Enrollment
296
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Birmingham, AL
Charles a Brown Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Charles a Brown Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010039000107
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Charles a Brown Elementary School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #22 of 38
- schools in Birmingham · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.5:1
- students per teacher
- 78.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Charles a Brown Elementary School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Charles a Brown Elementary School ranks #22 of 38 schools in Birmingham, AL.
School address
District: Birmingham City · Alabama
NCES ID 010039000107 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.5:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
78.5%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Charles a Brown Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Charles a Brown Elementary School
Charles a Brown Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Birmingham, Alabama, enrolling 296 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 78.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 296 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Among 228 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #170, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (93% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 13/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 592 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 23.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Birmingham's public schools, it stands alongside Huffman High Schoolmagnet (1,094 students): Charles a Brown Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.5:1 vs 18.2:1).
Birmingham City also operates Huffman High Schoolmagnet (1,094 students) and Parker High School (942 students) alongside Charles a Brown 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 Charles a Brown Elementary School compares
Charles a Brown 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 | 18.5:1 | ▲ 5% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 78.5% | ▲ 34% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 296 | top 81% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.5:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
296
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
78.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
18.5:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 66% in Alabama - lower ratio than 34% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
24.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$13,890
per pupil, district-wide
- above Alabama avg of $12,491
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 93.2%
Hispanic or Latino 6.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 93.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 12.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 12.7, Charles a Brown 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 Birmingham City, which includes Charles a Brown Elementary School.
$13,890
Per student
+11%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.0%
State 43.8%
Federal 23.2%
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 Charles a Brown Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huffman High Schoolmagnet | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Parker High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glen Iris Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Huffman Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ramsay High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Charles a Brown Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,094
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 942
- Students per teacher
- 26.2:1
- Resource Index
- 11/100
- Enrollment
- 827
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 779
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 762
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar other schools in Birmingham
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Huffman High Schoolmagnet
Standard public school
1,094 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Glen Iris Elementary School
Standard public school
827 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Chalkville Elementary School
Standard public school
818 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
Huffman Academy
Standard public school
779 students 20:1 students per teacher
Jacksonolin High School
Standard public school
713 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Bryant Park Elementary
Standard public school
707 students 19.1:1 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 (~296 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Charles a Brown Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Charles a Brown Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Birmingham 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 Charles a Brown Elementary School
How many students attend Charles a Brown Elementary School?
Charles a Brown Elementary School has 296 students enrolled. It is a public school in Birmingham, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Charles a Brown Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Charles a Brown Elementary School is 18.5:1, which is 5% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Charles a Brown Elementary School?
78.5% of students at Charles a Brown Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Charles a Brown Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Charles a Brown Elementary School is African American at 93.2% of enrollment, in Birmingham, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Charles a Brown Elementary School?
Charles a Brown Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Charles a Brown Elementary School rank among schools in Birmingham?
By Resource Investment Index, Charles a Brown Elementary School ranks #22 of 38 schools in Birmingham, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Birmingham on the city page.
Is Charles a Brown Elementary School a good school?
Charles a Brown Elementary School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. 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 Birmingham City?
Besides Charles a Brown Elementary School, Birmingham City also operates Huffman High Schoolmagnet (1,094 students), Parker High School (942 students), and Glen Iris Elementary School (827 students). See the Birmingham 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.