Enrollment
752
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Bessemer, AL
Mccalla Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Mccalla Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010192000710
👥 S:T ratio 19
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 52
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mccalla Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Alabama schools.
- #5 of 7
- schools in Bessemer · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.3:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 60.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Mccalla Elementary School has class sizes larger than 85% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mccalla Elementary School ranks #5 of 7 schools in Bessemer, AL.
School address
District: Jefferson County · Alabama
NCES ID 010192000710 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.3:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.4%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mccalla Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mccalla Elementary School
Mccalla Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Bessemer, Alabama, enrolling 752 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 60.4% lands close to the Alabama typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 752 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 357 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #214.
Its student body is led by African American (56%) and White (23%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 752 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.1% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 17.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Bessemer's public schools, it stands alongside Oak Grove High School (777 students): Mccalla Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.3:1 vs 18.1:1).
Jefferson County also operates Claychalkville High School (1,377 students) and Mcadory High School (1,259 students) alongside Mccalla 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 Mccalla Elementary School compares
Mccalla 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 | 20.3:1 | ▲ 15% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.4% | ▲ 3% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 752 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.3:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
752
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% 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
20.3:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 85% in Alabama - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
19.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,497
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 752 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 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 55.9%
White 22.7%
Hispanic or Latino 17.0%
Two or More 3.5%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 55.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.6, Mccalla 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 Jefferson County, which includes Mccalla Elementary School.
$11,497
Per student
-8%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.2%
State 54.2%
Federal 17.6%
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 Mccalla Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claychalkville High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mcadory High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hueytown High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shades Valley High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gardendale High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mccalla Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,377
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 1,259
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,200
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 1,094
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,076
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar other schools in Bessemer
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Oak Grove High School
Standard public school
777 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Oak Grove Elementary School
Standard public school
576 students 18:1 students per teacher
Jonesboro Elementary School
Standard public school
474 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Concord Elementary School
Standard public school
400 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
Charles F Hard Elementary School
Standard public school
364 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Abrams Elementary School
Standard public school
231 students 19.3:1 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 (~752 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mccalla Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Mccalla Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Jefferson 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 Mccalla Elementary School
How many students attend Mccalla Elementary School?
Mccalla Elementary School has 752 students enrolled. It is a public school in Bessemer, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mccalla Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mccalla Elementary School is 20.3:1, which is 15% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 29% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mccalla Elementary School?
60.4% of students at Mccalla Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mccalla Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Mccalla Elementary School is African American at 55.9% of enrollment, in Bessemer, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mccalla Elementary School?
Mccalla Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Mccalla Elementary School rank among schools in Bessemer?
By Resource Investment Index, Mccalla Elementary School ranks #5 of 7 schools in Bessemer, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Bessemer on the city page.
Is Mccalla Elementary School a good school?
Mccalla Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of 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 Jefferson County?
Besides Mccalla Elementary School, Jefferson County also operates Claychalkville High School (1,377 students), Mcadory High School (1,259 students), and Hueytown High School (1,200 students). See the Jefferson 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.