Enrollment
428
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Decatur, AL
Frances Nungester Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Frances Nungester Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010117001615
👥 S:T ratio 29
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 14
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Frances Nungester Elementary School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #6 of 11
- schools in Decatur · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.8:1
- students per teacher
- 77.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Frances Nungester Elementary School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Frances Nungester Elementary School ranks #6 of 11 schools in Decatur, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.8:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.2%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Frances Nungester Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Frances Nungester Elementary School
Frances Nungester Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Decatur, Alabama, enrolling 428 students.
At 17.8:1, 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 77.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 428 students, its enrollment sits close to the Alabama median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 343 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #87.
Its student body is led by African American (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (27%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 428 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
17.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Decatur's public schools, it stands alongside Austin Junior High School (664 students): Frances Nungester Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.8:1 vs 14.4:1).
Decatur City also operates Austin High School (999 students) and Decatur High School (915 students) alongside Frances Nungester 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 Frances Nungester Elementary School compares
Frances Nungester 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 | 17.8:1 | ▲ 1% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.2% | ▲ 31% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 428 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.8:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
428
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% 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
17.8:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 56% in Alabama - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
17.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,764
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 428 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
13
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.0 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
African American 47.4%
Hispanic or Latino 26.6%
White 15.9%
Two or More 7.5%
Asian 2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 47.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.3, Frances Nungester Elementary School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Decatur City, which includes Frances Nungester Elementary School.
$13,764
Per student
+10%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.5%
State 47.0%
Federal 13.5%
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 Frances Nungester Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Decatur High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Decatur Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Austin Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Austin Junior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Frances Nungester Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 999
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 915
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 818
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 727
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 664
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar other schools in Decatur
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Austin Junior High School
Standard public school
664 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Oak Park Elementary School
Standard public school
481 students 16:1 students per teacher
Bankscaddell Elementary School
Standard public school
477 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Austinville Elementary School
Standard public school
463 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Chestnut Grove Elementary School
Standard public school
436 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
West Decatur Elementary School
Standard public school
407 students 21.4:1 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 (~428 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Frances Nungester Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Frances Nungester Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Decatur 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 Frances Nungester Elementary School
How many students attend Frances Nungester Elementary School?
Frances Nungester Elementary School has 428 students enrolled. It is a public school in Decatur, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Frances Nungester Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Frances Nungester Elementary School is 17.8:1, which is 1% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Frances Nungester Elementary School?
77.2% of students at Frances Nungester Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Frances Nungester Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Frances Nungester Elementary School is African American at 47.4% of enrollment, in Decatur, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Frances Nungester Elementary School?
Frances Nungester Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Frances Nungester Elementary School rank among schools in Decatur?
By Resource Investment Index, Frances Nungester Elementary School ranks #6 of 11 schools in Decatur, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Decatur on the city page.
Is Frances Nungester Elementary School a good school?
Frances Nungester Elementary School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also more 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 Decatur City?
Besides Frances Nungester Elementary School, Decatur City also operates Austin High School (999 students), Decatur High School (915 students), and Decatur Middle School (818 students). See the Decatur 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.