Enrollment
861
Tennessee · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Smyrna, TN
John Colemon Elementary
Federal NCES profile for John Colemon Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 470369001512
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 91
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John Colemon Elementary earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Tennessee schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Tennessee schools.
- #8 of 9
- schools in Smyrna · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.6:1
- large classes for Tennessee
- 861
- students enrolled
John Colemon Elementary has class sizes larger than 73% of Tennessee schools. Computed live against every Tennessee school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John Colemon Elementary ranks #8 of 9 schools in Smyrna, TN.
School address
District: Rutherford County · Tennessee
NCES ID 470369001512 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
52.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.6:1
vs 15.3:1 Tennessee avg
+8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John Colemon Elementary compares with Tennessee and U.S. medians
What stands out at John Colemon Elementary
John Colemon Elementary is a large combined-grade school in Smyrna, Tennessee, enrolling 861 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Tennessee schools by student-teacher ratio.
Enrollment of 861 puts it in the larger third of Tennessee schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,838 scored Tennessee schools.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (56%) and White (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 574 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 3.6% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Smyrna's public schools, it stands alongside Rocky Fork Elementary School (905 students): John Colemon Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.6:1 vs 15.6:1).
Rutherford County also operates Stewarts Creek High School (2,474 students) and Blackman High School (2,301 students) alongside John Colemon Elementary.
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 John Colemon Elementary compares
John Colemon Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Tennessee and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Tennessee | Tennessee avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.6:1 | ▲ 8% | 15.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 861 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.6:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
861
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
16.6:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 73% in Tennessee - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
3.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$10,141
per pupil, district-wide
- below Tennessee avg of $10,822
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 574 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 15 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.7 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 55.6%
White 22.5%
African American 14.1%
Two or More 4.3%
Asian 2.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 55.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.8, John Colemon Elementary is more mixed than the Tennessee school average of 38.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Rutherford County, which includes John Colemon Elementary.
$10,141
Per student
-6%
vs Tennessee
Avg $10,822
-39%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 41.9%
State 45.4%
Federal 12.7%
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 John Colemon Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stewarts Creek High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Blackman High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Riverdale High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Smyrna High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rockvale High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John Colemon Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,474
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,301
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,275
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,266
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 2,126
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar other schools in Smyrna
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Rocky Fork Elementary School
Standard public school
905 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Cedar Grove Elementary
Standard public school
856 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Stewartsboro Elementary
Standard public school
854 students 18.6:1 students per teacher
David Youree Elementary
Standard public school
705 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Smyrna Elementary
Standard public school
646 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Smyrna Primary
Standard public school
562 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Tennessee, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~861 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John Colemon Elementary's federal record.
- Compare John Colemon Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Rutherford 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 John Colemon Elementary
How many students attend John Colemon Elementary?
John Colemon Elementary has 861 students enrolled. It is a public school in Smyrna, TN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John Colemon Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at John Colemon Elementary is 16.6:1, which is 8% higher than the Tennessee average of 15.3:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John Colemon Elementary?
The largest demographic group at John Colemon Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 55.6% of enrollment, in Smyrna, TN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John Colemon Elementary?
John Colemon Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher 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 John Colemon Elementary rank among schools in Smyrna?
By Resource Investment Index, John Colemon Elementary ranks #8 of 9 schools in Smyrna, TN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Smyrna on the city page.
Is John Colemon Elementary a good school?
John Colemon Elementary earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Tennessee schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Tennessee 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 Rutherford County?
Besides John Colemon Elementary, Rutherford County also operates Stewarts Creek High School (2,474 students), Blackman High School (2,301 students), and Riverdale High School (2,275 students). See the Rutherford 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.