Enrollment
78
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Pelham, AL
Linda Nolen Learning Center
Federal NCES profile for Linda Nolen Learning Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010303001803
👥 S:T ratio 78
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 84
📋 Attendance 26
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Linda Nolen Learning Center earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of Alabama schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Alabama.
- #1 of 3
- schools in Pelham · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 5.6:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 61.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Linda Nolen Learning Center has class sizes smaller than 99% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Linda Nolen Learning Center ranks #1 of 3 schools in Pelham, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
5.6:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-68% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
61.0%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Linda Nolen Learning Center compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Linda Nolen Learning Center
Linda Nolen Learning Center is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Pelham, Alabama, enrolling 78 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 5.6:1, Linda Nolen Learning Center is leaner than roughly 99% of Alabama schools and 68% under the state's 17.7:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 61.0% lands close to the Alabama typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 99% of Alabama schools, with 78 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 96% of the 1,365 Alabama schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Its student body is led by White (58%) and African American (23%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 78 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Pelham's public schools, it stands alongside Pelham Ridge (783 students): Linda Nolen Learning Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (5.6:1 vs 17.4:1).
Shelby County also operates Oak Mountain High School (1,648 students) and Helena High School (1,383 students) alongside Linda Nolen Learning Center.
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 Linda Nolen Learning Center compares
Linda Nolen Learning Center on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 5.6:1 | ▼ 68% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 61.0% | ▲ 4% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 78 | top 99% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
5.6:1
Leaner classes than 98% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
78
Bigger than 8% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
61.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% 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
5.6:1
students per teacher
- 68% below state mean
Top 1% in Alabama - lower ratio than 100% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
29.5%
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
$11,253
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 78 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 57.7%
African American 23.1%
Hispanic or Latino 11.5%
Two or More 5.1%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.3%
Largest group: White at 57.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.8, Linda Nolen Learning Center is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Shelby County, which includes Linda Nolen Learning Center.
$11,253
Per student
-10%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.9%
State 51.9%
Federal 9.2%
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 Linda Nolen Learning Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Mountain High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Helena High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chelsea High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Oak Mountain Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Calera High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Linda Nolen Learning Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,648
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,383
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,235
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,168
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,018
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar other schools in Pelham
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~78 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~5.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Linda Nolen Learning Center's federal record.
- Compare Linda Nolen Learning Center against another school. Compare schools
- Shelby 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 Linda Nolen Learning Center
How many students attend Linda Nolen Learning Center?
Linda Nolen Learning Center has 78 students enrolled. It is a special-education school in Pelham, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Linda Nolen Learning Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Linda Nolen Learning Center is 5.6:1, which is 68% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 64% 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 Linda Nolen Learning Center?
61.0% of students at Linda Nolen Learning Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Linda Nolen Learning Center?
The largest demographic group at Linda Nolen Learning Center is White at 57.7% of enrollment, in Pelham, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Linda Nolen Learning Center?
Linda Nolen Learning Center has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (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 Linda Nolen Learning Center rank among schools in Pelham?
By Resource Investment Index, Linda Nolen Learning Center ranks #1 of 3 schools in Pelham, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Pelham on the city page.
Is Linda Nolen Learning Center a good school?
Linda Nolen Learning Center earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of Alabama schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Alabama. 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 Shelby County?
Besides Linda Nolen Learning Center, Shelby County also operates Oak Mountain High School (1,648 students), Helena High School (1,383 students), and Chelsea High School (1,235 students). See the Shelby 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.