Enrollment
297
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Decatur, AL
Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 010117000431
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 82
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Decatur · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 18.6:1
- students per teacher
- 49.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Decatur, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.6:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
49.5%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School
Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Decatur, Alabama, enrolling 297 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 49.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 297 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 94% of the 1,365 Alabama schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 204 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #10, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and African American (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 297 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.4% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Decatur's elementary schools, it stands alongside Priceville Junior High School (483 students): Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.6:1 vs 19.3:1).
Decatur City also operates Austin High School (999 students) and Decatur High School (915 students) alongside Leon Sheffield Magnet 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 Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School compares
Leon Sheffield Magnet 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 | 18.6:1 | ▲ 5% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 49.5% | ▼ 16% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 297 | top 81% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.6:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
297
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
49.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.6:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 68% in Alabama - lower ratio than 32% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
7.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$13,764
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 297 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 48.5%
African American 28.6%
Hispanic or Latino 16.5%
Two or More 6.1%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 48.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.2, Leon Sheffield Magnet 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 Decatur City, which includes Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School.
$13,764
Per student
+10%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.5%
State 47.0%
Federal 13.5%
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 Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Decatur High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Decatur Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Austin Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Austin Junior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 999
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 915
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 818
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 727
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 664
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar elementary schools in Decatur
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~297 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Decatur 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 Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School
How many students attend Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School?
Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School has 297 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Decatur, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School is 18.6:1, which is 5% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School?
49.5% of students at Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School is White at 48.5% of enrollment, in Decatur, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School?
Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (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 Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Decatur?
By Resource Investment Index, Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Decatur, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Decatur on the city page.
Is Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School a good school?
Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. 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 Decatur City?
Besides Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School, Decatur City also operates Austin High School (999 students), Decatur High School (915 students), and Decatur Middle School (818 students). See the Decatur 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.