Enrollment
225
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gadsden, AL
Donehoo Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Donehoo Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010162000551
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 55
📋 Attendance 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Donehoo Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of Alabama schools.
- #6 of 11
- schools in Gadsden · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.1:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 73.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Donehoo Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 70% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Donehoo Elementary School ranks #6 of 11 schools in Gadsden, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
73.1%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Donehoo Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Donehoo Elementary School
Donehoo Elementary School is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Gadsden, Alabama, enrolling 225 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 16.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 73.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 225 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 142 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #93.
Its student body is led by African American (70%) and Hispanic or Latino (18%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 225 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 24.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 57 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 225 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Gadsden's public schools, it stands alongside Adams Elementary School (433 students): Donehoo Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.1:1 vs 17.3:1).
Gadsden City also operates Gadsden City High School (1,361 students) and Gadsden Middle School (438 students) alongside Donehoo 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 Donehoo Elementary School compares
Donehoo Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.1:1 | ▼ 9% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 73.1% | ▲ 24% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 225 | top 90% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
225
Bigger than 22% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
73.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 30% in Alabama - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
24.0%
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
$12,669
per pupil, district-wide
- above Alabama avg of $12,491
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 225 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
22
in-school suspensions + 35 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.3 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 70.2%
Hispanic or Latino 17.8%
White 8.9%
Two or More 2.2%
Asian 0.9%
Largest group: African American at 70.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.7, Donehoo Elementary School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gadsden City, which includes Donehoo Elementary School.
$12,669
Per student
+1%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.6%
State 57.1%
Federal 24.3%
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 Donehoo Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gadsden City High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gadsden Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Adams Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| W E Striplin Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Floyd Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Donehoo Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,361
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 438
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 433
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 400
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 384
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar other schools in Gadsden
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Adams Elementary School
Standard public school
433 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
W E Striplin Elementary School
Standard public school
400 students 20:1 students per teacher
Floyd Elementary School
Standard public school
384 students 24:1 students per teacher
Gaston High School
Standard public school
380 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
Eura Brown Elementary School
Standard public school
340 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Gaston Elementary School
Standard public school
290 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~225 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Donehoo Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Donehoo Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Gadsden City'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 Donehoo Elementary School
How many students attend Donehoo Elementary School?
Donehoo Elementary School has 225 students enrolled. It is a public school in Gadsden, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Donehoo Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Donehoo Elementary School is 16.1:1, which is 9% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 3% higher 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 Donehoo Elementary School?
73.1% of students at Donehoo Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Donehoo Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Donehoo Elementary School is African American at 70.2% of enrollment, in Gadsden, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Donehoo Elementary School?
Donehoo Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Donehoo Elementary School rank among schools in Gadsden?
By Resource Investment Index, Donehoo Elementary School ranks #6 of 11 schools in Gadsden, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Gadsden on the city page.
Is Donehoo Elementary School a good school?
Donehoo Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of Alabama 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 Gadsden City?
Besides Donehoo Elementary School, Gadsden City also operates Gadsden City High School (1,361 students), Gadsden Middle School (438 students), and Adams Elementary School (433 students). See the Gadsden City 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.