- Enrollment
- 1,587
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Montgomery, AL
Bear Exploration Center
Federal NCES profile for Bear Exploration Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 010243000991
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 91
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bear Exploration Center earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median.
- #3 of 7
- elementary schools in Montgomery · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.1:1
- students per teacher
- 13.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Bear Exploration Center has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bear Exploration Center ranks #3 of 7 elementary schools in Montgomery, AL.
School address
District: Montgomery County · Alabama
NCES ID 010243000991 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-8 students YoY
Bear Exploration Center held near 503 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-8 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 28.0 → 29.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-8 students YoY 010243000991 · Montgomery, AL Elementary · MID · TRAD
507 enr · 18.1:1 · 13.3% lunch · RII 37
Nearest enrollment peer: Jefferson Davis High School (1,587 students)
Bear Exploration Center held near 503 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-8 headcount). Teacher FTE added 28.0 → 29.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Alabama schools → · Find another →
Bear Exploration Center in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Jefferson Davi
Jefferson Davis High School
1,587 students
- Carver Senior
Carver Senior High School
1,553 students
- Lee High Schoo
Lee High School
1,282 students
- Park Crossing
Park Crossing High School
882 students
- Brewbaker Midd
Brewbaker Middle School
806 students
- This school 507
Bear Exploration Center
507 students
What this shows Bear Exploration Center reports 507 students on the CCD universe file.
How Bear Exploration Center compares
Bear Exploration Center held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.1:1 | ▲ 2% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 13.3% | ▼ 77% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 507 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
507
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
13.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 77% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 62% in Alabama - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
3.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$12,977
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $13,538
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 507 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 64.5%
White 22.5%
Hispanic or Latino 5.1%
Two or More 4.5%
Asian 3.4%
Largest group: African American at 64.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.8, Bear Exploration Center is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
District finance for Montgomery County reports $12,977 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Bear Exploration Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Davis High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Carver Senior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lee High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Park Crossing High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brewbaker Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bear Exploration Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,553
- Students per teacher
- 32.4:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 1,282
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 882
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 806
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar elementary schools in Montgomery
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Forest Avenue Elementary School
Standard public school
617 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Life Academy at Historic St Jude Educational Institute
Standard public school
599 students 49.9:1 students per teacher
Brewbaker Intermediate School
Standard public school
549 students 22:1 students per teacher
Lead Academy Building B
Standard public school
394 students 32.8:1 students per teacher
Macmillan International at Mckee
Standard public school
386 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
Lead Academy Building a
Standard public school
358 students 22.4:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~507 students)
Frequently asked questions about Bear Exploration Center
How many students attend Bear Exploration Center?
Bear Exploration Center has 507 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Montgomery, AL. CCD year-over-year: 511 (2022-23) → 503 (2023-24), nearly flat (-8).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bear Exploration Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Bear Exploration Center is 18.1:1, which is 2% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bear Exploration Center?
13.3% of students at Bear Exploration Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bear Exploration Center?
The largest demographic group at Bear Exploration Center is African American at 64.5% of enrollment, in Montgomery, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bear Exploration Center?
Bear Exploration Center has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Bear Exploration Center rank among elementary schools in Montgomery?
By Resource Investment Index, Bear Exploration Center ranks #3 of 7 elementary schools in Montgomery, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Montgomery on the city page.
What other schools are in Montgomery County?
Besides Bear Exploration Center, Montgomery County also operates Jefferson Davis High School (1,587 students), Carver Senior High School (1,553 students), and Lee High School (1,282 students). See the Montgomery County district page for the complete list.