Enrollment
1,159
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gainesville, GA
Chestatee Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Chestatee Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130222002881
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 39
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chestatee Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median.
- #16 of 21
- schools in Gainesville · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.3:1
- students per teacher
- 23.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Chestatee Elementary has class sizes near the Georgia median. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chestatee Elementary ranks #16 of 21 schools in Gainesville, GA.
School address
District: Forsyth County · Georgia
NCES ID 130222002881 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
81.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.5%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Chestatee Elementary compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Chestatee Elementary
Chestatee Elementary is a large combined-grade school in Gainesville, Georgia, enrolling 1,159 students.
At 14.3:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Georgia median, within a few percentage points of the 14.4:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 23.5% free-meal eligibility runs 61% below the Georgia average.
Enrollment of 1,159 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Among 259 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #209, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (75%) and Hispanic or Latino (19%) (diversity index 40/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 580 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Forsyth County spends $10,928 per pupil, 21% below the Georgia average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Gainesville's public schools, it stands alongside Mundy Mill Arts Academy (825 students): Chestatee Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.3:1 vs 17.2:1).
Forsyth County also operates Lambert High School (3,249 students) and South Forsyth High School (2,634 students) alongside Chestatee Elementary.
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 Chestatee Elementary compares
Chestatee Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Georgia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Georgia | Georgia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.3:1 | ▼ 1% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.5% | ▼ 61% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,159 | top 14% | - | - |
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.
1,159
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% below the Georgia average of 60.7%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 53% in Georgia - lower ratio than 47% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
24.5%
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
$10,928
per pupil, district-wide
- below Georgia avg of $13,863
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 580 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
16
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.5 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
White 74.9%
Hispanic or Latino 19.2%
Two or More 2.7%
African American 1.8%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 74.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.1, Chestatee Elementary is less mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Forsyth County, which includes Chestatee Elementary.
$10,928
Per student
-21%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.6%
State 38.4%
Federal 7.0%
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 Chestatee Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lambert High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Forsyth High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Denmark High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Forsyth High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Forsyth Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chestatee Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,249
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,634
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,527
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,503
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 2,457
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar other schools in Gainesville
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Mundy Mill Arts Academy
Standard public school
825 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
Chicopee Elementary School
Standard public school
809 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Lyman Hall Elementary School
Standard public school
785 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Enota Multiple Intelligences Academy
Standard public school
767 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Centennial Arts Academy
Standard public school
760 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Sugar Hill Elementary
Standard public school
685 students 15.6:1 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 (~1,159 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Chestatee Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Chestatee Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Forsyth 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 Chestatee Elementary
How many students attend Chestatee Elementary?
Chestatee Elementary has 1,159 students enrolled. It is a public school in Gainesville, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chestatee Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Chestatee Elementary is 14.3:1, which is 1% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 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 Chestatee Elementary?
23.5% of students at Chestatee Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Chestatee Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Chestatee Elementary is White at 74.9% of enrollment, in Gainesville, GA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chestatee Elementary?
Chestatee Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Chestatee Elementary rank among schools in Gainesville?
By Resource Investment Index, Chestatee Elementary ranks #16 of 21 schools in Gainesville, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Gainesville on the city page.
Is Chestatee Elementary a good school?
Chestatee Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia 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 Forsyth County?
Besides Chestatee Elementary, Forsyth County also operates Lambert High School (3,249 students), South Forsyth High School (2,634 students), and Denmark High School (2,527 students). See the Forsyth 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.