent Chris Belcher says it's an important issue to discuss, especially after last year's school shooting in Newtown, Conn. Twenty first-graders and six educators were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary.

One issue that is being discussed is training for the security staff, which is made up of retired police officers.