Editing Columbus, Mississippi (section)

==Education==
Columbus is home to a state university, the [[Mississippi University for Women]]. The MUW campus is also home to the [[Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science]], a state-funded public boarding school for academically gifted high school juniors and seniors.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}

The city's public high school (under the [[Columbus Municipal School District]]) is [[Columbus High School (Mississippi)|Columbus High School]], located in the eastern part of town. It is the largest high school in the city and fifth largest in the state, enrolling approximately 1370 students. Columbus High School was formed by the merger of the city's two previous high schools, [[Stephen D. Lee]] High School and Caldwell High School; the schools were merged in 1992 and the campuses in 1997. Columbus is also home to the oldest public elementary school in Mississippi, [[Franklin Elementary (Columbus, Mississippi)|Franklin Academy Elementary]], founded in 1821.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}

Desegregated in 1970, Lee High School received a state award for the high school with the best race relations.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}} Prior to desegregation, the school formed a race relations committee consisting of black and white students who could discuss issues and determine how to handle certain situations. For instance, the students decided to have both white and black homecoming courts so as to prevent sides being taken along racial lines. However, black students were allowed to vote for the white homecoming court and vice versa. The school went undefeated in football in 1970, which helped unite the student body. Students were ranked based on achievement score tests and divided into three groups, in order to allow each group to learn at their own pace.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}} This practice was in place prior to integration. It was continued after integration for a period, but such tracking was later ruled to be unconstitutional by a Federal court, because it was based on biased testing. It did not take into account differences in preparation in earlier grades.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}

The [[Lowndes County School District (Mississippi)|Lowndes County School District]] operates three high schools—Caledonia, New Hope, and West Lowndes—fed by similarly named elementary and middle schools.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}

Columbus has several private schools, including:
* Columbus Christian Academy, formerly Immanuel Christian School (K-3 through 12)
* [[Heritage Academy (Mississippi)|Heritage Academy]] ([[Christianity|Christian]], [[K-12]])
* Annunciation Catholic School ([[Catholic]], [[K-8 (education)|K-8]])
* Victory Christian Academy (Christian, K-12)
* Palmer Home for Children ([[orphanage]])