Enrollment
722
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Phenix City, AL
Ridgecrest Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Ridgecrest Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010270001091
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ridgecrest Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median.
- #5 of 6
- schools in Phenix City · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.2:1
- students per teacher
- 82.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Ridgecrest Elementary School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ridgecrest Elementary School ranks #5 of 6 schools in Phenix City, AL.
School address
District: Phenix City · Alabama
NCES ID 010270001091 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.2:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
82.5%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ridgecrest Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ridgecrest Elementary School
Ridgecrest Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Phenix City, Alabama, enrolling 722 students.
At 17.2:1, 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 is high: 82.5% of students qualify for free meals, 40% above the Alabama average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 722 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.
Against 180 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #67.
Its student body is led by African American (64%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 722 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 23.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Phenix City's public schools, it stands alongside Phenix City Elementary School (683 students): Ridgecrest Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.2:1 vs 17.5:1).
Phenix City also operates Central High School (1,579 students) and Phenix City Intermediate School (1,068 students) alongside Ridgecrest 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 Ridgecrest Elementary School compares
Ridgecrest 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 | 17.2:1 | ▼ 3% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 82.5% | ▲ 40% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 722 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.2:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
722
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
82.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
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
17.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 47% in Alabama - lower ratio than 53% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
24.0%
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
$11,818
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 722 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 66 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.1 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 63.9%
Hispanic or Latino 19.9%
White 8.0%
Two or More 7.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Asian 0.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 63.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.0, Ridgecrest 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 Phenix City, which includes Ridgecrest Elementary School.
$11,818
Per student
-5%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.1%
State 57.8%
Federal 23.2%
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 Ridgecrest Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Phenix City Intermediate School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Phenix City Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Westview Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Central Freshman Academy | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ridgecrest Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,579
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,068
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 683
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 563
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 513
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Phenix City
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Phenix City Elementary School
Standard public school
683 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Westview Elementary School
Standard public school
563 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Sherwood Elementary School
Standard public school
493 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Ladonia Elementary School
Standard public school
461 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Meadowlane Elementary School
Standard public school
155 students 15.5:1 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 (~722 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ridgecrest Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Ridgecrest Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Phenix 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 Ridgecrest Elementary School
How many students attend Ridgecrest Elementary School?
Ridgecrest Elementary School has 722 students enrolled. It is a public school in Phenix City, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ridgecrest Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ridgecrest Elementary School is 17.2:1, which is 3% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 10% higher 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 Ridgecrest Elementary School?
82.5% of students at Ridgecrest Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ridgecrest Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Ridgecrest Elementary School is African American at 63.9% of enrollment, in Phenix City, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ridgecrest Elementary School?
Ridgecrest Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Ridgecrest Elementary School rank among schools in Phenix City?
By Resource Investment Index, Ridgecrest Elementary School ranks #5 of 6 schools in Phenix City, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Phenix City on the city page.
Is Ridgecrest Elementary School a good school?
Ridgecrest Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama 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 Phenix City?
Besides Ridgecrest Elementary School, Phenix City also operates Central High School (1,579 students), Phenix City Intermediate School (1,068 students), and Phenix City Elementary School (683 students). See the Phenix 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.