Enrollment
464
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Opelika, AL
Northside School
Federal NCES profile for Northside School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 010258000349
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 7
📋 Attendance 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northside School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Alabama schools.
- #1 of 7
- elementary schools in Opelika · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.1:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 59.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Northside School has class sizes larger than 91% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northside School ranks #1 of 7 elementary schools in Opelika, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.1:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.3%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northside School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northside School
Northside School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Opelika, Alabama, enrolling 464 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.1:1 is larger than about 91% of Alabama schools and 19% above the 17.7:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 59.3% lands close to the Alabama typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 464 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 465 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #174.
Its student body is led by African American (47%) and White (38%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 464 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
12.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 16.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Opelika's elementary schools, it stands alongside Sanford Middle School (533 students): Northside School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.1:1 vs 16.7:1).
Opelika City also operates Opelika High School (1,590 students) and Opelika Middle School (812 students) alongside Northside 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 Northside School compares
Northside 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 | 21.1:1 | ▲ 19% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.3% | ▲ 1% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 464 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.1:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
464
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 1% 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
21.1:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 91% in Alabama - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
12.1%
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
$11,407
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 464 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
50
in-school suspensions + 23 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.7 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 47.2%
White 37.7%
Hispanic or Latino 11.6%
Two or More 1.9%
Asian 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 47.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.1, Northside School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Opelika City, which includes Northside School.
$11,407
Per student
-9%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.5%
State 46.5%
Federal 16.1%
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 Northside School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opelika High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Opelika Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Southview Primary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jeter Primary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Carver Primary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northside School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,590
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 812
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 480
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 435
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 414
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar elementary schools in Opelika
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Sanford Middle School
Standard public school
533 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Southview Primary School
Standard public school
480 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Jeter Primary School
Standard public school
435 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Carver Primary School
Standard public school
414 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Morris Avenue Intermediate School
Standard public school
397 students 20.9:1 students per teacher
West Forest Intermediate School
Standard public school
393 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~464 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northside School's federal record.
- Compare Northside School against another school. Compare schools
- Opelika 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 Northside School
How many students attend Northside School?
Northside School has 464 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Opelika, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northside School?
The student-teacher ratio at Northside School is 21.1:1, which is 19% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northside School?
59.3% of students at Northside School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northside School?
The largest demographic group at Northside School is African American at 47.2% of enrollment, in Opelika, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northside School?
Northside School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Northside School rank among elementary schools in Opelika?
By Resource Investment Index, Northside School ranks #1 of 7 elementary schools in Opelika, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Opelika on the city page.
Is Northside School a good school?
Northside School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% 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 Opelika City?
Besides Northside School, Opelika City also operates Opelika High School (1,590 students), Opelika Middle School (812 students), and Southview Primary School (480 students). See the Opelika 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.