Enrollment
262
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gadsden, AL
Mitchell Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Mitchell Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010162000563
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 Attendance 71
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mitchell Elementary School earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median.
- #3 of 11
- schools in Gadsden · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.5:1
- students per teacher
- 66.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Mitchell Elementary School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mitchell Elementary School ranks #3 of 11 schools in Gadsden, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.7%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mitchell Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mitchell Elementary School
Mitchell Elementary School is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Gadsden, Alabama, enrolling 262 students.
At 17.5:1, 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 runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 66.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 262 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 96% of the 1,365 Alabama schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 198 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #9, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and African American (19%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 262 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
11.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 24.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Gadsden's public schools, it stands alongside Adams Elementary School (433 students): Mitchell Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.5:1 vs 17.3:1).
Gadsden City also operates Gadsden City High School (1,361 students) and Gadsden Middle School (438 students) alongside Mitchell 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 Mitchell Elementary School compares
Mitchell 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 | 17.5:1 | ▼ 1% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.7% | ▲ 13% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 262 | top 86% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
262
Bigger than 27% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% 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
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 52% in Alabama - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
11.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$12,669
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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 262 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 62.2%
African American 19.1%
Hispanic or Latino 9.9%
Two or More 7.6%
Asian 1.1%
Largest group: White at 62.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.1, Mitchell 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 Gadsden City, which includes Mitchell Elementary School.
$12,669
Per student
+1%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.6%
State 57.1%
Federal 24.3%
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 Mitchell Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gadsden City High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gadsden Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Adams Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| W E Striplin Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Floyd Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mitchell Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,361
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 438
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 433
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 400
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 384
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar other schools in Gadsden
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Adams Elementary School
Standard public school
433 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
W E Striplin Elementary School
Standard public school
400 students 20:1 students per teacher
Floyd Elementary School
Standard public school
384 students 24:1 students per teacher
Gaston High School
Standard public school
380 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
Eura Brown Elementary School
Standard public school
340 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Gaston Elementary School
Standard public school
290 students 18.1:1 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 (~262 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mitchell Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Mitchell Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Gadsden 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 Mitchell Elementary School
How many students attend Mitchell Elementary School?
Mitchell Elementary School has 262 students enrolled. It is a public school in Gadsden, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mitchell Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mitchell Elementary School is 17.5:1, which is 1% 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 Mitchell Elementary School?
66.7% of students at Mitchell Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mitchell Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Mitchell Elementary School is White at 62.2% of enrollment, in Gadsden, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mitchell Elementary School?
Mitchell Elementary School 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 Mitchell Elementary School rank among schools in Gadsden?
By Resource Investment Index, Mitchell Elementary School ranks #3 of 11 schools in Gadsden, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Gadsden on the city page.
Is Mitchell Elementary School a good school?
Mitchell Elementary School earns 55/100 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 Gadsden City?
Besides Mitchell Elementary School, Gadsden City also operates Gadsden City High School (1,361 students), Gadsden Middle School (438 students), and Adams Elementary School (433 students). See the Gadsden 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.