Enrollment
405
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Covington, GA
Porterdale Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Porterdale Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130393001459
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 20
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Porterdale Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median.
- #5 of 12
- schools in Covington · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.1:1
- students per teacher
- 84.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Porterdale Elementary School has class sizes near the Georgia median. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Porterdale Elementary School ranks #5 of 12 schools in Covington, GA.
School address
District: Newton County · Georgia
NCES ID 130393001459 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.1:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
84.9%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Porterdale Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Porterdale Elementary School
Porterdale Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Covington, Georgia, enrolling 405 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 84.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 405 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 278 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #170.
Its student body is led by African American (76%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%) (diversity index 40/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 405 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Covington's public schools, it stands alongside Live Oak Elementary (936 students): Porterdale Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.1:1 vs 20.3:1).
Newton County also operates Newton High School (2,499 students) and Alcovy High School (1,968 students) alongside Porterdale 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 Porterdale Elementary School compares
Porterdale 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 | 13.1:1 | ▼ 9% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 84.9% | ▲ 40% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 405 | top 81% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.1:1
Leaner classes than 66% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
405
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
84.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% above the Georgia average of 60.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.1:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 33% in Georgia - lower ratio than 67% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
32.1%
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
$12,938
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 405 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 27 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.9 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
African American 76.3%
Hispanic or Latino 11.9%
White 5.7%
Two or More 3.0%
Asian 1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 76.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 39.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 39.9, Porterdale 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 Newton County, which includes Porterdale Elementary School.
$12,938
Per student
-7%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.3%
State 48.6%
Federal 16.2%
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 Porterdale Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newton High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Alcovy High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eastside High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Newton County Theme School at Ficquett | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Live Oak Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Porterdale Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,499
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,968
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,590
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,095
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 936
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar other schools in Covington
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Live Oak Elementary
Standard public school
936 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
South Salem Elementary School
Standard public school
855 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Walnut Grove Elementary School
Standard public school
721 students 16:1 students per teacher
West Newton Elementary School
Standard public school
698 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Oak Hill Elementary School
Standard public school
663 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Middle Ridge Elementary School
Standard public school
594 students 14.1:1 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 (~405 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Porterdale Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Porterdale Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Newton 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 Porterdale Elementary School
How many students attend Porterdale Elementary School?
Porterdale Elementary School has 405 students enrolled. It is a public school in Covington, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Porterdale Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Porterdale Elementary School is 13.1:1, which is 9% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 17% 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 Porterdale Elementary School?
84.9% of students at Porterdale Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Porterdale Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Porterdale Elementary School is African American at 76.3% of enrollment, in Covington, GA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Porterdale Elementary School?
Porterdale 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 Porterdale Elementary School rank among schools in Covington?
By Resource Investment Index, Porterdale Elementary School ranks #5 of 12 schools in Covington, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Covington on the city page.
Is Porterdale Elementary School a good school?
Porterdale Elementary School earns 39/100 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 Newton County?
Besides Porterdale Elementary School, Newton County also operates Newton High School (2,499 students), Alcovy High School (1,968 students), and Eastside High School (1,590 students). See the Newton 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.