Enrollment
413
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Marietta, GA
Nicholson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Nicholson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130129002109
👥 S:T ratio 60
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 59
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Nicholson Elementary School earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% of Georgia schools.
- #4 of 30
- schools in Marietta · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10.1:1
- small classes for Georgia
- 27.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Nicholson Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 94% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Nicholson Elementary School ranks #4 of 30 schools in Marietta, GA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.1:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-30% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
27.5%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-55% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Nicholson Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Nicholson Elementary School
Nicholson Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Marietta, Georgia, enrolling 413 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.1:1, Nicholson Elementary School is leaner than roughly 94% of Georgia schools and 30% under the state's 14.4:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 27.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 413 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 94% of the 2,314 Georgia schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Against 119 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #15.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%) (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 207 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Marietta's public schools, it stands alongside Sope Creek Elementary School (1,104 students): Nicholson Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.1:1 vs 15.3:1).
Cobb County also operates Campbell High School (3,085 students) and Osborne High School (2,790 students) alongside Nicholson 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 Nicholson Elementary School compares
Nicholson 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 | 10.1:1 | ▼ 30% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.5% | ▼ 55% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 413 | top 80% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.1:1
Leaner classes than 88% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
413
Bigger than 49% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
27.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% below the Georgia average of 60.7%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
10.1:1
students per teacher
- 30% below state mean
Top 6% in Georgia - lower ratio than 94% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
26.4%
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
$13,203
per pupil, district-wide
- below Georgia avg of $13,863
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 207 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 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 50.6%
Hispanic or Latino 24.7%
African American 11.9%
Two or More 10.4%
Asian 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 50.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.8, Nicholson 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 Cobb County, which includes Nicholson Elementary School.
$13,203
Per student
-5%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 52.6%
State 35.4%
Federal 11.9%
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 Nicholson Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campbell High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Osborne High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Walton High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pebblebrook High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Cobb High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Nicholson Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,085
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,790
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,705
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,574
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,463
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar other schools in Marietta
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Sope Creek Elementary School
Standard public school
1,104 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
East Side Elementary School
Standard public school
1,072 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Cheatham Hill Elementary School
Standard public school
1,021 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Brumby Elementary School
Standard public school
963 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
Mount Bethel Elementary School
Standard public school
898 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Dowell Elementary School
Standard public school
898 students 13:1 students per teacher
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 (~413 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Nicholson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Nicholson Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Cobb 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 Nicholson Elementary School
How many students attend Nicholson Elementary School?
Nicholson Elementary School has 413 students enrolled. It is a public school in Marietta, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Nicholson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Nicholson Elementary School is 10.1:1, which is 30% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 36% 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 Nicholson Elementary School?
27.5% of students at Nicholson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Nicholson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Nicholson Elementary School is White at 50.6% of enrollment, in Marietta, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Nicholson Elementary School?
Nicholson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (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 Nicholson Elementary School rank among schools in Marietta?
By Resource Investment Index, Nicholson Elementary School ranks #4 of 30 schools in Marietta, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Marietta on the city page.
Is Nicholson Elementary School a good school?
Nicholson Elementary School earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% 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 Cobb County?
Besides Nicholson Elementary School, Cobb County also operates Campbell High School (3,085 students), Osborne High School (2,790 students), and Walton High School (2,705 students). See the Cobb 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.