Enrollment
474
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Bessemer, AL
Jonesboro Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Jonesboro Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010033000088
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 5
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jonesboro Elementary School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 75% of Alabama schools.
- #7 of 7
- schools in Bessemer · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.8:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 77.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Jonesboro Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 75% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Jonesboro Elementary School ranks #7 of 7 schools in Bessemer, AL.
School address
District: Bessemer City · Alabama
NCES ID 010033000088 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.1%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Jonesboro Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Jonesboro Elementary School
Jonesboro Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Bessemer, Alabama, enrolling 474 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 77.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 474 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.
Among 342 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #266, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (64%) and Hispanic or Latino (32%) (diversity index 48/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 474 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 46.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 26.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Bessemer's public schools, it stands alongside Oak Grove High School (777 students): Jonesboro Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.8:1 vs 18.1:1).
Bessemer City also operates Bessemer City High School (760 students) and Bessemer City Middle School (616 students) alongside Jonesboro 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 Jonesboro Elementary School compares
Jonesboro 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 | 15.8:1 | ▼ 11% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.1% | ▲ 31% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 474 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
474
Bigger than 58% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% 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
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 25% in Alabama - lower ratio than 75% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
46.8%
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
$13,580
per pupil, district-wide
- above Alabama avg of $12,491
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 474 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 23 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.9 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 64.1%
Hispanic or Latino 32.3%
White 2.1%
Two or More 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 64.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.4, Jonesboro 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 Bessemer City, which includes Jonesboro Elementary School.
$13,580
Per student
+9%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.2%
State 46.5%
Federal 26.3%
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 Jonesboro Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bessemer City High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bessemer City Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Charles F Hard Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Greenwood Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westhills Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Jonesboro Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 760
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 616
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 364
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 290
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 277
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar other schools in Bessemer
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Oak Grove High School
Standard public school
777 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Mccalla Elementary School
Standard public school
752 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
Oak Grove Elementary School
Standard public school
576 students 18:1 students per teacher
Concord Elementary School
Standard public school
400 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
Charles F Hard Elementary School
Standard public school
364 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Abrams Elementary School
Standard public school
231 students 19.3:1 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 (~474 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jonesboro Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Jonesboro Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Bessemer 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 Jonesboro Elementary School
How many students attend Jonesboro Elementary School?
Jonesboro Elementary School has 474 students enrolled. It is a public school in Bessemer, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jonesboro Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Jonesboro Elementary School is 15.8:1, which is 11% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 1% 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 Jonesboro Elementary School?
77.1% of students at Jonesboro Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Jonesboro Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Jonesboro Elementary School is African American at 64.1% of enrollment, in Bessemer, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jonesboro Elementary School?
Jonesboro Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (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 Jonesboro Elementary School rank among schools in Bessemer?
By Resource Investment Index, Jonesboro Elementary School ranks #7 of 7 schools in Bessemer, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Bessemer on the city page.
Is Jonesboro Elementary School a good school?
Jonesboro Elementary School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 75% 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 Bessemer City?
Besides Jonesboro Elementary School, Bessemer City also operates Bessemer City High School (760 students), Bessemer City Middle School (616 students), and Charles F Hard Elementary School (364 students). See the Bessemer 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.