- Enrollment
- 1,847
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Huntsville, AL
Sonnie Hereford Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Sonnie Hereford Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010180002425
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sonnie Hereford Elementary School earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median.
- #29 of 29
- schools in Huntsville · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.6:1
- students per teacher
- 92.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Sonnie Hereford Elementary School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sonnie Hereford Elementary School ranks #29 of 29 schools in Huntsville, AL.
School address
District: Huntsville City · Alabama
NCES ID 010180002425 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-41 students YoY
Sonnie Hereford Elementary School shrank from 611 students in 2022-23 to 570 in 2023-24 (-6.7%).
Teacher FTE added 31.0 → 33.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-41 students YoY 010180002425 · Huntsville, AL Other · MID · TRAD
578 enr · 18.6:1 · 92.0% lunch · RII 24
Nearest enrollment peer: Virgil Grissom High School (1,847 students)
Sonnie Hereford Elementary School shrank from 611 students in 2022-23 to 570 in 2023-24 (-6.7%). Teacher FTE added 31.0 → 33.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Alabama schools → · Find another →
Sonnie Hereford Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Virgil Grissom
Virgil Grissom High School
1,847 students
- Huntsville Hig
Huntsville High School
1,807 students
- Providence Ele
Providence Elementary
1,152 students
- Goldsmithschif
Goldsmithschiffman Elementary
935 students
- Columbia High
Columbia High School
916 students
- This school 578
Sonnie Hereford Elementary School
578 students
What this shows Sonnie Hereford Elementary School reports 578 students on the CCD universe file.
How Sonnie Hereford Elementary School compares
Sonnie Hereford Elementary School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.6:1 | ▲ 5% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 92.0% | ▲ 56% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 578 | top 33% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.6:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
578
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
92.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% 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
18.6:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 68% in Alabama - lower ratio than 32% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
52.8%
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
$13,146
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $13,538
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 578 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
30
in-school suspensions + 33 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 61.6%
Hispanic or Latino 20.8%
Two or More 10.0%
White 6.2%
Asian 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 61.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.3, Sonnie Hereford Elementary School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Huntsville City reports $13,146 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Sonnie Hereford Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virgil Grissom High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Huntsville High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Providence Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Goldsmithschiffman Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Columbia High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sonnie Hereford Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,807
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,152
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 935
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 916
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar other schools in Huntsville
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Providence Elementary
Standard public school
1,152 students 24.5:1 students per teacher
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
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~578 students)
Frequently asked questions about Sonnie Hereford Elementary School
How many students attend Sonnie Hereford Elementary School?
Sonnie Hereford Elementary School has 578 students enrolled. It is a public school in Huntsville, AL. CCD year-over-year: 611 (2022-23) → 570 (2023-24), down 41.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sonnie Hereford Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sonnie Hereford Elementary School is 18.6:1, which is 5% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sonnie Hereford Elementary School?
92.0% of students at Sonnie Hereford Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sonnie Hereford Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Sonnie Hereford Elementary School is African American at 61.6% of enrollment, in Huntsville, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sonnie Hereford Elementary School?
Sonnie Hereford Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Sonnie Hereford Elementary School rank among schools in Huntsville?
By Resource Investment Index, Sonnie Hereford Elementary School ranks #29 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.
What other schools are in Huntsville City?
Besides Sonnie Hereford Elementary School, Huntsville City also operates Virgil Grissom High School (1,847 students), Huntsville High School (1,807 students), and Providence Elementary (1,152 students). See the Huntsville City district page for the complete list.