Enrollment
232
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Birmingham, AL
Epic Alternative Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Epic Alternative Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010039000119
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 54
📋 Attendance 69
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Epic Alternative Elementary School earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 92% of Alabama schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #2 of 38
- schools in Birmingham · Resource Index
- 59
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.6:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 42.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Epic Alternative Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 92% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Epic Alternative Elementary School ranks #2 of 38 schools in Birmingham, AL.
School address
District: Birmingham City · Alabama
NCES ID 010039000119 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.6:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.6%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Epic Alternative Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Epic Alternative Elementary School
Epic Alternative Elementary School is a small combined-grade school in Birmingham, Alabama, enrolling 232 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 13.6:1, Epic Alternative Elementary School is leaner than roughly 92% of Alabama schools and 23% under the state's 17.7:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 42.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 232 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 98% of the 1,365 Alabama schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 64 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #3, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (92% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 15/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 232 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
12.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 23.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Birmingham's public schools, it stands alongside Huffman High Schoolmagnet (1,094 students): Epic Alternative Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.6:1 vs 18.2:1).
Birmingham City also operates Huffman High Schoolmagnet (1,094 students) and Parker High School (942 students) alongside Epic Alternative 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 Epic Alternative Elementary School compares
Epic Alternative 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 | 13.6:1 | ▼ 23% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.6% | ▼ 28% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 232 | top 89% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 61% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
232
Bigger than 23% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 23% below state mean
Top 8% in Alabama - lower ratio than 92% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
12.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$13,890
per pupil, district-wide
- above Alabama avg of $12,491
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 232 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: 0.4 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
African American 92.2%
White 2.6%
Hispanic or Latino 2.2%
Two or More 2.2%
Asian 0.9%
Largest group: African American at 92.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 14.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 14.8, Epic Alternative 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 Birmingham City, which includes Epic Alternative Elementary School.
$13,890
Per student
+11%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.0%
State 43.8%
Federal 23.2%
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 Epic Alternative Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huffman High Schoolmagnet | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Parker High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glen Iris Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Huffman Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ramsay High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Epic Alternative Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,094
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 942
- Students per teacher
- 26.2:1
- Resource Index
- 11/100
- Enrollment
- 827
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 779
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 762
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar other schools in Birmingham
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Huffman High Schoolmagnet
Standard public school
1,094 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Glen Iris Elementary School
Standard public school
827 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Chalkville Elementary School
Standard public school
818 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
Huffman Academy
Standard public school
779 students 20:1 students per teacher
Jacksonolin High School
Standard public school
713 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Bryant Park Elementary
Standard public school
707 students 19.1:1 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 (~232 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Epic Alternative Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Epic Alternative Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Birmingham 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 Epic Alternative Elementary School
How many students attend Epic Alternative Elementary School?
Epic Alternative Elementary School has 232 students enrolled. It is a public school in Birmingham, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Epic Alternative Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Epic Alternative Elementary School is 13.6:1, which is 23% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 13% 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 Epic Alternative Elementary School?
42.6% of students at Epic Alternative Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Epic Alternative Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Epic Alternative Elementary School is African American at 92.2% of enrollment, in Birmingham, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Epic Alternative Elementary School?
Epic Alternative Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (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 Epic Alternative Elementary School rank among schools in Birmingham?
By Resource Investment Index, Epic Alternative Elementary School ranks #2 of 38 schools in Birmingham, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Birmingham on the city page.
Is Epic Alternative Elementary School a good school?
Epic Alternative Elementary School earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 92% of Alabama schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Birmingham City?
Besides Epic Alternative Elementary School, Birmingham City also operates Huffman High Schoolmagnet (1,094 students), Parker High School (942 students), and Glen Iris Elementary School (827 students). See the Birmingham 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.