Enrollment
725
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Madison, AL
Rainbow Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Rainbow Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010000801485
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 80
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rainbow Elementary School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 91% of Alabama schools.
- #1 of 7
- schools in Madison · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.9:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 15.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Rainbow Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 91% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Rainbow Elementary School ranks #1 of 7 schools in Madison, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
52.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.9:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
15.6%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-73% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Rainbow Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Rainbow Elementary School
Rainbow Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Madison, Alabama, enrolling 725 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 13.9:1, Rainbow Elementary School is leaner than roughly 91% of Alabama schools and 21% under the state's 17.7:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 15.6% free-meal eligibility runs 73% below the Alabama average.
Enrollment of 725 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 85 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #19.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and African American (16%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 725 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 8.1% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Madison's public schools, it stands alongside Midtown Elementary School (1,097 students): Rainbow Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.9:1 vs 19.9:1).
Madison City also operates James Clemens High School (2,159 students) and Bob Jones High School (2,048 students) alongside Rainbow 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 Rainbow Elementary School compares
Rainbow 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 | 13.9:1 | ▼ 21% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 15.6% | ▼ 73% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 725 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.9:1
Leaner classes than 58% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
725
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
15.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 73% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.9:1
students per teacher
- 21% below state mean
Top 9% in Alabama - lower ratio than 91% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
8.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$10,744
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 725 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
39
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.1 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
White 59.6%
African American 16.4%
Hispanic or Latino 10.1%
Two or More 7.3%
Asian 6.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 59.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.8, Rainbow Elementary School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Madison City, which includes Rainbow Elementary School.
$10,744
Per student
-14%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.2%
State 47.9%
Federal 7.9%
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 Rainbow Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Clemens High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bob Jones High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Liberty Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Midtown Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Discovery Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rainbow Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,159
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 2,048
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,103
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 1,097
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,054
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar other schools in Madison
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Midtown Elementary School
Standard public school
1,097 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Mill Creek Elementary School
Standard public school
965 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Columbia Elementary School
Standard public school
701 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Madison Elementary School
Standard public school
603 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Legacy Elementary School
Standard public school
594 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
Horizon Elementary School
Standard public school
567 students 15.8:1 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 (~725 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Rainbow Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Rainbow Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Madison 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 Rainbow Elementary School
How many students attend Rainbow Elementary School?
Rainbow Elementary School has 725 students enrolled. It is a public school in Madison, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rainbow Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Rainbow Elementary School is 13.9:1, which is 21% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 11% 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 Rainbow Elementary School?
15.6% of students at Rainbow Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rainbow Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Rainbow Elementary School is White at 59.6% of enrollment, in Madison, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rainbow Elementary School?
Rainbow Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher 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 Rainbow Elementary School rank among schools in Madison?
By Resource Investment Index, Rainbow Elementary School ranks #1 of 7 schools in Madison, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Madison on the city page.
Is Rainbow Elementary School a good school?
Rainbow Elementary School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller 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 Madison City?
Besides Rainbow Elementary School, Madison City also operates James Clemens High School (2,159 students), Bob Jones High School (2,048 students), and Liberty Middle School (1,103 students). See the Madison 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.