Enrollment
474
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Athens, AL
Athens Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Athens Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010012001471
👥 S:T ratio 27
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 5
📋 Attendance 58
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Athens Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #5 of 9
- schools in Athens · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.2:1
- students per teacher
- 59.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Athens Elementary School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Athens Elementary School ranks #5 of 9 schools in Athens, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.2:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.1%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Athens Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Athens Elementary School
Athens Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Athens, Alabama, enrolling 474 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 59.1% lands close to the Alabama typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 474 students, its enrollment sits close to the Alabama median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 465 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #189.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (41%) and White (34%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 474 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
16.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Athens's public schools, it stands alongside Alabama Connections Academy (7,822 students): Athens Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Athens City also operates Athens High School (1,278 students) and Athens Middle School (935 students) alongside Athens Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Athens Elementary School compares
Athens Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.1% | ▲ 1% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 474 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.2:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
474
Bigger than 58% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 1% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 63% in Alabama - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
16.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$10,655
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $12,491
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 474 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 40.9%
White 33.8%
African American 17.3%
Two or More 6.1%
Asian 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 40.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.5, Athens Elementary School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Athens City, which includes Athens Elementary School.
$10,655
Per student
-15%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 52.1%
State 38.8%
Federal 9.1%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Athens Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Athens Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Athens Intermediate School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Athens Renaissance School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Julian Newman Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Athens Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,278
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 935
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 641
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 606
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 409
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar other schools in Athens
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Alabama Connections Academy
Standard public school
7,822 students
East Limestone High School
Standard public school
1,216 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
Athens Renaissance School
Standard public school
606 students 24.2:1 students per teacher
Blue Springs Elementary School
Standard public school
558 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Clements High School
Standard public school
525 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Johnson Elementary School
Standard public school
475 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~474 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Athens Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Athens Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Athens City's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Athens Elementary School
How many students attend Athens Elementary School?
Athens Elementary School has 474 students enrolled. It is a public school in Athens, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Athens Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Athens Elementary School is 18.2:1, which is 3% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 16% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Athens Elementary School?
59.1% of students at Athens Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Athens Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Athens Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 40.9% of enrollment, in Athens, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Athens Elementary School?
Athens Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Athens Elementary School rank among schools in Athens?
By Resource Investment Index, Athens Elementary School ranks #5 of 9 schools in Athens, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Athens on the city page.
Is Athens Elementary School a good school?
Athens Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Athens City?
Besides Athens Elementary School, Athens City also operates Athens High School (1,278 students), Athens Middle School (935 students), and Athens Intermediate School (641 students). See the Athens City district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.