Enrollment
401
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Northport, AL
Matthews Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Matthews Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010339001283
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Matthews Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median.
- #5 of 7
- schools in Northport · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.4:1
- students per teacher
- 81.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Matthews Elementary School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Matthews Elementary School ranks #5 of 7 schools in Northport, AL.
School address
District: Tuscaloosa County · Alabama
NCES ID 010339001283 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.4:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
81.8%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Matthews Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Matthews Elementary School
Matthews Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Northport, Alabama, enrolling 401 students.
At 17.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Alabama median, within a few percentage points of the 17.7:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 81.8% of students qualify for free meals, 39% above the Alabama average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 401 students, its enrollment sits close to the Alabama median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 279 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #108.
Its student body is led by African American (58%) and Hispanic or Latino (35%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 401 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Northport's public schools, it stands alongside Walker Elementary School (743 students): Matthews Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.4:1 vs 17.7:1).
Tuscaloosa County also operates Tuscaloosa County High School (1,607 students) and Hillcrest High School (1,434 students) alongside Matthews 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 Matthews Elementary School compares
Matthews 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 | 17.4:1 | ▼ 2% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 81.8% | ▲ 39% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 401 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.4:1
Leaner classes than 28% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
401
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
81.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.4:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 50% in Alabama - lower ratio than 50% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
25.2%
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
$11,186
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 401 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
34
in-school suspensions + 41 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.7 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 57.6%
Hispanic or Latino 34.7%
White 6.2%
Two or More 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 57.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.4, Matthews 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 Tuscaloosa County, which includes Matthews Elementary School.
$11,186
Per student
-10%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.0%
State 58.1%
Federal 14.9%
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 Matthews Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa County High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hillcrest High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brookwood High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lake View Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Walker Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Matthews Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,607
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,434
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,076
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 744
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 743
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools in Northport
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Walker Elementary School
Standard public school
743 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Northport Elementary School
Standard public school
558 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Flatwoods Elementary School
Standard public school
459 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
Faucettvestavia Elementary School
Standard public school
343 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Crestmont Elementary School
Standard public school
268 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Lloyd Wood Education Center
Special-education school
205 students 18.6:1 students per teacher
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 (~401 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Matthews Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Matthews Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Tuscaloosa 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 Matthews Elementary School
How many students attend Matthews Elementary School?
Matthews Elementary School has 401 students enrolled. It is a public school in Northport, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Matthews Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Matthews Elementary School is 17.4:1, which is 2% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 11% higher 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 Matthews Elementary School?
81.8% of students at Matthews Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Matthews Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Matthews Elementary School is African American at 57.6% of enrollment, in Northport, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Matthews Elementary School?
Matthews Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Matthews Elementary School rank among schools in Northport?
By Resource Investment Index, Matthews Elementary School ranks #5 of 7 schools in Northport, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Northport on the city page.
Is Matthews Elementary School a good school?
Matthews Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. 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 Tuscaloosa County?
Besides Matthews Elementary School, Tuscaloosa County also operates Tuscaloosa County High School (1,607 students), Hillcrest High School (1,434 students), and Brookwood High School (1,076 students). See the Tuscaloosa 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.