Enrollment
457
Texas · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Athens, TX
South Athens El
Federal NCES profile for South Athens El, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 480887000281
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 49
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Athens El earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas median.
- #2 of 3
- schools in Athens · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.2:1
- students per teacher
- 78.2%
- free-lunch eligible
South Athens El has class sizes near the Texas median. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Athens El ranks #2 of 3 schools in Athens, TX.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 14.7:1 Texas avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
78.2%
vs 61.9% Texas avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Athens El compares with Texas and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Athens El
South Athens El is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Athens, Texas, enrolling 457 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Texas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 78.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 457 students, its enrollment sits close to the Texas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 8,960 scored Texas schools.
Against 1,954 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #812.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (58%) and White (26%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 457 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 19.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Athens Isd also operates Athens H S (879 students) and Athens Middle (660 students) alongside South Athens El.
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 South Athens El compares
South Athens El on the metrics families compare, against Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 78.2% | ▲ 26% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 457 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
457
Bigger than 56% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
78.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% above the Texas average of 61.9%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 62% in Texas - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
20.4%
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
$12,015
per pupil, district-wide
- below Texas avg of $13,644
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 457 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 58.2%
White 26.0%
African American 10.1%
Two or More 5.3%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 58.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.1, South Athens El is more mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Athens Isd, which includes South Athens El.
$12,015
Per student
-12%
vs Texas
Avg $13,644
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 49.1%
State 31.3%
Federal 19.6%
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 South Athens El Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Athens Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Central Athens | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bel Air El | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Athens El's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 879
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 660
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 568
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 465
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Texas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~457 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Athens El's federal record.
- Compare South Athens El against another school. Compare schools
- Athens Isd'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 South Athens El
How many students attend South Athens El?
South Athens El has 457 students enrolled. It is a public school in Athens, TX.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Athens El?
The student-teacher ratio at South Athens El is 15.2:1, which is 3% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Athens El?
78.2% of students at South Athens El are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Athens El?
The largest demographic group at South Athens El is Hispanic or Latino at 58.2% of enrollment, in Athens, TX. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Athens El?
South Athens El 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 South Athens El rank among schools in Athens?
By Resource Investment Index, South Athens El ranks #2 of 3 schools in Athens, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Athens on the city page.
Is South Athens El a good school?
South Athens El earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas 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 Athens Isd?
Besides South Athens El, Athens Isd also operates Athens H S (879 students), Athens Middle (660 students), and Central Athens (568 students). See the Athens Isd 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.