Enrollment
200
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hayneville, AL
Central Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Central Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010216000816
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 68
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Elementary School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 89% of Alabama schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in Hayneville · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.3:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 94.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 89% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Hayneville, AL.
School address
District: Lowndes County · Alabama
NCES ID 010216000816 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
94.6%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+61% 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 high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Hayneville, Alabama, enrolling 200 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 14.3:1, Central Elementary School is leaner than roughly 89% of Alabama schools and 19% under the state's 17.7:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 94.6% of students qualify for free meals, 61% above the Alabama average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 93% of Alabama schools, with 200 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 58 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #18.
Its student body is predominantly African American (98% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 4/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 400 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
13.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Lowndes County spends $20,753 per pupil, 66% above the Alabama average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 31.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 93 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 200 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Hayneville's public schools, it stands alongside Jacksonsteele Elementary School (114 students): Central Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.3:1 vs 12.7:1).
Lowndes County also operates Calhoun High School (186 students) and Fort Deposit Elementary School (186 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 | 14.3:1 | ▼ 19% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 94.6% | ▲ 61% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 200 | top 93% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
200
Bigger than 20% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
94.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% 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
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 11% in Alabama - lower ratio than 89% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
13.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$20,753
per pupil, district-wide
- above Alabama avg of $12,491
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 93 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 46.5 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
African American 98.0%
White 1.0%
Hispanic or Latino 1.0%
Largest group: African American at 98.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 3.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 3.9, Central Elementary School is less mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lowndes County, which includes Central Elementary School.
$20,753
Per student
+66%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
+25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.7%
State 50.3%
Federal 31.0%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calhoun High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fort Deposit Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hayneville Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jacksonsteele Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower 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
- 186
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 186
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 175
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 144
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 114
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar other schools in Hayneville
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~200 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Central Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Lowndes 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 200 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hayneville, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 14.3:1, which is 19% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 9% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Elementary School?
94.6% 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 African American at 98.0% of enrollment, in Hayneville, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (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 Central Elementary School rank among public schools in Hayneville?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Hayneville, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Hayneville on the city page.
Is Central Elementary School a good school?
Central Elementary School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 89% of Alabama schools. It is also less 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 Lowndes County?
Besides Central Elementary School, Lowndes County also operates Calhoun High School (186 students), Fort Deposit Elementary School (186 students), and Central High School (175 students). See the Lowndes 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.