Enrollment
543
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Jesup, GA
Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130555000706
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 5
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% of Georgia schools.
- #1 of 3
- schools in Jesup · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.1:1
- small classes for Georgia
- 75.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 80% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 schools in Jesup, GA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
45.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.1:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.2%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School
Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Jesup, Georgia, enrolling 543 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 75.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 543 students, its enrollment sits close to the Georgia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Among 306 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #268, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (37%) and White (36%) (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 543 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Jesup's public schools, it stands alongside Jesup Elementary School (706 students): Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.1:1 vs 14.4:1).
Wayne County also operates Wayne County High School (1,576 students) and Jesup Elementary School (706 students) alongside Martha Rawls Smith 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 Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School compares
Martha Rawls Smith 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 | 12.1:1 | ▼ 16% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.2% | ▲ 24% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 543 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.1:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
543
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% above the Georgia average of 60.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.1:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 20% in Georgia - lower ratio than 80% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
37.9%
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
$13,281
per pupil, district-wide
- below 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 543 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
57
in-school suspensions + 32 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.4 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 37.2%
White 36.3%
Hispanic or Latino 18.8%
Two or More 6.8%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 37.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.0, Martha Rawls Smith 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 Wayne County, which includes Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School.
$13,281
Per student
-4%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.6%
State 50.0%
Federal 21.5%
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 Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jesup Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bacon Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Arthur Williams Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Martha Puckett Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,576
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 706
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 690
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 626
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 541
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar other schools in Jesup
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 Georgia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~543 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Wayne 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 Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School
How many students attend Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School?
Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School has 543 students enrolled. It is a public school in Jesup, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School is 12.1:1, which is 16% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 23% 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 Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School?
75.2% of students at Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School is African American at 37.2% of enrollment, in Jesup, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School?
Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School rank among schools in Jesup?
By Resource Investment Index, Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 schools in Jesup, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Jesup on the city page.
Is Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School a good school?
Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% of 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 Wayne County?
Besides Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School, Wayne County also operates Wayne County High School (1,576 students), Jesup Elementary School (706 students), and Bacon Elementary School (690 students). See the Wayne 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.