Enrollment
713
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Florrence, AL
Central Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Central Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010201002547
👥 S:T ratio 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median.
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.3:1
- students per teacher
- 54.1%
- free-lunch eligible
- 713
- students enrolled
Central Elementary School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Lauderdale County · Alabama
NCES ID 010201002547 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.3:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
54.1%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Elementary School
Central Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Florrence, Alabama, enrolling 713 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 54.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 713 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Among 408 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #360, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (90% of enrollment) (diversity index 20/100).
Lauderdale County also operates Brooks Elementary School (874 students) and Lauderdale Elementary School (746 students) alongside Central 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 Central Elementary School compares
Central 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 | 18.3:1 | ▲ 3% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 54.1% | ▼ 8% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 713 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.3:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
713
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
54.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.3:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 64% in Alabama - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$10,894
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.
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
White 89.5%
Two or More 3.5%
Hispanic or Latino 3.4%
African American 3.2%
Asian 0.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 89.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 19.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 19.6, Central Elementary School is less mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lauderdale County, which includes Central Elementary School.
$10,894
Per student
-13%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.4%
State 60.3%
Federal 14.3%
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 Central Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooks Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lauderdale Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Brooks High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rogers Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 874
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 746
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 729
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 596
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 592
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
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 (~713 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Central Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Lauderdale 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 Central Elementary School
How many students attend Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has 713 students enrolled. It is a public school in Florrence, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 18.3:1, which is 3% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Elementary School?
54.1% of students at Central Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Central Elementary School is White at 89.5% of enrollment, in Florrence, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 1 factor: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
Is Central Elementary School a good school?
Central Elementary School earns 27/100 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 Lauderdale County?
Besides Central Elementary School, Lauderdale County also operates Brooks Elementary School (874 students), Lauderdale Elementary School (746 students), and Brooks High School (729 students). See the Lauderdale 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.