Enrollment
700
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gardendale, AL
Gardendale Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Gardendale Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010192000705
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 62
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gardendale Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in Gardendale · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.4:1
- students per teacher
- 41.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Gardendale Elementary School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gardendale Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Gardendale, AL.
School address
District: Jefferson County · Alabama
NCES ID 010192000705 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.4:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
41.8%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gardendale Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gardendale Elementary School
Gardendale Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Gardendale, Alabama, enrolling 700 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 41.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 700 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 309 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #131.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and African American (36%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 63/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 700 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 17.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Gardendale's public schools, it stands alongside Snow Rogers Elementary School (389 students): Gardendale Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.4:1 vs 18.5:1).
Jefferson County also operates Claychalkville High School (1,377 students) and Mcadory High School (1,259 students) alongside Gardendale 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 Gardendale Elementary School compares
Gardendale 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 | 18.4:1 | ▲ 4% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.8% | ▼ 29% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 700 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.4:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
700
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
41.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% 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
18.4:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 65% in Alabama - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
15.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,497
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 700 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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 48.6%
African American 35.9%
Hispanic or Latino 8.3%
Two or More 4.1%
Asian 2.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 48.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.6, Gardendale 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 Jefferson County, which includes Gardendale Elementary School.
$11,497
Per student
-8%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.2%
State 54.2%
Federal 17.6%
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 Gardendale Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claychalkville High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mcadory High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hueytown High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shades Valley High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gardendale High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gardendale Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,377
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 1,259
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,200
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 1,094
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,076
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar other schools in Gardendale
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~700 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gardendale Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Gardendale Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Jefferson 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 Gardendale Elementary School
How many students attend Gardendale Elementary School?
Gardendale Elementary School has 700 students enrolled. It is a public school in Gardendale, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gardendale Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Gardendale Elementary School is 18.4:1, which is 4% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Gardendale Elementary School?
41.8% of students at Gardendale Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gardendale Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Gardendale Elementary School is White at 48.6% of enrollment, in Gardendale, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gardendale Elementary School?
Gardendale Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Gardendale Elementary School rank among public schools in Gardendale?
By Resource Investment Index, Gardendale Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Gardendale, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Gardendale on the city page.
Is Gardendale Elementary School a good school?
Gardendale Elementary School earns 40/100 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 Jefferson County?
Besides Gardendale Elementary School, Jefferson County also operates Claychalkville High School (1,377 students), Mcadory High School (1,259 students), and Hueytown High School (1,200 students). See the Jefferson 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.