Enrollment
466
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Cullman, AL
East Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for East Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 010099000371
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 7
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
East Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of Alabama schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Cullman · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.6:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 26.4%
- free-lunch eligible
East Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 87% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, East Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Cullman, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
26.4%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-55% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How East Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at East Elementary School
East Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Cullman, Alabama, enrolling 466 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 14.6:1, East Elementary School is leaner than roughly 87% of Alabama schools and 18% under the state's 17.7:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 26.4% free-meal eligibility runs 55% below the Alabama average.
With 466 students, its enrollment sits close to the Alabama median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 120 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #46.
Its student body is predominantly White (90% of enrollment) (diversity index 18/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 466 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Cullman's elementary schools, it stands alongside West Elementary School (490 students): East Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.6:1 vs 13.2:1).
Cullman City also operates Cullman High School (1,014 students) and Cullman City Primary School (782 students) alongside East 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 East Elementary School compares
East 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 | 14.6:1 | ▼ 18% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 26.4% | ▼ 55% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 466 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
466
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
26.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 18% below state mean
Top 13% in Alabama - lower ratio than 87% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
18.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,236
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 466 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
13
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.0 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
White 90.3%
Hispanic or Latino 4.3%
Two or More 2.6%
African American 1.5%
Asian 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 90.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 18.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 18.2, East Elementary School is less mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cullman City, which includes East Elementary School.
$12,236
Per student
-2%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.0%
State 49.2%
Federal 13.7%
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 East Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cullman High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cullman City Primary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cullman Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to East Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,014
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 782
- Students per teacher
- 27.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 491
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 490
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Cullman
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~466 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on East Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare East Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Cullman 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 East Elementary School
How many students attend East Elementary School?
East Elementary School has 466 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Cullman, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at East Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at East Elementary School is 14.6:1, which is 18% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 7% 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 East Elementary School?
26.4% of students at East Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of East Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at East Elementary School is White at 90.3% of enrollment, in Cullman, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for East Elementary School?
East Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 East Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Cullman?
By Resource Investment Index, East Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Cullman, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Cullman on the city page.
Is East Elementary School a good school?
East Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% 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 Cullman City?
Besides East Elementary School, Cullman City also operates Cullman High School (1,014 students), Cullman City Primary School (782 students), and Cullman Middle School (491 students). See the Cullman 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.