Enrollment
435
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Irondale, AL
Irondale Community School
Federal NCES profile for Irondale Community School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010192000718
👥 S:T ratio 17
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 13
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Irondale Community School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Alabama schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Irondale · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.7:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 47.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Irondale Community School has class sizes larger than 88% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Irondale Community School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Irondale, AL.
School address
District: Jefferson County · Alabama
NCES ID 010192000718 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.7:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
47.6%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Irondale Community School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Irondale Community School
Irondale Community School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Irondale, Alabama, enrolling 435 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.7:1 is larger than about 88% of Alabama schools and 17% above the 17.7:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 47.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 435 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 376 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #267, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (47%) and African American (36%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 63/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 435 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 17.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Jefferson County also operates Claychalkville High School (1,377 students) and Mcadory High School (1,259 students) alongside Irondale Community 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 Irondale Community School compares
Irondale Community 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 | 20.7:1 | ▲ 17% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 47.6% | ▼ 19% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 435 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.7:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
435
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
47.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
20.7:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 88% in Alabama - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
23.4%
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
$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 435 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.7 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
Hispanic or Latino 46.9%
African American 36.3%
White 14.3%
Two or More 2.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 46.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.7, Irondale Community 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 Irondale Community 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 Irondale Community School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claychalkville High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mcadory High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hueytown High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shades Valley High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gardendale High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Irondale Community 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 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 (~435 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Irondale Community School's federal record.
- Compare Irondale Community 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 Irondale Community School
How many students attend Irondale Community School?
Irondale Community School has 435 students enrolled. It is a public school in Irondale, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Irondale Community School?
The student-teacher ratio at Irondale Community School is 20.7:1, which is 17% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 32% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Irondale Community School?
47.6% of students at Irondale Community School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Irondale Community School?
The largest demographic group at Irondale Community School is Hispanic or Latino at 46.9% of enrollment, in Irondale, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Irondale Community School?
Irondale Community School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Irondale Community School rank among public schools in Irondale?
By Resource Investment Index, Irondale Community School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Irondale, 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 Irondale on the city page.
Is Irondale Community School a good school?
Irondale Community School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Alabama schools. 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 Irondale Community 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.