Columbus (Christopher) High

492 Students

High School 10th - 12th

School Overview

Columbus Continuation High School, located in Downey, California, serves as an alternative educational setting within the Downey Unified School District. The school is specifically designed to support students who may benefit from a non-traditional learning environment, offering a flexible structure that caters to those who need to recover academic credits, require smaller class sizes, or seek a more personalized approach to completing their high school education.

The mission of Columbus Continuation is to provide a supportive pathway toward graduation for students who have faced challenges in a conventional comprehensive high school setting. By focusing on individualized instruction and fostering a close-knit campus culture, the school empowers students to overcome obstacles, regain academic momentum, and successfully meet the requirements necessary to earn their high school diploma and prepare for life after graduation.

492

Total Students

27.9

Full-Time Teachers

17.6

Student/Teacher Ratio

67.3%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Columbus (Christopher) High
Demographic	Student Count
White	17
Hispanic	443
Black	24
Asian	3
Two or More	2
American Indian	2
Pacific Islander	1

Hispanic
443 (90.0 %)
Black
24 (4.9 %)
White
17 (3.5 %)
Asian
3 (0.6 %)
Two or More
2 (0.4 %)
American Indian
2 (0.4 %)
Pacific Islander
1 (0.2 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	High School
School Type:	Alternative School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	N/A
District:	Downey Unified
Phone:	(562)904-3552
Grade Range:	10th - 12th
Total Students:	492
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	27.9
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	17.6
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Provision 2
Qualified Free Lunch:	284
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	47

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 11 138

Grade 12 354