Enrollment
364
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Bessemer, AL
Charles F Hard Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Charles F Hard Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010033000084
👥 S:T ratio 27
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 27
📋 Attendance 52
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Charles F Hard Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median.
- #1 of 7
- schools in Bessemer · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.2:1
- students per teacher
- 85.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Charles F Hard Elementary School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Charles F Hard Elementary School ranks #1 of 7 schools in Bessemer, AL.
School address
District: Bessemer City · Alabama
NCES ID 010033000084 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.2:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
85.1%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Charles F Hard Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Charles F Hard Elementary School
Charles F Hard Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Bessemer, Alabama, enrolling 364 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 85.1% of students qualify for free meals, 45% above the Alabama average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 364 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 218 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #42.
Its student body is predominantly African American (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 24/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 364 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 26.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Bessemer's public schools, it stands alongside Oak Grove High School (777 students): Charles F Hard Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.2:1 vs 18.1:1).
Bessemer City also operates Bessemer City High School (760 students) and Bessemer City Middle School (616 students) alongside Charles F Hard 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 F Hard Elementary School compares
Charles F Hard 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 | 18.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 85.1% | ▲ 45% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 364 | top 71% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.2:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
364
Bigger than 42% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
85.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% 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
18.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 63% in Alabama - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
19.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,580
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 364 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 22 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 86.8%
Hispanic or Latino 7.4%
Two or More 4.4%
White 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 86.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 23.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 23.9, Charles F Hard 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 Bessemer City, which includes Charles F Hard Elementary School.
$13,580
Per student
+9%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.2%
State 46.5%
Federal 26.3%
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 Charles F Hard Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bessemer City High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bessemer City Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jonesboro Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Greenwood Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Westhills Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Charles F Hard Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 760
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 616
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 474
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 290
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 277
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar other schools in Bessemer
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Oak Grove High School
Standard public school
777 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Mccalla Elementary School
Standard public school
752 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
Oak Grove Elementary School
Standard public school
576 students 18:1 students per teacher
Jonesboro Elementary School
Standard public school
474 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Concord Elementary School
Standard public school
400 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
Abrams Elementary School
Standard public school
231 students 19.3:1 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 (~364 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Charles F Hard Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Charles F Hard Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Bessemer 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 F Hard Elementary School
How many students attend Charles F Hard Elementary School?
Charles F Hard Elementary School has 364 students enrolled. It is a public school in Bessemer, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Charles F Hard Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Charles F Hard Elementary School is 18.2:1, which is 3% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 16% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Charles F Hard Elementary School?
85.1% of students at Charles F Hard Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Charles F Hard Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Charles F Hard Elementary School is African American at 86.8% of enrollment, in Bessemer, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Charles F Hard Elementary School?
Charles F Hard Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 F Hard Elementary School rank among schools in Bessemer?
By Resource Investment Index, Charles F Hard Elementary School ranks #1 of 7 schools in Bessemer, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Bessemer on the city page.
Is Charles F Hard Elementary School a good school?
Charles F Hard Elementary School earns 44/100 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 Bessemer City?
Besides Charles F Hard Elementary School, Bessemer City also operates Bessemer City High School (760 students), Bessemer City Middle School (616 students), and Jonesboro Elementary School (474 students). See the Bessemer 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.