Enrollment
359
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Camden, AL
J E Hobbs Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for J E Hobbs Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010351001344
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
J E Hobbs Elementary School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of Alabama schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in Camden · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 85.4%
- free-lunch eligible
J E Hobbs Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 83% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, J E Hobbs Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Camden, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
85.4%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How J E Hobbs Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at J E Hobbs Elementary School
J E Hobbs Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Camden, Alabama, enrolling 359 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15:1 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 85.4% of students qualify for free meals, 45% above the Alabama average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 359 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 214 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #107.
Its student body is predominantly African American (97% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 6/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 359 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Wilcox County spends $16,466 per pupil, 32% above the Alabama average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 28.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Wilcox County also operates Wilcox Central High School (340 students) and F S Ervin Elementary School (197 students) alongside J E Hobbs 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 J E Hobbs Elementary School compares
J E Hobbs 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 | 15:1 | ▼ 15% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 85.4% | ▲ 45% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 359 | top 72% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15:1
Leaner classes than 47% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
359
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
85.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 17% in Alabama - lower ratio than 83% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
37.0%
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
$16,466
per pupil, district-wide
- above Alabama avg of $12,491
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 359 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 96.9%
White 1.9%
Hispanic or Latino 0.6%
Two or More 0.6%
Largest group: African American at 96.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 6.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 6.1, J E Hobbs Elementary School is less mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wilcox County, which includes J E Hobbs Elementary School.
$16,466
Per student
+32%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 23.2%
State 48.0%
Federal 28.8%
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 E Hobbs Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilcox Central High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| F S Ervin Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Camden School of Arts Technology | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Abc Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to J E Hobbs Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 340
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 197
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 148
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 103
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
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 (~359 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on J E Hobbs Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare J E Hobbs Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Wilcox 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 J E Hobbs Elementary School
How many students attend J E Hobbs Elementary School?
J E Hobbs Elementary School has 359 students enrolled. It is a public school in Camden, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at J E Hobbs Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at J E Hobbs Elementary School is 15:1, which is 15% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 4% 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 E Hobbs Elementary School?
85.4% of students at J E Hobbs Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of J E Hobbs Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at J E Hobbs Elementary School is African American at 96.9% of enrollment, in Camden, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for J E Hobbs Elementary School?
J E Hobbs Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 E Hobbs Elementary School rank among public schools in Camden?
By Resource Investment Index, J E Hobbs Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Camden, 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 Camden on the city page.
Is J E Hobbs Elementary School a good school?
J E Hobbs Elementary School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of Alabama schools. It is also less 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 Wilcox County?
Besides J E Hobbs Elementary School, Wilcox County also operates Wilcox Central High School (340 students), F S Ervin Elementary School (197 students), and Camden School of Arts Technology (148 students). See the Wilcox 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.