Enrollment
534
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hoover, AL
South Shades Crest Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for South Shades Crest Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010000700342
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 85
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Shades Crest Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 85% of Alabama schools.
- #4 of 10
- schools in Hoover · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.8:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 17.3%
- free-lunch eligible
South Shades Crest Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 85% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Shades Crest Elementary School ranks #4 of 10 schools in Hoover, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
17.3%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-71% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Shades Crest Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Shades Crest Elementary School
South Shades Crest Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Hoover, Alabama, enrolling 534 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 14.8:1, South Shades Crest Elementary School is leaner than roughly 85% of Alabama schools and 16% under the state's 17.7:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 17.3% free-meal eligibility runs 71% below the Alabama average.
With 534 students, its enrollment sits close to the Alabama median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 73 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #50.
Its student body is led by White (58%) and African American (18%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 534 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.2% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Hoover's public schools, it stands alongside Trace Crossings Elementary School (769 students): South Shades Crest Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.8:1 vs 15.1:1).
Hoover City also operates Hoover High School (2,919 students) and Spain Park High School (1,472 students) alongside South Shades Crest 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 South Shades Crest Elementary School compares
South Shades Crest 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 | 14.8:1 | ▼ 16% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 17.3% | ▼ 71% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 534 | top 39% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
534
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
17.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 71% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 15% in Alabama - lower ratio than 85% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
6.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$13,854
per pupil, district-wide
- above Alabama avg of $12,491
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 534 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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
White 57.5%
African American 17.8%
Asian 14.8%
Hispanic or Latino 5.8%
Two or More 4.1%
Largest group: White at 57.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.1, South Shades Crest Elementary School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hoover City, which includes South Shades Crest Elementary School.
$13,854
Per student
+11%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.6%
State 39.9%
Federal 8.5%
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 Shades Crest Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoover High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Spain Park High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Robert F Bumpus Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Berry Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ira F Simmons Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Shades Crest Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,919
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,472
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,192
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,058
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 860
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar other schools in Hoover
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Trace Crossings Elementary School
Standard public school
769 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Deer Valley Elementary School
Standard public school
735 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Bluff Park Elementary School
Standard public school
658 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Rocky Ridge Elementary School
Standard public school
577 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Riverchase Elementary School
Standard public school
562 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Gwin Elementary School
Standard public school
508 students 12.4:1 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 (~534 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Shades Crest Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare South Shades Crest Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Hoover 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 South Shades Crest Elementary School
How many students attend South Shades Crest Elementary School?
South Shades Crest Elementary School has 534 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hoover, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Shades Crest Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Shades Crest Elementary School is 14.8:1, which is 16% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 6% 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 South Shades Crest Elementary School?
17.3% of students at South Shades Crest Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Shades Crest Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at South Shades Crest Elementary School is White at 57.5% of enrollment, in Hoover, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Shades Crest Elementary School?
South Shades Crest Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Shades Crest Elementary School rank among schools in Hoover?
By Resource Investment Index, South Shades Crest Elementary School ranks #4 of 10 schools in Hoover, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hoover on the city page.
Is South Shades Crest Elementary School a good school?
South Shades Crest Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 85% of Alabama 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 Hoover City?
Besides South Shades Crest Elementary School, Hoover City also operates Hoover High School (2,919 students), Spain Park High School (1,472 students), and Robert F Bumpus Middle School (1,192 students). See the Hoover 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.