Enrollment
388
Tennessee · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Chattanooga, TN
Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower
Federal NCES profile for Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 470159000674
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 22
📋 Attendance 98
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Tennessee median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Tennessee schools.
- #1 of 7
- elementary schools in Chattanooga · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.2:1
- students per teacher
- 388
- students enrolled
Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower has class sizes near the Tennessee median. Computed live against every Tennessee school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower ranks #1 of 7 elementary schools in Chattanooga, TN.
School address
District: Hamilton County · Tennessee
NCES ID 470159000674 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.2:1
vs 15.3:1 Tennessee avg
+6% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower compares with Tennessee and U.S. medians
What stands out at Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower
Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower is a mid-sized elementary school in Chattanooga, Tennessee, enrolling 388 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Tennessee schools by student-teacher ratio.
With 388 students, its enrollment sits close to the Tennessee median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 91% of the 1,838 Tennessee schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Its student body is led by White (56%) and African American (25%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 388 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 1.0% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 21.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Chattanooga's elementary schools, it stands alongside East Side Elementary (553 students): Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.2:1 vs 10.6:1).
Hamilton County also operates Signal Mountain Middle/High School (1,396 students) and The Howard School (1,329 students) alongside Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower.
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 Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower compares
Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower on the metrics families compare, against Tennessee and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Tennessee | Tennessee avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.2:1 | ▲ 6% | 15.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 388 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
388
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 69% in Tennessee - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
1.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$12,002
per pupil, district-wide
- above Tennessee avg of $10,822
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 388 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.6 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
White 56.4%
African American 25.3%
Two or More 6.7%
Hispanic or Latino 6.4%
Asian 5.2%
Largest group: White at 56.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.7, Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower is more mixed than the Tennessee school average of 38.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hamilton County, which includes Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower.
$12,002
Per student
+11%
vs Tennessee
Avg $10,822
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.2%
State 31.6%
Federal 21.1%
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 Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signal Mountain Middle/High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| The Howard School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| East Hamilton High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ooltewah High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Brainerd Elementary | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,396
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 1,329
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,293
- Students per teacher
- 68.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,233
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,177
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Chattanooga
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
East Side Elementary
Standard public school
553 students 10.6:1 students per teacher
Bess T Shepherd Elementary
Standard public school
546 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Chattanooga Charter School of Excellence
Standard public school
468 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Barger Academy
Standard public school
349 students 14:1 students per teacher
Alpine Crest Elementary
Standard public school
302 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Dupont Elementary
Standard public school
268 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Tennessee, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~388 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower's federal record.
- Compare Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower against another school. Compare schools
- Hamilton 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 Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower
How many students attend Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower?
Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower has 388 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Chattanooga, TN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower?
The student-teacher ratio at Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower is 16.2:1, which is 6% higher than the Tennessee average of 15.3:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower?
The largest demographic group at Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower is White at 56.4% of enrollment, in Chattanooga, TN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower?
Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (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 Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower rank among elementary schools in Chattanooga?
By Resource Investment Index, Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower ranks #1 of 7 elementary schools in Chattanooga, TN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Chattanooga on the city page.
Is Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower a good school?
Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Tennessee median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Tennessee 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 Hamilton County?
Besides Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower, Hamilton County also operates Signal Mountain Middle/High School (1,396 students), The Howard School (1,329 students), and East Hamilton High School (1,293 students). See the Hamilton 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.