Enrollment
1,152
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Huntsville, AL
Providence Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Providence Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010180002172
👥 S:T ratio 2
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Providence Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Alabama schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Alabama.
- #25 of 29
- schools in Huntsville · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 24.5:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 48.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Providence Elementary has class sizes larger than 97% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Providence Elementary ranks #25 of 29 schools in Huntsville, AL.
School address
District: Huntsville City · Alabama
NCES ID 010180002172 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.5:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+38% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.0%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-18% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Providence Elementary compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Providence Elementary
Providence Elementary is a large combined-grade school in Huntsville, Alabama, enrolling 1,152 students.
Class loads run heavy: 24.5:1 is larger than about 97% of Alabama schools and 38% above the 17.7:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 48.0% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Alabama, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,152 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 158 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #110.
Its student body is led by African American (71%) and White (10%) (diversity index 48/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1152 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
17.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 17.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Huntsville's public schools, it stands alongside Mt Carmel Elementary School (638 students): Providence Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24.5:1 vs 17.2:1).
Huntsville City also operates Virgil Grissom High School (1,847 students) and Huntsville High School (1,807 students) alongside Providence Elementary.
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 Providence Elementary compares
Providence Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24.5:1 | ▲ 38% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.0% | ▼ 18% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,152 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.5:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,152
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% 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
24.5:1
students per teacher
- 38% above state mean
Top 97% in Alabama - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
17.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,033
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 1152 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.1 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 70.5%
White 9.9%
Two or More 9.4%
Hispanic or Latino 8.4%
Asian 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 70.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.7, Providence Elementary is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Huntsville City, which includes Providence Elementary.
$12,033
Per student
-4%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.6%
State 39.2%
Federal 17.2%
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 Providence Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virgil Grissom High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Huntsville High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Goldsmithschiffman Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Columbia High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lee High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Providence Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,847
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,807
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 935
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 916
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 877
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar other schools in Huntsville
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Mt Carmel Elementary School
Standard public school
638 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
Central School
Standard public school
610 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Monrovia Elementary School
Standard public school
600 students 21.4:1 students per teacher
Blossomwood Elementary School
Standard public school
596 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Riverton Elementary School
Standard public school
596 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Sonnie Hereford Elementary School
Standard public school
578 students 18.6:1 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 (~1,152 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Providence Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Providence Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Huntsville 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 Providence Elementary
How many students attend Providence Elementary?
Providence Elementary has 1,152 students enrolled. It is a public school in Huntsville, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Providence Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Providence Elementary is 24.5:1, which is 38% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 56% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Providence Elementary?
48.0% of students at Providence Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Providence Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Providence Elementary is African American at 70.5% of enrollment, in Huntsville, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Providence Elementary?
Providence Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Providence Elementary rank among schools in Huntsville?
By Resource Investment Index, Providence Elementary ranks #25 of 29 schools in Huntsville, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Huntsville on the city page.
Is Providence Elementary a good school?
Providence Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Alabama schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Alabama. 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 Huntsville City?
Besides Providence Elementary, Huntsville City also operates Virgil Grissom High School (1,847 students), Huntsville High School (1,807 students), and Goldsmithschiffman Elementary (935 students). See the Huntsville 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.