Enrollment
290
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Canton, GA
Clayton Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Clayton Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 65/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130111000428
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 71
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Clayton Elementary School earns 65/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% of Georgia schools.
- #1 of 12
- schools in Canton · Resource Index
- 65
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.1:1
- small classes for Georgia
- 31.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Clayton Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 80% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Clayton Elementary School ranks #1 of 12 schools in Canton, GA.
School address
District: Cherokee County · Georgia
NCES ID 130111000428 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.1:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
31.3%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-48% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Clayton Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Clayton Elementary School
Clayton Elementary School is a small combined-grade school in Canton, Georgia, enrolling 290 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 31.3% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 91% of Georgia schools, with 290 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 99% of the 2,314 Georgia schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 41 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #2, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (81% of enrollment) (diversity index 32/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 145 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
13.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Canton's public schools, it stands alongside William G. Hasty- Sr. Elementary School (1,119 students): Clayton Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.1:1 vs 11.7:1).
Cherokee County also operates Cherokee High School (3,012 students) and Etowah High School (2,393 students) alongside Clayton 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 Clayton Elementary School compares
Clayton 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 | 12.1:1 | ▼ 16% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 31.3% | ▼ 48% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 290 | top 91% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.1:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
290
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
31.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% 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
12.1:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 20% in Georgia - lower ratio than 80% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
13.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$12,141
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 145 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
15
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.9 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 81.4%
Hispanic or Latino 11.0%
Two or More 6.9%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: White at 81.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 32.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 32.0, Clayton Elementary School is less mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cherokee County, which includes Clayton Elementary School.
$12,141
Per student
-12%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.1%
State 38.7%
Federal 10.3%
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 Clayton Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Etowah High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Creekview High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sequoyah High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Woodstock High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Clayton Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,012
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,393
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,039
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,021
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,006
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools in Canton
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
William G. Hasty- Sr. Elementary School
Standard public school
1,119 students 11.7:1 students per teacher
Avery Elementary School
Standard public school
1,104 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Liberty Elementary School
Standard public school
977 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
J. Knox Elementary
Standard public school
909 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Hickory Flat Elementary School
Standard public school
890 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Indian Knoll Elementary
Standard public school
881 students 14.9:1 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 (~290 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Clayton Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Clayton Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Cherokee 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 Clayton Elementary School
How many students attend Clayton Elementary School?
Clayton Elementary School has 290 students enrolled. It is a public school in Canton, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Clayton Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Clayton Elementary School is 12.1:1, which is 16% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 23% 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 Clayton Elementary School?
31.3% of students at Clayton Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Clayton Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Clayton Elementary School is White at 81.4% of enrollment, in Canton, GA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Clayton Elementary School?
Clayton Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 65/100 (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 Clayton Elementary School rank among schools in Canton?
By Resource Investment Index, Clayton Elementary School ranks #1 of 12 schools in Canton, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Canton on the city page.
Is Clayton Elementary School a good school?
Clayton Elementary School earns 65/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% of 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 Cherokee County?
Besides Clayton Elementary School, Cherokee County also operates Cherokee High School (3,012 students), Etowah High School (2,393 students), and Creekview High School (2,039 students). See the Cherokee 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.