Enrollment
770
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Savannah, GA
Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts
Federal NCES profile for Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 63/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130102002152
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 81
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts earns 63/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of Georgia schools.
- #1 of 26
- schools in Savannah · Resource Index
- 63
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.8:1
- small classes for Georgia
- 33.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts has class sizes smaller than 83% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts ranks #1 of 26 schools in Savannah, GA.
School address
District: Savannah-Chatham County · Georgia
NCES ID 130102002152 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
65.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.8:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.6%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts
Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Savannah, Georgia, enrolling 770 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 770 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 98% of the 2,314 Georgia schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 403 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #1, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (51%) and White (25%) (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 257 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.7% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
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 Savannah's public schools, it stands alongside Godley Station School (1,585 students): Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.8:1 vs 20.3:1).
Savannah-Chatham County also operates Godley Station School (1,585 students) and Groves High School (1,469 students) alongside Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts.
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 Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts compares
Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts on the metrics families compare, against Georgia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Georgia | Georgia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.8:1 | ▼ 18% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.6% | ▼ 45% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 770 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.8:1
Leaner classes than 77% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
770
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% below the Georgia average of 60.7%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
11.8:1
students per teacher
- 18% below state mean
Top 17% in Georgia - lower ratio than 83% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
7.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$14,986
per pupil, district-wide
- above Georgia avg of $13,863
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 257 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
17
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.8 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 50.9%
White 25.1%
Two or More 10.4%
Hispanic or Latino 9.5%
Asian 4.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 50.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.6, Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Savannah-Chatham County, which includes Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts.
$14,986
Per student
+8%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.2%
State 24.5%
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 Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Godley Station School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Groves High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jenkins High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pulaski Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| New Hampstead High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,585
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,469
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,265
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,147
- Students per teacher
- 27.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,123
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar other schools in Savannah
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Godley Station School
Standard public school
1,585 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
Pulaski Elementary School
Standard public school
1,147 students 27.3:1 students per teacher
Hesse School
Standard public school
996 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Southwest Elementary School
Standard public school
769 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
White Bluff Elementary School
Standard public school
701 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Windsor Forest Elementary School
Standard public school
656 students 14.9:1 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 (~770 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts's federal record.
- Compare Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts against another school. Compare schools
- Savannah-Chatham 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 Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts
How many students attend Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts?
Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts has 770 students enrolled. It is a public school in Savannah, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts?
The student-teacher ratio at Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts is 11.8:1, which is 18% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 25% 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 Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts?
33.6% of students at Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts?
The largest demographic group at Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts is African American at 50.9% of enrollment, in Savannah, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts?
Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts has a Resource Investment Index of 63/100 (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 Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts rank among schools in Savannah?
By Resource Investment Index, Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts ranks #1 of 26 schools in Savannah, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Savannah on the city page.
Is Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts a good school?
Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts earns 63/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% 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 Savannah-Chatham County?
Besides Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts, Savannah-Chatham County also operates Godley Station School (1,585 students), Groves High School (1,469 students), and Jenkins High School (1,265 students). See the Savannah-Chatham 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.