Enrollment
537
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Decatur, GA
Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter
Federal NCES profile for Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 130174004071Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Georgia schools.
- #5 of 6
- elementary schools in Decatur · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.8:1
- students per teacher
- 62.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter has class sizes near the Georgia median. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Decatur, GA.
School address
District: Dekalb County · Georgia
NCES ID 130174004071 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.5%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter
Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter is a higher-need, mid-sized charter elementary school in Decatur, Georgia, enrolling 537 students.
At 13.8:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 62.5% lands close to the Georgia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 537 students, its enrollment sits close to the Georgia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 320 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #195.
Its student body is predominantly African American (95% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 10/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 537 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.1% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
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 Decatur's elementary schools, it stands alongside Talley Street Upper Elementary School (623 students): Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.8:1 vs 11.8:1).
Dekalb County also operates Lakeside High School (2,234 students) and Dunwoody High School (2,012 students) alongside Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter.
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 Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter compares
Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter on the metrics families compare, against Georgia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Georgia | Georgia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.8:1 | ▼ 4% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.5% | ▲ 3% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 537 | top 64% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
537
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% 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
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 45% in Georgia - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
23.1%
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
$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 537 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 26 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.0 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 94.6%
Hispanic or Latino 2.6%
Two or More 2.0%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 94.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 10.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 10.4, Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter is less 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 Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter.
$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 Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeside High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dunwoody High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chamblee High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cross Keys High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sequoyah Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter'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 elementary schools in Decatur
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Talley Street Upper Elementary School
Standard public school
623 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
Fifth Avenue Upper Elementary School
Standard public school
529 students 10.4:1 students per teacher
International Community School
Standard public school
501 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Dekalb Brilliance Academy
Standard public school
357 students 25.5:1 students per teacher
Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers
Standard public school
273 students 24.8:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~537 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter's federal record.
- Compare Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter 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 Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter
How many students attend Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter?
Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter has 537 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Decatur, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter?
The student-teacher ratio at Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter is 13.8:1, which is 4% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 12% 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 Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter?
62.5% of students at Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter?
The largest demographic group at Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter is African American at 94.6% of enrollment, in Decatur, GA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter?
Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter rank among elementary schools in Decatur?
By Resource Investment Index, Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Decatur, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Decatur on the city page.
Is Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter a good school?
Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median. It is also less 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 Dekalb Preparatory Academy Charter, 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.