Enrollment
491
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Cornelia, GA
Cornelia Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Cornelia Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130258001153
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 2
📋 Attendance 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cornelia Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of Georgia schools.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in Cornelia · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.4:1
- small classes for Georgia
- 68.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Cornelia Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 86% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cornelia Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Cornelia, GA.
School address
District: Habersham County · Georgia
NCES ID 130258001153 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.4:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.1%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cornelia Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cornelia Elementary School
Cornelia Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Cornelia, Georgia, enrolling 491 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.4:1, Cornelia Elementary School is leaner than roughly 86% of Georgia schools and 21% under the state's 14.4:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 68.1% lands close to the Georgia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 491 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 273 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #72.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (65%) and White (25%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 491 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
17.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Cornelia's public schools, it stands alongside Level Grove Elementary School (591 students): Cornelia Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.4:1 vs 13.1:1).
Habersham County also operates Habersham Central High School (1,611 students) and Level Grove Elementary School (591 students) alongside Cornelia 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 Cornelia Elementary School compares
Cornelia 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 | 11.4:1 | ▼ 21% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.1% | ▲ 12% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 491 | top 70% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.4:1
Leaner classes than 80% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
491
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% above the Georgia average of 60.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.4:1
students per teacher
- 21% below state mean
Top 14% in Georgia - lower ratio than 86% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
17.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,229
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 491 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 65.0%
White 25.3%
Two or More 4.9%
African American 2.9%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 65.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.0, Cornelia Elementary School is about as mixed as the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Habersham County, which includes Cornelia Elementary School.
$14,229
Per student
+3%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.8%
State 48.0%
Federal 14.2%
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 Cornelia Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Habersham Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Level Grove Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hilliard a. Wilbanks Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Habersham Ninth Grade Academy | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Demorest Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cornelia Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,611
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 591
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 566
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 552
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 548
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar other schools in Cornelia
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~491 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cornelia Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Cornelia Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Habersham 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 Cornelia Elementary School
How many students attend Cornelia Elementary School?
Cornelia Elementary School has 491 students enrolled. It is a public school in Cornelia, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cornelia Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cornelia Elementary School is 11.4:1, which is 21% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 27% 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 Cornelia Elementary School?
68.1% of students at Cornelia Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cornelia Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Cornelia Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 65.0% of enrollment, in Cornelia, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cornelia Elementary School?
Cornelia Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Cornelia Elementary School rank among public schools in Cornelia?
By Resource Investment Index, Cornelia Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Cornelia, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Cornelia on the city page.
Is Cornelia Elementary School a good school?
Cornelia Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% 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 Habersham County?
Besides Cornelia Elementary School, Habersham County also operates Habersham Central High School (1,611 students), Level Grove Elementary School (591 students), and Hilliard a. Wilbanks Middle School (566 students). See the Habersham 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.