Enrollment
549
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Mobile, AL
John Will Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for John Will Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010237000930
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 33
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John Will Elementary School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Alabama schools.
- #19 of 34
- schools in Mobile · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.1:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 84.9%
- free-lunch eligible
John Will Elementary School has class sizes larger than 91% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John Will Elementary School ranks #19 of 34 schools in Mobile, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.1:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
84.9%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+44% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John Will Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at John Will Elementary School
John Will Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Mobile, Alabama, enrolling 549 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.1:1 is larger than about 91% of Alabama schools and 19% above the 17.7:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 84.9% of students qualify for free meals, 44% above the Alabama average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 549 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.
Against 218 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #134.
Its student body is predominantly African American (88% of enrollment) (diversity index 22/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 549 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Mobile's public schools, it stands alongside Er Dickson Elementary School (967 students): John Will Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.1:1 vs 19:1).
Mobile County also operates Baker High School (2,271 students) and Mary G Montgomery High School (1,888 students) alongside John Will 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 John Will Elementary School compares
John Will 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 | 21.1:1 | ▲ 19% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 84.9% | ▲ 44% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 549 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.1:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
549
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
84.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% 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
21.1:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 91% in Alabama - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
27.0%
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
$12,163
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 549 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 64 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.3 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 87.8%
Hispanic or Latino 6.0%
Two or More 4.0%
White 2.2%
Largest group: African American at 87.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 22.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 22.3, John Will 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 Mobile County, which includes John Will Elementary School.
$12,163
Per student
-3%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.3%
State 49.5%
Federal 24.2%
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 Will Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baker High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mary G Montgomery High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Alma Bryant High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Wp Davidson High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bernice J Causey Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John Will Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,271
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,888
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 1,624
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 1,470
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 1,339
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
Similar other schools in Mobile
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Er Dickson Elementary School
Standard public school
967 students 19:1 students per teacher
Lillie B Williamson High School
Standard public school
889 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Olive J Dodge Elementary School
Standard public school
862 students 18:1 students per teacher
Dr Robert W Gilliard Elementary
Standard public school
806 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Orourke Elementary School
Standard public school
799 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Elsie Collier Elementary School
Standard public school
731 students 17:1 students per teacher
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 (~549 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John Will Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare John Will Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Mobile 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 Will Elementary School
How many students attend John Will Elementary School?
John Will Elementary School has 549 students enrolled. It is a public school in Mobile, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John Will Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at John Will Elementary School is 21.1:1, which is 19% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at John Will Elementary School?
84.9% of students at John Will Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John Will Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at John Will Elementary School is African American at 87.8% of enrollment, in Mobile, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John Will Elementary School?
John Will Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower 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 Will Elementary School rank among schools in Mobile?
By Resource Investment Index, John Will Elementary School ranks #19 of 34 schools in Mobile, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Mobile on the city page.
Is John Will Elementary School a good school?
John Will Elementary School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of 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 Mobile County?
Besides John Will Elementary School, Mobile County also operates Baker High School (2,271 students), Mary G Montgomery High School (1,888 students), and Alma Bryant High School (1,624 students). See the Mobile 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.