Enrollment
475
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Decatur, GA
Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130174003766
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 53
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Georgia schools.
- #14 of 23
- schools in Decatur · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.6:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School has class sizes near the Georgia median. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School ranks #14 of 23 schools in Decatur, GA.
School address
District: Dekalb County · Georgia
NCES ID 130174003766 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.6:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+65% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School
Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Decatur, Georgia, enrolling 475 students.
At 13.6:1, 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 is high: 100.0% of students qualify for free meals, 65% above the Georgia average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 475 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 404 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #146.
Its student body is predominantly African American (90% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 19/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 238 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 40.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Decatur's public schools, it stands alongside Peachcrest Elementary School (729 students): Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.6:1 vs 15.8:1).
Dekalb County also operates Lakeside High School (2,234 students) and Dunwoody High School (2,012 students) alongside Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy 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 Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School compares
Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy 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 | 13.6:1 | ▼ 6% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 65% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 475 | top 72% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 61% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
475
Bigger than 58% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 65% above the Georgia average of 60.7%
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
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 42% in Georgia - lower ratio than 58% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
40.6%
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
$15,594
per pupil, district-wide
- above Georgia avg of $13,863
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 238 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 65 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.9 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 90.1%
Hispanic or Latino 3.6%
White 2.9%
Two or More 1.9%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 90.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 18.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 18.6, Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy 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 Dekalb County, which includes Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School.
$15,594
Per student
+12%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.6%
State 32.7%
Federal 15.7%
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 Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeside High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dunwoody High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chamblee High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cross Keys High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sequoyah Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,234
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,012
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,867
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,748
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,713
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools in Decatur
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Peachcrest Elementary School
Standard public school
729 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Oakview Elementary
Standard public school
685 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Narvie Harris Elementary School
Standard public school
535 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Chapel Hill Elementary School
Standard public school
495 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Canby Lane Elementary School
Standard public school
446 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Laurel Ridge Elementary School
Standard public school
440 students 12.2:1 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 (~475 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Dekalb 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 Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School
How many students attend Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School?
Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School has 475 students enrolled. It is a public school in Decatur, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School is 13.6:1, which is 6% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 13% 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 Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School?
100.0% of students at Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School is African American at 90.1% of enrollment, in Decatur, GA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School?
Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School rank among schools in Decatur?
By Resource Investment Index, Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School ranks #14 of 23 schools in Decatur, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Decatur on the city page.
Is Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School a good school?
Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Georgia 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 Dekalb County?
Besides Ronald E Mcnair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School, Dekalb County also operates Lakeside High School (2,234 students), Dunwoody High School (2,012 students), and Chamblee High School (1,867 students). See the Dekalb 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.