Enrollment
551
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Dunwoody, GA
Chesnut Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Chesnut Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130174000724
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chesnut Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Georgia schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Georgia schools.
- #5 of 5
- schools in Dunwoody · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.2:1
- large classes for Georgia
- 35.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Chesnut Elementary School has class sizes larger than 86% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chesnut Elementary School ranks #5 of 5 schools in Dunwoody, GA.
School address
District: Dekalb County · Georgia
NCES ID 130174000724 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.2:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.0%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Chesnut Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Chesnut Elementary School
Chesnut Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Dunwoody, Georgia, enrolling 551 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.2:1 is larger than about 86% of Georgia schools and 19% above the 14.4:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 35.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 551 students, its enrollment sits close to the Georgia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Among 323 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #238, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (33%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 551 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
17.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 15.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Dunwoody's public schools, it stands alongside Austin Elementary School (803 students): Chesnut Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.2:1 vs 20.1:1).
Dekalb County also operates Lakeside High School (2,234 students) and Dunwoody High School (2,012 students) alongside Chesnut 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 Chesnut Elementary School compares
Chesnut Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Georgia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Georgia | Georgia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.2:1 | ▲ 19% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.0% | ▼ 42% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 551 | top 61% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.2:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
551
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% below the Georgia average of 60.7%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.2:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 86% in Georgia - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
17.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$15,594
per pupil, district-wide
- above Georgia avg of $13,863
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 551 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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 32.5%
Hispanic or Latino 29.9%
White 23.8%
Asian 6.5%
Two or More 5.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 32.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.1, Chesnut Elementary School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dekalb County, which includes Chesnut Elementary School.
$15,594
Per student
+12%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.6%
State 32.7%
Federal 15.7%
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 Chesnut Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeside High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dunwoody High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chamblee High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cross Keys High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sequoyah Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chesnut Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,234
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,012
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,867
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,748
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,713
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools in Dunwoody
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Austin Elementary School
Standard public school
803 students 20.1:1 students per teacher
Dunwoody Elementary School
Standard public school
790 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Vanderlyn Elementary School
Standard public school
441 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
Kingsley Elementary School
Standard public school
386 students 12.1:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Georgia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~551 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Chesnut Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Chesnut Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Dekalb 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 Chesnut Elementary School
How many students attend Chesnut Elementary School?
Chesnut Elementary School has 551 students enrolled. It is a public school in Dunwoody, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chesnut Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Chesnut Elementary School is 17.2:1, which is 19% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Chesnut Elementary School?
35.0% of students at Chesnut Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Chesnut Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Chesnut Elementary School is African American at 32.5% of enrollment, in Dunwoody, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chesnut Elementary School?
Chesnut Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Chesnut Elementary School rank among schools in Dunwoody?
By Resource Investment Index, Chesnut Elementary School ranks #5 of 5 schools in Dunwoody, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Dunwoody on the city page.
Is Chesnut Elementary School a good school?
Chesnut Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Georgia schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Georgia 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 Dekalb County?
Besides Chesnut Elementary School, Dekalb County also operates Lakeside High School (2,234 students), Dunwoody High School (2,012 students), and Chamblee High School (1,867 students). See the Dekalb 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.