Enrollment
216
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Montgomery, AL
Catoma Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Catoma Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010243000998
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 57
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Catoma Elementary School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median.
- #1 of 28
- schools in Montgomery · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 18:1
- students per teacher
- 81.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Catoma Elementary School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Catoma Elementary School ranks #1 of 28 schools in Montgomery, AL.
School address
District: Montgomery County · Alabama
NCES ID 010243000998 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
12.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
81.8%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Catoma Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Catoma Elementary School
Catoma Elementary School is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Montgomery, Alabama, enrolling 216 students.
At 18:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Alabama median, within a few percentage points of the 17.7:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 81.8% of students qualify for free meals, 39% above the Alabama average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 91% of Alabama schools, with 216 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 93% of the 1,365 Alabama schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Against 122 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #16.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (64%) and African American (26%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 216 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
17.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 25.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Montgomery's public schools, it stands alongside Dalraida Elementary School (711 students): Catoma Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18:1 vs 20.9:1).
Montgomery County also operates Jefferson Davis High School (1,587 students) and Carver Senior High School (1,553 students) alongside Catoma 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 Catoma Elementary School compares
Catoma 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 | 18:1 | ▲ 2% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 81.8% | ▲ 39% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 216 | top 91% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
216
Bigger than 21% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
81.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 60% in Alabama - lower ratio than 40% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
17.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,430
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 216 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.2 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 63.9%
African American 25.9%
White 8.3%
Two or More 1.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 63.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.7, Catoma 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 Montgomery County, which includes Catoma Elementary School.
$11,430
Per student
-8%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.1%
State 55.2%
Federal 25.7%
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 Catoma Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Davis High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Carver Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lee High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Park Crossing High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brewbaker Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Catoma Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,587
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- 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 other schools in Montgomery
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Dalraida Elementary School
Standard public school
711 students 20.9:1 students per teacher
Halcyon Elementary School
Standard public school
694 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Brewbaker Primary School
Standard public school
651 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Garrett Elementary School
Standard public school
592 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Dannelly Elementary School
Standard public school
588 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Crump Elementary School
Standard public school
575 students 19.8:1 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 (~216 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Catoma Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Catoma Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Montgomery County'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 Catoma Elementary School
How many students attend Catoma Elementary School?
Catoma Elementary School has 216 students enrolled. It is a public school in Montgomery, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Catoma Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Catoma Elementary School is 18:1, 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 Catoma Elementary School?
81.8% of students at Catoma Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Catoma Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Catoma Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 63.9% of enrollment, in Montgomery, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Catoma Elementary School?
Catoma Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher 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 Catoma Elementary School rank among schools in Montgomery?
By Resource Investment Index, Catoma Elementary School ranks #1 of 28 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 schools in Montgomery on the city page.
Is Catoma Elementary School a good school?
Catoma Elementary School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. 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 Montgomery County?
Besides Catoma Elementary School, 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.
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.