Enrollment
550
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lithonia, GA
Panola Way Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Panola Way Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130174001998
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Panola Way Elementary School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median.
- #10 of 12
- schools in Lithonia · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.9:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Panola Way Elementary School has class sizes near the Georgia median. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Panola Way Elementary School ranks #10 of 12 schools in Lithonia, GA.
School address
District: Dekalb County · Georgia
NCES ID 130174001998 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+65% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Panola Way Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Panola Way Elementary School
Panola Way Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Lithonia, Georgia, enrolling 550 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 100.0% of students qualify for free meals, 65% above the Georgia average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 550 students, its enrollment sits close to the Georgia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 2,314 Georgia schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 431 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #397, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (86% of enrollment) (diversity index 26/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 550 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 52.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Lithonia's public schools, it stands alongside Flat Rock Elementary School (977 students): Panola Way Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.9:1 vs 17.1:1).
Dekalb County also operates Lakeside High School (2,234 students) and Dunwoody High School (2,012 students) alongside Panola Way 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 Panola Way Elementary School compares
Panola Way 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 | 14.9:1 | ▲ 3% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 65% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 550 | top 62% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
550
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 65% above the Georgia average of 60.7%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 63% in Georgia - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
52.5%
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
$15,594
per pupil, district-wide
- above Georgia avg of $13,863
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 550 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 63 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.5 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 85.6%
Hispanic or Latino 9.5%
Two or More 2.7%
White 0.9%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 85.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 25.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 25.7, Panola Way Elementary School is less mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dekalb County, which includes Panola Way Elementary School.
$15,594
Per student
+12%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.6%
State 32.7%
Federal 15.7%
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 Panola Way Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeside High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dunwoody High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chamblee High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cross Keys High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sequoyah Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Panola Way Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,234
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,012
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,867
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,748
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,713
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools in Lithonia
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Flat Rock Elementary School
Standard public school
977 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Stoneview Elementary School
Standard public school
782 students 15:1 students per teacher
Princeton Elementary School
Standard public school
751 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Edward L. Bouie- Sr. Elementary School
Standard public school
599 students 18.7:1 students per teacher
Redan Elementary School
Standard public school
525 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Rock Chapel Elementary School
Standard public school
524 students 15.4:1 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 (~550 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Panola Way Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Panola Way Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Dekalb 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 Panola Way Elementary School
How many students attend Panola Way Elementary School?
Panola Way Elementary School has 550 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lithonia, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Panola Way Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Panola Way Elementary School is 14.9:1, which is 3% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 5% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Panola Way Elementary School?
100.0% of students at Panola Way Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Panola Way Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Panola Way Elementary School is African American at 85.6% of enrollment, in Lithonia, GA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Panola Way Elementary School?
Panola Way Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower 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 Panola Way Elementary School rank among schools in Lithonia?
By Resource Investment Index, Panola Way Elementary School ranks #10 of 12 schools in Lithonia, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Lithonia on the city page.
Is Panola Way Elementary School a good school?
Panola Way Elementary School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia 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 Dekalb County?
Besides Panola Way Elementary School, Dekalb County also operates Lakeside High School (2,234 students), Dunwoody High School (2,012 students), and Chamblee High School (1,867 students). See the Dekalb 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.