Enrollment
1,260
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Smyrna, GA
Nickajack Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Nickajack Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130129002247
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 16
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Nickajack Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Georgia schools.
- #8 of 9
- schools in Smyrna · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.4:1
- large classes for Georgia
- 26.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Nickajack Elementary School has class sizes larger than 80% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Nickajack Elementary School ranks #8 of 9 schools in Smyrna, GA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
77.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.4:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
26.6%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Nickajack Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Nickajack Elementary School
Nickajack Elementary School is a large combined-grade school in Smyrna, Georgia, enrolling 1,260 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 26.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 1,260 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 260 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #184.
Its student body is led by African American (54%) and White (21%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 420 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Smyrna's public schools, it stands alongside King Springs Elementary School (1,101 students): Nickajack Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.4:1 vs 13.4:1).
Cobb County also operates Campbell High School (3,085 students) and Osborne High School (2,790 students) alongside Nickajack 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 Nickajack Elementary School compares
Nickajack 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 | 16.4:1 | ▲ 14% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 26.6% | ▼ 56% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,260 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.4:1
Leaner classes than 35% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,260
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
26.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% 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
16.4:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 80% in Georgia - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
25.6%
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 420 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
24
in-school suspensions + 61 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.7 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 53.5%
White 21.3%
Hispanic or Latino 11.5%
Two or More 8.4%
Asian 5.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 53.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.6, Nickajack 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 Nickajack 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 Nickajack 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| Walton High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pebblebrook High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Cobb High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Nickajack 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 Smyrna
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
King Springs Elementary School
Standard public school
1,101 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Teasley Elementary School
Standard public school
974 students 15:1 students per teacher
Smyrna Elementary School
Standard public school
870 students 11.3:1 students per teacher
Norton Park Elementary School
Standard public school
643 students 10.2:1 students per teacher
Green Acres Elementary School
Standard public school
584 students 11.2:1 students per teacher
Russell Elementary School
Standard public school
568 students 11.6:1 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 (~1,260 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Nickajack Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Nickajack 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 Nickajack Elementary School
How many students attend Nickajack Elementary School?
Nickajack Elementary School has 1,260 students enrolled. It is a public school in Smyrna, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Nickajack Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Nickajack Elementary School is 16.4:1, which is 14% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 4% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Nickajack Elementary School?
26.6% of students at Nickajack Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Nickajack Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Nickajack Elementary School is African American at 53.5% of enrollment, in Smyrna, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Nickajack Elementary School?
Nickajack 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 Nickajack Elementary School rank among schools in Smyrna?
By Resource Investment Index, Nickajack Elementary School ranks #8 of 9 schools in Smyrna, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Smyrna on the city page.
Is Nickajack Elementary School a good school?
Nickajack Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger 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 Cobb County?
Besides Nickajack 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.