Enrollment
1,034
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Dothan, AL
Dothan Preparatory Academy
Federal NCES profile for Dothan Preparatory Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 010123002480
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 22
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dothan Preparatory Academy earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median.
- #11 of 17
- public schools in Dothan · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.2:1
- students per teacher
- 73.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Dothan Preparatory Academy has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dothan Preparatory Academy ranks #11 of 17 public schools in Dothan, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
60.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.2:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
73.9%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dothan Preparatory Academy compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dothan Preparatory Academy
Dothan Preparatory Academy is a higher-need, large middle school in Dothan, Alabama, enrolling 1,034 students.
At 17.2:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Alabama median, within a few percentage points of the 17.7:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 73.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Alabama, bigger than 93% of state schools at 1,034 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 107 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #62.
Its student body is led by African American (62%) and White (25%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 517 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 25.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 473 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,034 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 64 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Dothan City also operates Dothan High School (1,588 students) and Carver 9th Grade Academy (583 students) alongside Dothan Preparatory Academy.
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 Dothan Preparatory Academy compares
Dothan Preparatory Academy on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.2:1 | ▼ 3% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 73.9% | ▲ 26% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,034 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.2:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,034
Bigger than 92% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
73.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
17.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 47% in Alabama - lower ratio than 53% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
31.4%
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
$12,004
per pupil, district-wide
- below 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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 517 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
290
in-school suspensions + 183 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 28.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 45.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 64 expulsions.
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 62.0%
White 24.8%
Hispanic or Latino 9.3%
Two or More 1.9%
Asian 1.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 62.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.5, Dothan Preparatory Academy is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dothan City, which includes Dothan Preparatory Academy.
$12,004
Per student
-4%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.5%
State 53.0%
Federal 25.5%
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 Dothan Preparatory Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dothan High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carver 9th Grade Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kelly Springs Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Highlands Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hidden Lake Primary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dothan Preparatory Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,588
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 583
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 516
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 501
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 476
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar middle 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 (~1,034 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dothan Preparatory Academy's federal record.
- Compare Dothan Preparatory Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Dothan 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 Dothan Preparatory Academy
How many students attend Dothan Preparatory Academy?
Dothan Preparatory Academy has 1,034 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Dothan, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dothan Preparatory Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Dothan Preparatory Academy is 17.2:1, which is 3% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 10% 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 Dothan Preparatory Academy?
73.9% of students at Dothan Preparatory Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dothan Preparatory Academy?
The largest demographic group at Dothan Preparatory Academy is African American at 62.0% of enrollment, in Dothan, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dothan Preparatory Academy?
Dothan Preparatory Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower 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 Dothan Preparatory Academy rank among public schools in Dothan?
By Resource Investment Index, Dothan Preparatory Academy ranks #11 of 17 public schools in Dothan, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Dothan on the city page.
Is Dothan Preparatory Academy a good school?
Dothan Preparatory Academy earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. 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 Dothan City?
Besides Dothan Preparatory Academy, Dothan City also operates Dothan High School (1,588 students), Carver 9th Grade Academy (583 students), and Kelly Springs Elementary School (516 students). See the Dothan 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.