Mill Creek Elementary and Rock Bridge High top rankings
 
COLUMBIA, 4/7/12  (Beat Byte) --  Billed as "the country's leading source of information on school performance," Great Schools -- a widely-used Realtor and relocation resource -- has ranked Columbia's public schools on a scale of 1-10.  
 
"Our ratings provide an overview of a school's test performance by comparing the school's state standardized test results to those of other schools in the state," Great Schools' website explains.  "Ratings are given for each grade and student category (gender, ethnicity or other student group) for which test results are available."  
 
The group also includes community rankings based on comments and votes from residents, parents, and other school stakeholders.  Community rankings include private schools and parent/student reviews. 

"I graduated in 02, went on to a top university, and found myself more prepared for college-level critical thinking and writing that almost all of my peers," one reviewer says about Hickman High.   About Columbia's Islamic school, a parent writes:  "I love this school for my child. I have seen the current principal is working hard to improve this school.  Alhamdulillah."
 
From top to bottom rank, the Great Schools ranking list reads:
 
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
 
1.   Mill Creek Elementary School
2.   Fairview Elementary School
3.   Ulysses S. Grant Elementary School
4.   Mary Paxton Keeley Elementary School
5.   John Ridgeway Elementary School
6.   Shepard Blvd. Elementary School
7.   Two Mile Prairie Elementary School
8.   Midway Heights Elementary School
9.   Robert E. Lee Elementary School
10.  Rock Bridge Elementary School
11.  Russell Blvd. Elementary School
12.  Derby Ridge Elementary School
13.  Blue Ridge Elementary School
14.  Parkade Elementary School
15.  West Blvd. Elementary School
16.  New Haven Elementary School
17.  Cedar Ridge Elementary School
18.  Thomas Benton Elementary School
19.  Alpha Hart Lewis Elementary School
 
 
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
 
1.  Smithton Middle School
2.  Ann Hawkins Gentry Middle School
3.  John B. Lange Middle School
 
 
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS
 
1.  West Junior High School
2.  Jefferson Junior High School
3.  Oakland Junior High School
 
 
HIGH SCHOOLS
 
1.  Rock Bridge Senior High School
2.  David H. Hickman High School
3.  Frederick Douglass High School
 
 
Great Schools ranking according to community opinion (includes private schools).
 
 
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

1.   Russell Blvd. Elementary School
2.   Shepard Blvd. Elementary School
3.   Two Mile Prairie Elementary School
4.   West Blvd. Elementary School
5.   Midway Heights Elementary School
6.   Derby Ridge Elementary School
7.   Trinity Lutheran Child Learning Center
8.   Christian Fellowship School
9.   Christian Chapel Academy
10. Columbia Independent School
11.  Islamic School of Columbia
12.  Columbia Montessori School
13.  Good Shepherd Lutheran School
14.  Rock Bridge Child Development Center
15.  Countryside Nursery School
16.  Little Ones Day Out Child Care Center
17.  Nerling's Day Care
18.  Academy II Child Care Center
19.  Fairview Elementary School
20.  John Ridgeway Elementary School
21.  Parkade Elementary School
22.  Robert E. Lee Elementary School
23.  Rock Bridge Elementary School
24.  Thomas Benton Elementary School
25.  Cedar Ridge Elementary School
26.  New Haven Elementary School
27.  Mill Creek Elementary School
28.  Columbia Catholic School
29.  Childrens House Montessori of Columbia
30.  Morningside Community School
31.  Apple School
32.  Columbias Finest Child Development Center
33.  Blue Ridge Elementary School
34.  Ulysses S. Grant Elementary School
35.  Mary Paxton Keeley Elementary School
 
 
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
 
1.   Ann Hawkins Gentry Middle School
2.   Smithton Middle School
3.   Christian Fellowship School
4.   Christian Chapel Academy
5.   Columbia Independent School
6.   Good Shepherd Lutheran School
7.   Columbia Catholic School
8.    Morningside Community School
9.    Heritage Academy
10.  College Park Christian Academy
11.  John B. Lange Middle School
 
 
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS
 
1.   Jefferson Junior High School
2.   Christian Fellowship School
3.   Christian Chapel Academy
4.   Columbia Independent School
5.   Good Shepherd Lutheran School
6.   Columbia Catholic School
7.   Morningside Community School
8.   Oakland Junior High School
9.   West Junior High School
10   Heritage Academy
11.  College Park Christian Academy
 
 
HIGH SCHOOLS*
 
1. Rock Bridge Senior High School
2. Christian Fellowship School
3. Columbia Independent School
4. David H. Hickman High School
5. Frederick Douglass High School
6. Heritage Academy
 
*Fr. Tolton Catholic High School is too new to rate.