Enrollment
576
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Bessemer, AL
Oak Grove Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Oak Grove Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010192001453
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Oak Grove Elementary School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #6 of 7
- schools in Bessemer · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18:1
- students per teacher
- 45.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Oak Grove Elementary School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Oak Grove Elementary School ranks #6 of 7 schools in Bessemer, AL.
School address
District: Jefferson County · Alabama
NCES ID 010192001453 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.8%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Oak Grove Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Oak Grove Elementary School
Oak Grove Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Bessemer, Alabama, enrolling 576 students.
At 18:1, 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 below the state's typical profile, with 45.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 576 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.
Among 404 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #295, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (92% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 16/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 576 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data 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): Oak Grove Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18:1 vs 18.1:1).
Jefferson County also operates Claychalkville High School (1,377 students) and Mcadory High School (1,259 students) alongside Oak Grove 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 Oak Grove Elementary School compares
Oak Grove 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 | 18:1 | ▲ 2% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.8% | ▼ 22% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 576 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
576
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 60% in Alabama - lower ratio than 40% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
25.3%
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
$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 576 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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 91.8%
Hispanic or Latino 4.0%
African American 2.4%
Two or More 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 91.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 15.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 15.5, Oak Grove Elementary School is less 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 Oak Grove 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 Oak Grove Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claychalkville High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mcadory High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hueytown High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shades Valley High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gardendale High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Oak Grove 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
Mccalla Elementary School
Standard public school
752 students 20.3:1 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 (~576 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Oak Grove Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Oak Grove 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 Oak Grove Elementary School
How many students attend Oak Grove Elementary School?
Oak Grove Elementary School has 576 students enrolled. It is a public school in Bessemer, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Oak Grove Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Oak Grove Elementary School is 18:1, which is 2% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Oak Grove Elementary School?
45.8% of students at Oak Grove Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Oak Grove Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Oak Grove Elementary School is White at 91.8% of enrollment, in Bessemer, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Oak Grove Elementary School?
Oak Grove Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Oak Grove Elementary School rank among schools in Bessemer?
By Resource Investment Index, Oak Grove Elementary School ranks #6 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 Oak Grove Elementary School a good school?
Oak Grove Elementary School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Oak Grove 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.