Enrollment
454
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbus, GA
River Road Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for River Road Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130387001445
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
River Road Elementary School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median.
- #12 of 17
- schools in Columbus · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.6:1
- students per teacher
- 96.5%
- free-lunch eligible
River Road Elementary School has class sizes near the Georgia median. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, River Road Elementary School ranks #12 of 17 schools in Columbus, GA.
School address
District: Muscogee County · Georgia
NCES ID 130387001445 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
96.5%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How River Road Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at River Road Elementary School
River Road Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Columbus, Georgia, enrolling 454 students.
At 14.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Georgia median, within a few percentage points of the 14.4:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 96.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 454 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 434 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #289.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (45%) and African American (27%) (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 454 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
14.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 18.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Columbus's public schools, it stands alongside North Columbus Elementary (737 students): River Road Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.6:1 vs 15.7:1).
Muscogee County also operates Northside High School (1,405 students) and Shaw High School (1,162 students) alongside River Road 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 River Road Elementary School compares
River Road 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 | 14.6:1 | ▲ 1% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 96.5% | ▲ 59% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 454 | top 75% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
454
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
96.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% 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
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 58% in Georgia - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
14.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$12,762
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 454 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 39 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.8 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
Hispanic or Latino 44.9%
African American 27.1%
White 19.8%
Two or More 7.5%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 44.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.0, River Road Elementary School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Muscogee County, which includes River Road Elementary School.
$12,762
Per student
-8%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.8%
State 43.0%
Federal 18.2%
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 River Road Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northside High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Shaw High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Columbus High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hardaway High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jordan Vocational High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to River Road Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,405
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,162
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,161
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 1,067
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,040
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar other schools in Columbus
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
North Columbus Elementary
Standard public school
737 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Eagle Ridge Academy
Standard public school
658 students 14:1 students per teacher
Clubview Elementary School
Standard public school
566 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Double Churches Elementary School
Standard public school
472 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Rigdon Road Elementary School
Standard public school
437 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Rainey Mccullers School of the Arts
Standard public school
420 students 13.1:1 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 (~454 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on River Road Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare River Road Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Muscogee 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 River Road Elementary School
How many students attend River Road Elementary School?
River Road Elementary School has 454 students enrolled. It is a public school in Columbus, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at River Road Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at River Road Elementary School is 14.6:1, which is 1% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 7% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at River Road Elementary School?
96.5% of students at River Road Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of River Road Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at River Road Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 44.9% of enrollment, in Columbus, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for River Road Elementary School?
River Road Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 River Road Elementary School rank among schools in Columbus?
By Resource Investment Index, River Road Elementary School ranks #12 of 17 schools in Columbus, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Columbus on the city page.
Is River Road Elementary School a good school?
River Road Elementary School earns 36/100 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 Muscogee County?
Besides River Road Elementary School, Muscogee County also operates Northside High School (1,405 students), Shaw High School (1,162 students), and Columbus High School (1,161 students). See the Muscogee 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.