Enrollment
253
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sheffield, AL
L E Willson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for L E Willson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 010300001168
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 1
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
L E Willson Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 84% of Alabama schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in Sheffield · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.9:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 72.0%
- free-lunch eligible
L E Willson Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 84% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, L E Willson Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Sheffield, AL.
School address
District: Sheffield City · Alabama
NCES ID 010300001168 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
72.0%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How L E Willson Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at L E Willson Elementary School
L E Willson Elementary School is a higher-need, small elementary school in Sheffield, Alabama, enrolling 253 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 72.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 253 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 180 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #114.
Its student body is led by White (46%) and African American (34%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 253 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 140 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 253 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Sheffield City also operates Wa Threadgill Primary School (344 students) and Sheffield High School (305 students) alongside L E Willson 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 L E Willson Elementary School compares
L E Willson 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 | 14.9:1 | ▼ 16% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.0% | ▲ 22% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 253 | top 87% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
253
Bigger than 26% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
72.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% 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
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 16% in Alabama - lower ratio than 84% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
39.5%
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
$14,229
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 253 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
99
in-school suspensions + 41 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 39.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 55.3 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
White 45.8%
African American 33.6%
Two or More 11.9%
Hispanic or Latino 7.9%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 45.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.7, L E Willson 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 Sheffield City, which includes L E Willson Elementary School.
$14,229
Per student
+14%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.2%
State 46.5%
Federal 23.3%
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 L E Willson Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wa Threadgill Primary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sheffield High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sheffield Junior High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to L E Willson Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 344
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 305
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 127
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
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 (~253 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on L E Willson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare L E Willson Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Sheffield 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 L E Willson Elementary School
How many students attend L E Willson Elementary School?
L E Willson Elementary School has 253 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sheffield, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at L E Willson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at L E Willson Elementary School is 14.9:1, which is 16% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 5% 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 L E Willson Elementary School?
72.0% of students at L E Willson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of L E Willson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at L E Willson Elementary School is White at 45.8% of enrollment, in Sheffield, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for L E Willson Elementary School?
L E Willson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 L E Willson Elementary School rank among public schools in Sheffield?
By Resource Investment Index, L E Willson Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Sheffield, 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 Sheffield on the city page.
Is L E Willson Elementary School a good school?
L E Willson Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 84% of Alabama schools. 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 Sheffield City?
Besides L E Willson Elementary School, Sheffield City also operates Wa Threadgill Primary School (344 students), Sheffield High School (305 students), and Sheffield Junior High School (127 students). See the Sheffield 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.