Enrollment
411
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Birmingham, AL
I3 Academy Phase 1
Federal NCES profile for I3 Academy Phase 1, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 010020402476Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 18
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
I3 Academy Phase 1 earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Alabama schools.
- #4 of 4
- elementary schools in Birmingham · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.7:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 58.8%
- free-lunch eligible
I3 Academy Phase 1 has class sizes larger than 98% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, I3 Academy Phase 1 ranks #4 of 4 elementary schools in Birmingham, AL.
School address
District: I3 Academy · Alabama
NCES ID 010020402476 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.7:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+45% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
58.8%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+0% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How I3 Academy Phase 1 compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at I3 Academy Phase 1
I3 Academy Phase 1 is a higher-need, mid-sized charter elementary school in Birmingham, Alabama, enrolling 411 students.
Class loads run heavy: 25.7:1 is larger than about 98% of Alabama schools and 45% above the 17.7:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 58.8% lands close to the Alabama typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 411 students, its enrollment sits close to the Alabama median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Among 428 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #370, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 29/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 411 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding I3 Academy spends $19,544 per pupil, 56% above the Alabama average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 20.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Birmingham's elementary schools, it stands alongside Oak Mountain Intermediate School (636 students): I3 Academy Phase 1 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.7:1 vs 16.7:1).
Its district, I3 Academy, also runs I3 Academy Phase 2 (400 students).
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 I3 Academy Phase 1 compares
I3 Academy Phase 1 on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 25.7:1 | ▲ 45% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 58.8% | ▼ 0% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 411 | top 61% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.7:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
411
Bigger than 49% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
58.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 0% 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
25.7:1
students per teacher
- 45% above state mean
Top 98% in Alabama - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
28.7%
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
$19,544
per pupil, district-wide
- above Alabama avg of $12,491
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 411 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 83.7%
White 7.1%
Hispanic or Latino 5.6%
Two or More 2.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 83.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 29.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 29.0, I3 Academy Phase 1 is less mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for I3 Academy, which includes I3 Academy Phase 1.
$19,544
Per student
+56%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
+18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.9%
State 52.0%
Federal 20.1%
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 I3 Academy Phase 1 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| I3 Academy Phase 2 | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to I3 Academy Phase 1's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 400
- Students per teacher
- 33.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Birmingham
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~411 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on I3 Academy Phase 1's federal record.
- Compare I3 Academy Phase 1 against another school. Compare schools
- I3 Academy'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 I3 Academy Phase 1
How many students attend I3 Academy Phase 1?
I3 Academy Phase 1 has 411 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Birmingham, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at I3 Academy Phase 1?
The student-teacher ratio at I3 Academy Phase 1 is 25.7:1, which is 45% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 64% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at I3 Academy Phase 1?
58.8% of students at I3 Academy Phase 1 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of I3 Academy Phase 1?
The largest demographic group at I3 Academy Phase 1 is African American at 83.7% of enrollment, in Birmingham, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for I3 Academy Phase 1?
I3 Academy Phase 1 has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower 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 I3 Academy Phase 1 rank among elementary schools in Birmingham?
By Resource Investment Index, I3 Academy Phase 1 ranks #4 of 4 elementary 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 elementary schools in Birmingham on the city page.
Is I3 Academy Phase 1 a good school?
I3 Academy Phase 1 earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of 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 I3 Academy?
Besides I3 Academy Phase 1, I3 Academy also operates I3 Academy Phase 2 (400 students). See the I3 Academy 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.