Enrollment
579
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hephzibah, GA
Diamond Lakes Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Diamond Lakes Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130438003701
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Diamond Lakes Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Georgia schools.
- #6 of 7
- schools in Hephzibah · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.5:1
- large classes for Georgia
- 97.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Diamond Lakes Elementary School has class sizes larger than 88% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Diamond Lakes Elementary School ranks #6 of 7 schools in Hephzibah, GA.
School address
District: Richmond County · Georgia
NCES ID 130438003701 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
97.9%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Diamond Lakes Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Diamond Lakes Elementary School
Diamond Lakes Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Hephzibah, Georgia, enrolling 579 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.5:1 is larger than about 88% of Georgia schools and 22% above the 14.4:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 97.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 579 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 469 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #310.
Its student body is predominantly African American (80% of enrollment) (diversity index 34/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 579 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 24.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Hephzibah's public schools, it stands alongside Georgia School for Innovation and the Classics (1,015 students): Diamond Lakes Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.5:1 vs 15.1:1).
Richmond County also operates Academy of Richmond County High School (1,178 students) and Cross Creek High School (1,152 students) alongside Diamond Lakes 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 Diamond Lakes Elementary School compares
Diamond Lakes 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 | 17.5:1 | ▲ 22% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 97.9% | ▲ 61% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 579 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
579
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
97.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% 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
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 22% above state mean
Top 88% in Georgia - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
24.7%
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
$14,096
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 579 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 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 80.3%
Hispanic or Latino 9.3%
White 5.9%
Two or More 4.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 80.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.1, Diamond Lakes 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 Richmond County, which includes Diamond Lakes Elementary School.
$14,096
Per student
+2%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.6%
State 40.0%
Federal 24.4%
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 Diamond Lakes Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy of Richmond County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cross Creek High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Westside High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hephzibah High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Butler High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Diamond Lakes Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,178
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,152
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,088
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,041
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 878
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar other schools in Hephzibah
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Georgia School for Innovation and the Classics
Standard public school
1,015 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Hephzibah Elementary School
Standard public school
574 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Deer Chase Elementary School
Standard public school
555 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Mcbean Elementary School
Standard public school
384 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Willis Foreman Elementary School
Standard public school
332 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Jamestown Elementary School
Standard public school
327 students 12.1:1 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 (~579 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Diamond Lakes Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Diamond Lakes Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Richmond 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 Diamond Lakes Elementary School
How many students attend Diamond Lakes Elementary School?
Diamond Lakes Elementary School has 579 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hephzibah, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Diamond Lakes Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Diamond Lakes Elementary School is 17.5:1, which is 22% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Diamond Lakes Elementary School?
97.9% of students at Diamond Lakes Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Diamond Lakes Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Diamond Lakes Elementary School is African American at 80.3% of enrollment, in Hephzibah, GA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Diamond Lakes Elementary School?
Diamond Lakes Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Diamond Lakes Elementary School rank among schools in Hephzibah?
By Resource Investment Index, Diamond Lakes Elementary School ranks #6 of 7 schools in Hephzibah, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hephzibah on the city page.
Is Diamond Lakes Elementary School a good school?
Diamond Lakes Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% 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 Richmond County?
Besides Diamond Lakes Elementary School, Richmond County also operates Academy of Richmond County High School (1,178 students), Cross Creek High School (1,152 students), and Westside High School (1,088 students). See the Richmond 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.