Enrollment
613
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gray, GA
Dames Ferry Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Dames Ferry Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130315002272
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dames Ferry Elementary School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Georgia schools.
- #2 of 3
- schools in Gray · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.7:1
- large classes for Georgia
- 38.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Dames Ferry Elementary School has class sizes larger than 73% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dames Ferry Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 schools in Gray, GA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.7:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.5%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dames Ferry Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dames Ferry Elementary School
Dames Ferry Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Gray, Georgia, enrolling 613 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 38.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 613 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.
Against 396 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #221.
Its student body is led by White (78%) and African American (13%) (diversity index 37/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 613 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Gray's public schools, it stands alongside Turner Woods Elementary School (590 students): Dames Ferry Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.7:1 vs 15.1:1).
Jones County also operates Jones County High School (1,614 students) and Gray Station Middle School (609 students) alongside Dames Ferry 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 Dames Ferry Elementary School compares
Dames Ferry 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 | 15.7:1 | ▲ 9% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.5% | ▼ 37% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 613 | top 53% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.7:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
613
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% 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
15.7:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 73% in Georgia - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
15.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,570
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 613 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 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 78.1%
African American 13.4%
Two or More 4.6%
Hispanic or Latino 3.3%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 78.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 36.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 36.9, Dames Ferry 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 Jones County, which includes Dames Ferry Elementary School.
$12,570
Per student
-9%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.7%
State 55.8%
Federal 14.5%
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 Dames Ferry Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jones County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gray Station Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Turner Woods Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mattie Wells Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gray Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dames Ferry Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,614
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 609
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 590
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 584
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 512
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Gray
2 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 (~613 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dames Ferry Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Dames Ferry Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Jones 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 Dames Ferry Elementary School
How many students attend Dames Ferry Elementary School?
Dames Ferry Elementary School has 613 students enrolled. It is a public school in Gray, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dames Ferry Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Dames Ferry Elementary School is 15.7:1, which is 9% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 0% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Dames Ferry Elementary School?
38.5% of students at Dames Ferry Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dames Ferry Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Dames Ferry Elementary School is White at 78.1% of enrollment, in Gray, GA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dames Ferry Elementary School?
Dames Ferry Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Dames Ferry Elementary School rank among schools in Gray?
By Resource Investment Index, Dames Ferry Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 schools in Gray, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Gray on the city page.
Is Dames Ferry Elementary School a good school?
Dames Ferry Elementary School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% 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 Jones County?
Besides Dames Ferry Elementary School, Jones County also operates Jones County High School (1,614 students), Gray Station Middle School (609 students), and Turner Woods Elementary School (590 students). See the Jones 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.