Enrollment
494
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Atlanta, GA
Garden Hills Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Garden Hills Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130012000029
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 1
📋 Attendance 45
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Garden Hills Elementary School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 72% of Georgia schools.
- #42 of 70
- schools in Atlanta · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.7:1
- small classes for Georgia
- 48.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Garden Hills Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 72% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Garden Hills Elementary School ranks #42 of 70 schools in Atlanta, GA.
School address
District: Atlanta Public Schools · Georgia
NCES ID 130012000029 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.7:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.1%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Garden Hills Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Garden Hills Elementary School
Garden Hills Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Atlanta, Georgia, enrolling 494 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 48.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 494 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 343 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #206.
Its student body is led by African American (43%) and Hispanic or Latino (36%) (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 494 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Atlanta Public Schools spends $22,882 per pupil, 65% above the Georgia average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Atlanta's public schools, it stands alongside Georgia Cyber Academy (9,952 students): Garden Hills Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.7:1 vs 15.2:1).
Atlanta Public Schools also operates North Atlanta High School (2,368 students) and Midtown High School (1,696 students) alongside Garden Hills 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 Garden Hills Elementary School compares
Garden Hills 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 | 12.7:1 | ▼ 12% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.1% | ▼ 21% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 494 | top 69% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.7:1
Leaner classes than 69% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
494
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% 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
12.7:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 28% in Georgia - lower ratio than 72% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
21.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$22,882
per pupil, district-wide
- above Georgia avg of $13,863
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 494 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
12
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.3 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 42.7%
Hispanic or Latino 36.2%
White 14.8%
Two or More 4.7%
Asian 1.6%
Largest group: African American at 42.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.2, Garden Hills Elementary School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Atlanta Public Schools, which includes Garden Hills Elementary School.
$22,882
Per student
+65%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
+38%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 68.7%
State 15.6%
Federal 15.7%
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 Garden Hills Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Atlanta High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Midtown High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Willis a. Sutton Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Maynard Jackson High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Benjamin E. Mays High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Garden Hills Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,368
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,696
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,619
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,549
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,338
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar other schools in Atlanta
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Georgia Cyber Academy
Standard public school
9,952 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Doraville United Elementary School
Standard public school
1,003 students 19.7:1 students per teacher
Charles R. Drew Charter School
Standard public school
961 students 12:1 students per teacher
Charles Drew Charter Ja/Sr Academy
Standard public school
941 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Cobb Horizon High School
Standard public school
927 students 11.3:1 students per teacher
Morris Brandon Elementary School
Standard public school
911 students 15.4:1 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 (~494 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Garden Hills Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Garden Hills Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Atlanta Public Schools'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 Garden Hills Elementary School
How many students attend Garden Hills Elementary School?
Garden Hills Elementary School has 494 students enrolled. It is a public school in Atlanta, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Garden Hills Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Garden Hills Elementary School is 12.7:1, which is 12% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 19% 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 Garden Hills Elementary School?
48.1% of students at Garden Hills Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Garden Hills Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Garden Hills Elementary School is African American at 42.7% of enrollment, in Atlanta, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Garden Hills Elementary School?
Garden Hills Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Garden Hills Elementary School rank among schools in Atlanta?
By Resource Investment Index, Garden Hills Elementary School ranks #42 of 70 schools in Atlanta, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Atlanta on the city page.
Is Garden Hills Elementary School a good school?
Garden Hills Elementary School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 72% 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 Atlanta Public Schools?
Besides Garden Hills Elementary School, Atlanta Public Schools also operates North Atlanta High School (2,368 students), Midtown High School (1,696 students), and Willis a. Sutton Middle School (1,619 students). See the Atlanta Public Schools 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.