Columbia School District

What Columbia School District does

Columbia School District #400 is a public K-12 school district organized under Washington State law, serving students in the Burbank, Charbonneau, and Wallula communities of Walla Walla County, Washington — approximately eight miles from the Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland). The district operates three schools — Columbia Elementary School, Columbia Middle School, and Columbia High School — plus a district office, transportation operations, and a special education office. It delivers free public K-12 education to all eligible students in its service area, with categorical support programs including Title I, Special Education, Bilingual Services, Highly Capable programming, McKinney-Vento homeless and foster youth support, and early learning through ECEAP preschool and Transitional Kindergarten. The district is led by Superintendent Todd Hilberg and governed by a five-member elected Board of Directors (Crystal Maiden, Mike Scrimsher, Brad O'Brien, Hayley Shepard, Thad Pariera), with oversight from the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).

The district runs an integrated digital platform anchored by its public website (csd400.org, relaunched August 2025) and ParentSquare, the unified communications platform implemented in July 2025 to consolidate district, school, and classroom messaging across email, text, and app notifications with multilingual support. Skyward serves as the Student Information System, syncing nightly with ParentSquare for contact data; ClassLink Launchpad provides single sign-on across Google Classroom, HelixIntel work order management, and Linewize (Qoria) network content filtering; FinalForms manages athletic registrations; and Nutrislice publishes school menus. The 1:1 Chromebook initiative, launched August 2019 and funded by a 2018 voter-approved Technology Levy, issues every K-12 student a district Chromebook for school and home use. The website is committed to WCAG 2.0-2.1 A/AA accessibility compliance under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

As a Washington State government entity, CSD #400 has no commercial revenue model. Funding flows from three streams: federal and Washington State education appropriations (including Title I and Special Education grants), voter-approved local levies (Educational Programs & Operations Levy and Capital/Technology Levy, both renewed February 2026), and ancillary transaction-based income from adult meals (Breakfast $2.80, Lunch $5.25), ASB and athletic participation fees with waivers available under HB 1660. The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) makes all students eligible for free school meals, with Sodexo as the contracted food services provider. Transportation spans seven bus routes covering East Humorist, Burbank Heights, Wallula Junction, Wallula, Charbonneau, Dodd Road, Tuttle, and Gallant areas. Marketing and community engagement operate through ParentSquare, bilingual English/Spanish newsletters, public board meetings recorded and posted to YouTube, and community events including the annual Community BBQ.

Name

Columbia School District

Legal name

Columbia School District #400

Website

https://csd400.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Columbia School District #400 is a public K-12 district operating one elementary, one middle, and one high school in Burbank, Washington (Walla Walla County), serving students and families with free public education, special programs, and community-funded operations under Washington State oversight.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability) (EDAJAKAH), District Student Services Administration (Special Ed, Counseling, Health) (EDADABAJ)

Keywords

• K-12 public education
• Special education services
• Student transportation
• School nutrition programs
• Early childhood education

Headquarters

HQ city

Wausau

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Federal & State Education Funding: Primary funding source from federal and Washington State government education appropriations, including Title I, Special Education, and other federal grant programs. Every Columbia School District student is eligible for free school meals under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) through federally-funded nutrition programs.
2. Local Levy Funding (EP&O and Capital/Technology Levies): District relies on voter-approved local levies including Educational Programs & Operations (EP&O) Levy and Capital/Technology Levy. Both levies were renewed by voters in February 2026.
3. Student Nutrition Services: District provides breakfast and lunch meals through Sodexo food services. Free meals for all students are covered under CEP; adult meals are priced at $2.80 breakfast and $5.25 lunch.
4. Student Activity & Athletic Fees: ASB (Associated Student Body) fees and athletic participation fees support extracurricular programs. Fee waiver policy available for low-income families under HB 1660.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Columbia School District #400 is a public K-12 school district in Walla Walla County, Washington operating Columbia Elementary School, Columbia Middle School, and Columbia High School. The district provides free public education to students in grades K-12, supplemented by special education, bilingual services, athletics, school nutrition (free meals for all students under CEP), transportation across seven bus routes, early learning programs (ECEAP and Transitional Kindergarten), and a 1:1 Chromebook initiative.

Product overview

Columbia School District operates a unified educational services platform comprising its district website (csd400.org) as the central hub, with ParentSquare for family communications, Skyward SIS for student records, ClassLink SSO for application access, and a 1:1 Chromebook initiative providing devices to all K-12 students. The district offers direct support services including CSD Tech Support for device issues and HelixIntel for facility maintenance requests. These interconnected systems enable families to access grades, receive communications, manage forms, and engage with the school community through a coordinated digital ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Columbia Elementary School Public K-5 elementary school serving children in Burbank, Charbonneau, and Wallula communities. Principal: Jillian Robillard. Recognized by Washington State Board of Education through the Washington School Recognition Program for Closing the Gaps.
• Columbia Middle School Public middle school serving grades 6-8 in Burbank, Washington. Previously recognized by Washington State Board of Education for Closing the Gaps.
• Columbia High School Public high school serving grades 9-12 in Burbank, Washington. Principal: Kyle Miller. Previously recognized by Washington State Board of Education for student growth among students receiving Special Education services.
• Special Education Services Special education services for students with disabilities, with dedicated office at 121 Jantz Road. Office Manager: Brenda Olivera. Email: [email protected]. Phone: 509-316-4247.
• Student Transportation Services School bus transportation across seven bus routes covering East Humorist, Burbank Heights, Wallula Junction, Wallula, Charbonneau, Dodd Road, Tuttle and Gallant areas. Transportation Director: Danna Stultz. Office phone: 509-975-7070.
• School Nutrition Program Breakfast and lunch meal services for all students provided through Sodexo food services. All students eligible for free meals under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for the 2025-26 school year. Adult meals: Breakfast $2.80, Lunch $5.25, Milk $0.55.
• Highly Capable Program Gifted and talented education services for K-12 students identified as highly capable. District Liaison: Julie DeBord.
• 1:1 Chromebook Initiative Technology program providing each K-12 student with a personal Chromebook device for daily classroom and home use. Includes device assurance, responsible use policies, and damage reporting procedures.
• Athletic Programs Associated Student Body (ASB) athletics programs for student athletes. Athletics Administrator: Kyle Miller. Athletic registration handled through FinalForms online platform. ASB fee waivers available under HB 1660 for students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch.
• Early Learning Programs (ECEAP and Transitional Kindergarten) Early childhood education programs for children ages 0-5 including ECEAP preschool and Transitional Kindergarten. Enrollments coordinated through ESD 123.

Quantifiable outcome

• Columbia Elementary School recognized by Washington State Board of Education — approximately 16% of WA schools achieved this recognition in the past year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ParentSquarecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 August 2025ParentSquare is the district's unified communication platform for all district, school, and classroom communications via email, text, and app notifications. The district uses ParentSquare as its single communication hub for all family engagement, replacing multiple prior platforms. Contact syncs nightly with Skyward Student Information System.
• SodexocoreOthersSodexo provides food services to Columbia School District, including breakfast and lunch programs. The district operates under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) providing free meals to all students. Sodexo works to provide fresh, nutritious, and tasty meals customized to diverse student needs.
• Walla Walla County Public WorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWalla Walla County Public Works is leading a sidewalk and roadway improvement project near Columbia School District schools, focused on improving student and community safety. The project includes wider shared paths for walking and biking on Humorist Road. Expected to move forward summer 2026.
• United Way of the Blue MountainsminorOthersUnited Way of the Blue Mountains administers Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in the region, providing free age-appropriate books monthly to children from birth to age 5. Columbia Elementary School participates in this program. Local enrollments depend on community donations; $25 sponsors one child for a full year.
• ClassLinkcoreTechnology or IntegrationClassLink Launchpad is the district's single sign-on (SSO) portal for students and staff to access all district digital resources and applications including Google Classroom, HelixIntel work orders, and other platforms.
• Vector Training (Vector Solutions)coreTechnology or IntegrationVector Training K-12 Edition is provided by Columbia School District through Educational Service District (ESD) 123 for employee training. The platform provides safety and compliance training courses for staff. ESD 123 is the regional educational service provider.
• ESD 123 (Educational Service District 123)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerESD 123 is the regional Educational Service District providing services to Columbia School District. It facilitates the Vector Training platform for staff and provides early learning program coordination including the Early Learning Interest Form for ECEAP and TK enrollment.
• FinalFormscoreTechnology or IntegrationFinalForms is the district's online athletic participation forms and data management platform. Parents register once per year and data carries forward season-to-season and year-to-year. Required for all student athletes.
• ROCKWOOLminorGTM or Marketing PartnerROCKWOOL sponsored the Columbia School District Annual Community BBQ by providing free WE Ice dessert with every meal purchased. Community BBQ is a major district engagement event.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Prescott School District: Very small public K-12 district in Walla Walla County. Comparable in tiny-scale, single-building operations and reliance on local levies; illustrates the small rural-district end of the same peer spectrum.
• Finley School District: Small public K-12 district near Burbank in Benton County. Closest match to CSD #400 in terms of district scale (single elementary, middle, and high school configuration) and rural-suburban positioning, operating under the same Washington State funding regime.
• Pasco School District: Tri-Cities public K-12 district also in the Burbank/Walla Walla commute shed. Operates neighborhood schools funded through Washington State formulas and local levies, with comparable bilingual services, Title I, and McKinney-Vento programs; competes for the same regional labor and grant pools.
• Kennewick School District: Larger Tri-Cities public K-12 district operating multiple elementary, middle, and high schools in Benton County. Same funding regime (state apportionment + local levies) and same instructional service portfolio; useful as a scaled benchmark for CSD #400.
• Kiona-Benton City School District: Small public K-12 district in Benton County near the Tri-Cities. Operates elementary, middle, and high school under the same Washington State funding formulas and levies; similar district-scale cost structure to CSD #400.
• Touchet School District: Small rural public K-12 district in Walla Walla County. Comparable in scale and rural demographics to CSD #400; representative of the smallest tier of Washington districts operating under identical state funding and levy mechanics.
• Walla Walla Public Schools: Adjacent public K-12 district also serving Walla Walla County, Washington. Operates a comparable set of neighborhood public schools, levies, and special education/Title I programs under Washington State law — directly comparable product, customer type, and funding model.
• North Franklin School District: Adjacent small public K-12 district in Franklin County near the Tri-Cities. Serves a similarly rural-suburban population with comparable levy-funded programs, providing a close peer on district scale and demographics.
• College Place Public Schools: Small public K-12 district in Walla Walla County. Comparable size and community-college-town demographic profile; subject to the same OSPI accountability system and levy structure as CSD #400.
• Richland School District: Tri-Cities public K-12 district; directly comparable in funding model, instructional programs, and special education services under Washington State law. Operates within the same regional labor market and ESD 123 service area.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLZcw58PH2PuLfcUHAa7m4uBiM0_L7RwLU

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Columbia School District