Enrollment
440
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Decatur, GA
Laurel Ridge Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Laurel Ridge Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130174000700
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 12
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Laurel Ridge Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% of Georgia schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Georgia schools.
- #17 of 23
- schools in Decatur · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.2:1
- small classes for Georgia
- 31.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Laurel Ridge Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 78% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Laurel Ridge Elementary School ranks #17 of 23 schools in Decatur, GA.
School address
District: Dekalb County · Georgia
NCES ID 130174000700 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.2:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
31.3%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-48% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Laurel Ridge Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Laurel Ridge Elementary School
Laurel Ridge Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Decatur, Georgia, enrolling 440 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 31.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 440 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Among 174 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #141, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (42%) and African American (21%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 73/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 440 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Decatur's public schools, it stands alongside Peachcrest Elementary School (729 students): Laurel Ridge Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.2:1 vs 15.8:1).
Dekalb County also operates Lakeside High School (2,234 students) and Dunwoody High School (2,012 students) alongside Laurel Ridge 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 Laurel Ridge Elementary School compares
Laurel Ridge Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Georgia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Georgia | Georgia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.2:1 | ▼ 15% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 31.3% | ▼ 48% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 440 | top 77% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.2:1
Leaner classes than 74% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
440
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
31.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% below the Georgia average of 60.7%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.2:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 22% in Georgia - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
29.1%
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
$15,594
per pupil, district-wide
- above Georgia avg of $13,863
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 440 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 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 42.0%
African American 21.4%
Hispanic or Latino 18.9%
Two or More 8.6%
Asian 8.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 42.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.8, Laurel Ridge Elementary School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dekalb County, which includes Laurel Ridge Elementary School.
$15,594
Per student
+12%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.6%
State 32.7%
Federal 15.7%
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 Laurel Ridge Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeside High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dunwoody High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chamblee High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cross Keys High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sequoyah Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Laurel Ridge Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,234
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,012
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,867
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,748
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,713
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools in Decatur
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Peachcrest Elementary School
Standard public school
729 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Oakview Elementary
Standard public school
685 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Narvie Harris Elementary School
Standard public school
535 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Chapel Hill Elementary School
Standard public school
495 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School
Standard public school
475 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Canby Lane Elementary School
Standard public school
446 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Georgia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~440 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Laurel Ridge Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Laurel Ridge Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Dekalb 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 Laurel Ridge Elementary School
How many students attend Laurel Ridge Elementary School?
Laurel Ridge Elementary School has 440 students enrolled. It is a public school in Decatur, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Laurel Ridge Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Laurel Ridge Elementary School is 12.2:1, which is 15% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 22% 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 Laurel Ridge Elementary School?
31.3% of students at Laurel Ridge Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Laurel Ridge Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Laurel Ridge Elementary School is White at 42.0% of enrollment, in Decatur, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Laurel Ridge Elementary School?
Laurel Ridge 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 Laurel Ridge Elementary School rank among schools in Decatur?
By Resource Investment Index, Laurel Ridge Elementary School ranks #17 of 23 schools in Decatur, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Decatur on the city page.
Is Laurel Ridge Elementary School a good school?
Laurel Ridge Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% of Georgia schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Georgia 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 Dekalb County?
Besides Laurel Ridge Elementary School, Dekalb County also operates Lakeside High School (2,234 students), Dunwoody High School (2,012 students), and Chamblee High School (1,867 students). See the Dekalb 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.