Enrollment
456
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Vidalia, GA
J. D. Dickerson Primary School
Federal NCES profile for J. D. Dickerson Primary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130534001738
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
J. D. Dickerson Primary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Vidalia · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.4:1
- students per teacher
- 86.4%
- free-lunch eligible
J. D. Dickerson Primary School has class sizes near the Georgia median. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, J. D. Dickerson Primary School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Vidalia, GA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.4:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
86.4%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How J. D. Dickerson Primary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at J. D. Dickerson Primary School
J. D. Dickerson Primary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Vidalia, Georgia, enrolling 456 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 86.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 456 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 500 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #112.
Its student body is led by African American (50%) and White (31%) (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 456 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 23.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Vidalia City also operates Vidalia Comprehensive High School (703 students) and Sally Dailey Meadows Elementary School (622 students) alongside J. D. Dickerson Primary 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 J. D. Dickerson Primary School compares
J. D. Dickerson Primary 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 | 13.4:1 | ▼ 7% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 86.4% | ▲ 42% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 456 | top 74% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
456
Bigger than 56% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
86.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% above the Georgia average of 60.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 39% in Georgia - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
18.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,758
per pupil, district-wide
- below Georgia avg of $13,863
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 456 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.0 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 50.0%
White 30.9%
Hispanic or Latino 12.1%
Two or More 5.9%
Asian 1.1%
Largest group: African American at 50.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.6, J. D. Dickerson Primary School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Vidalia City, which includes J. D. Dickerson Primary School.
$12,758
Per student
-8%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.5%
State 47.1%
Federal 23.5%
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 J. D. Dickerson Primary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vidalia Comprehensive High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sally Dailey Meadows Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| J. R. Trippe Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to J. D. Dickerson Primary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 703
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 61/100
- Enrollment
- 622
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 498
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
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 (~456 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on J. D. Dickerson Primary School's federal record.
- Compare J. D. Dickerson Primary School against another school. Compare schools
- Vidalia 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 J. D. Dickerson Primary School
How many students attend J. D. Dickerson Primary School?
J. D. Dickerson Primary School has 456 students enrolled. It is a public school in Vidalia, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at J. D. Dickerson Primary School?
The student-teacher ratio at J. D. Dickerson Primary School is 13.4:1, which is 7% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 15% 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 J. D. Dickerson Primary School?
86.4% of students at J. D. Dickerson Primary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of J. D. Dickerson Primary School?
The largest demographic group at J. D. Dickerson Primary School is African American at 50.0% of enrollment, in Vidalia, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for J. D. Dickerson Primary School?
J. D. Dickerson Primary School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 J. D. Dickerson Primary School rank among public schools in Vidalia?
By Resource Investment Index, J. D. Dickerson Primary School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Vidalia, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Vidalia on the city page.
Is J. D. Dickerson Primary School a good school?
J. D. Dickerson Primary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median. 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 Vidalia City?
Besides J. D. Dickerson Primary School, Vidalia City also operates Vidalia Comprehensive High School (703 students), Sally Dailey Meadows Elementary School (622 students), and J. R. Trippe Middle School (498 students). See the Vidalia 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.