Enrollment
356
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Dalton, GA
Dug Gap Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Dug Gap Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130570001825
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dug Gap Elementary School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of Georgia schools.
- #6 of 16
- schools in Dalton · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.5:1
- small classes for Georgia
- 58.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Dug Gap Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 86% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dug Gap Elementary School ranks #6 of 16 schools in Dalton, GA.
School address
District: Whitfield County · Georgia
NCES ID 130570001825 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.5:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
58.9%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dug Gap Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dug Gap Elementary School
Dug Gap Elementary School is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Dalton, Georgia, enrolling 356 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.5:1, Dug Gap Elementary School is leaner than roughly 86% of Georgia schools and 20% under the state's 14.4:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 58.9% lands close to the Georgia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 356 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 152 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #25.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (68%) and White (27%) (diversity index 46/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 356 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 18.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Dalton's public schools, it stands alongside City Park Elementary School (707 students): Dug Gap Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (11.5:1 vs 11.2:1).
Whitfield County also operates Southeast Whitfield County High School (1,453 students) and Northwest Whitfield County High School (1,098 students) alongside Dug Gap 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 Dug Gap Elementary School compares
Dug Gap 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 | 11.5:1 | ▼ 20% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 58.9% | ▼ 3% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 356 | top 86% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.5:1
Leaner classes than 79% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
356
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
58.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% below the Georgia average of 60.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.5:1
students per teacher
- 20% below state mean
Top 14% in Georgia - lower ratio than 86% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
18.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,781
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 356 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.4 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
Hispanic or Latino 68.0%
White 27.2%
Two or More 2.5%
African American 1.1%
Asian 1.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 68.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.3, Dug Gap 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 Whitfield County, which includes Dug Gap Elementary School.
$12,781
Per student
-8%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.3%
State 52.5%
Federal 18.2%
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 Dug Gap Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Whitfield County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northwest Whitfield County High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Coahulla Creek High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Whitfield Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eastbrook Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dug Gap Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,453
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,098
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,041
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 731
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 624
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar other schools in Dalton
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
City Park Elementary School
Standard public school
707 students 11.2:1 students per teacher
Brookwood Elementary School
Standard public school
688 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
Blue Ridge Elementary School
Standard public school
632 students 10.9:1 students per teacher
Westwood Elementary School
Standard public school
605 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Park Creek Elementary School
Standard public school
604 students 11.4:1 students per teacher
Eastside Elementary School
Standard public school
579 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 (~356 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dug Gap Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Dug Gap Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Whitfield 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 Dug Gap Elementary School
How many students attend Dug Gap Elementary School?
Dug Gap Elementary School has 356 students enrolled. It is a public school in Dalton, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dug Gap Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Dug Gap Elementary School is 11.5:1, which is 20% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 27% 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 Dug Gap Elementary School?
58.9% of students at Dug Gap Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dug Gap Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Dug Gap Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 68.0% of enrollment, in Dalton, GA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dug Gap Elementary School?
Dug Gap Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher 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 Dug Gap Elementary School rank among schools in Dalton?
By Resource Investment Index, Dug Gap Elementary School ranks #6 of 16 schools in Dalton, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Dalton on the city page.
Is Dug Gap Elementary School a good school?
Dug Gap Elementary School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% 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 Whitfield County?
Besides Dug Gap Elementary School, Whitfield County also operates Southeast Whitfield County High School (1,453 students), Northwest Whitfield County High School (1,098 students), and Coahulla Creek High School (1,041 students). See the Whitfield 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.