Enrollment
332
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Athens, AL
James L Cowart Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for James L Cowart Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 010012001474
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James L Cowart Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Athens · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.5:1
- students per teacher
- 61.4%
- free-lunch eligible
James L Cowart Elementary School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James L Cowart Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Athens, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
61.4%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James L Cowart Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at James L Cowart Elementary School
James L Cowart Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Athens, Alabama, enrolling 332 students.
At 17.5:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Alabama median, within a few percentage points of the 17.7:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 61.4% lands close to the Alabama typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 332 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 333 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #75.
Its student body is led by White (36%) and African American (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 332 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
17.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Athens's elementary schools, it stands alongside Athens Intermediate School (641 students): James L Cowart Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.5:1 vs 18.9:1).
Athens City also operates Athens High School (1,278 students) and Athens Middle School (935 students) alongside James L Cowart 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 James L Cowart Elementary School compares
James L Cowart 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 | 17.5:1 | ▼ 1% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 61.4% | ▲ 4% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 332 | top 77% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
332
Bigger than 37% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
61.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% 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
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 52% in Alabama - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
17.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$10,655
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 332 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.1 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 36.4%
African American 28.3%
Hispanic or Latino 27.4%
Two or More 7.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 36.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.7, James L Cowart 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 Athens City, which includes James L Cowart Elementary School.
$10,655
Per student
-15%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 52.1%
State 38.8%
Federal 9.1%
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 James L Cowart Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Athens Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Athens Intermediate School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Athens Renaissance School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Athens Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James L Cowart Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,278
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 935
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 641
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 606
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 474
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Athens
2 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 (~332 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James L Cowart Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare James L Cowart Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Athens 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 James L Cowart Elementary School
How many students attend James L Cowart Elementary School?
James L Cowart Elementary School has 332 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Athens, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James L Cowart Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at James L Cowart Elementary School is 17.5:1, which is 1% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 11% higher 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 James L Cowart Elementary School?
61.4% of students at James L Cowart Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James L Cowart Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at James L Cowart Elementary School is White at 36.4% of enrollment, in Athens, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James L Cowart Elementary School?
James L Cowart Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 James L Cowart Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Athens?
By Resource Investment Index, James L Cowart Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Athens, 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 Athens on the city page.
Is James L Cowart Elementary School a good school?
James L Cowart Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. 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 Athens City?
Besides James L Cowart Elementary School, Athens City also operates Athens High School (1,278 students), Athens Middle School (935 students), and Athens Intermediate School (641 students). See the Athens 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.