Enrollment
402
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Pell City, AL
Iola Roberts Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Iola Roberts Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 010265001572
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Iola Roberts Elementary School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Alabama schools.
- #4 of 7
- public schools in Pell City · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.1:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 68.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Iola Roberts Elementary School has class sizes larger than 74% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Iola Roberts Elementary School ranks #4 of 7 public schools in Pell City, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.1:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.8%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Iola Roberts Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Iola Roberts Elementary School
Iola Roberts Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Pell City, Alabama, enrolling 402 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 68.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 402 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 387 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #213.
Its student body is led by White (69%) and African American (17%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 402 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Pell City's elementary schools, it stands alongside Williams Intermediate School (598 students): Iola Roberts Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.1:1 vs 18.1:1).
Pell City also operates Pell City High School (1,193 students) and Duran Junior High School (601 students) alongside Iola Roberts 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 Iola Roberts Elementary School compares
Iola Roberts 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 | 19.1:1 | ▲ 8% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.8% | ▲ 17% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 402 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.1:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
402
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% 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
19.1:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 74% in Alabama - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
25.4%
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
$10,747
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 402 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
12
in-school suspensions + 35 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.7 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 68.9%
African American 17.2%
Hispanic or Latino 6.2%
Two or More 6.0%
Asian 1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 68.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.8, Iola Roberts 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 Pell City, which includes Iola Roberts Elementary School.
$10,747
Per student
-14%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.2%
State 62.5%
Federal 16.2%
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 Iola Roberts Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pell City High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Duran Junior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Williams Intermediate School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Walter M Kennedy School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Coosa Valley Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Iola Roberts Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,193
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 601
- Students per teacher
- 40.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 598
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 437
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 404
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar elementary schools in Pell City
1 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 (~402 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Iola Roberts Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Iola Roberts Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Pell 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 Iola Roberts Elementary School
How many students attend Iola Roberts Elementary School?
Iola Roberts Elementary School has 402 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Pell City, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Iola Roberts Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Iola Roberts Elementary School is 19.1:1, which is 8% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Iola Roberts Elementary School?
68.8% of students at Iola Roberts Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Iola Roberts Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Iola Roberts Elementary School is White at 68.9% of enrollment, in Pell City, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Iola Roberts Elementary School?
Iola Roberts Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 Iola Roberts Elementary School rank among public schools in Pell City?
By Resource Investment Index, Iola Roberts Elementary School ranks #4 of 7 public schools in Pell City, 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 Pell City on the city page.
Is Iola Roberts Elementary School a good school?
Iola Roberts Elementary School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% 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 Pell City?
Besides Iola Roberts Elementary School, Pell City also operates Pell City High School (1,193 students), Duran Junior High School (601 students), and Williams Intermediate School (598 students). See the Pell 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.