Enrollment
147
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Selma, AL
Southside Primary School
Federal NCES profile for Southside Primary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010111000407
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southside Primary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of Alabama schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Alabama.
- #5 of 6
- schools in Selma · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.7:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 92.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Southside Primary School has class sizes smaller than 86% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southside Primary School ranks #5 of 6 schools in Selma, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
10.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
92.7%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+58% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southside Primary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southside Primary School
Southside Primary School is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Selma, Alabama, enrolling 147 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 14.7:1, Southside Primary School is leaner than roughly 86% of Alabama schools and 17% under the state's 17.7:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 92.7% of students qualify for free meals, 58% above the Alabama average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 97% of Alabama schools, with 147 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Among 38 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #29, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (93% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 13/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 294 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 52.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Dallas County spends $15,350 per pupil, 23% above the Alabama average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 27.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Selma's public schools, it stands alongside Sophia P Kingston Elementary School (305 students): Southside Primary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.7:1 vs 25.4:1).
Dallas County also operates Valley Grande Elementary School (353 students) and Dallas County High School (334 students) alongside Southside Primary 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 Southside Primary School compares
Southside Primary 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 | 14.7:1 | ▼ 17% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 92.7% | ▲ 58% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 147 | top 97% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
147
Bigger than 14% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
92.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 58% 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
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 14% in Alabama - lower ratio than 86% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
52.4%
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
$15,350
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.8 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
African American 93.2%
Two or More 4.1%
White 1.4%
Hispanic or Latino 1.4%
Largest group: African American at 93.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 12.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 12.9, Southside Primary School is less mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dallas County, which includes Southside Primary School.
$15,350
Per student
+23%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 15.5%
State 57.5%
Federal 27.0%
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 Southside Primary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valley Grande Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dallas County High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southside High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Brantley Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Keith Middlehigh School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southside Primary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 353
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 334
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 285
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 204
- Students per teacher
- 25.5:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 188
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar other schools in Selma
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Sophia P Kingston Elementary School
Standard public school
305 students 25.4:1 students per teacher
Brantley Elementary School
Standard public school
204 students 25.5:1 students per teacher
Payne Elementary School
Standard public school
164 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Clark Elementary School
Standard public school
113 students 10.3:1 students per teacher
Saints Virtual Academy
Standard public school
24 students 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 (~147 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southside Primary School's federal record.
- Compare Southside Primary School against another school. Compare schools
- Dallas 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 Southside Primary School
How many students attend Southside Primary School?
Southside Primary School has 147 students enrolled. It is a public school in Selma, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southside Primary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southside Primary School is 14.7:1, which is 17% 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 Southside Primary School?
92.7% of students at Southside Primary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southside Primary School?
The largest demographic group at Southside Primary School is African American at 93.2% of enrollment, in Selma, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southside Primary School?
Southside Primary School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Southside Primary School rank among schools in Selma?
By Resource Investment Index, Southside Primary School ranks #5 of 6 schools in Selma, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Selma on the city page.
Is Southside Primary School a good school?
Southside Primary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of Alabama schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Alabama. 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 Dallas County?
Besides Southside Primary School, Dallas County also operates Valley Grande Elementary School (353 students), Dallas County High School (334 students), and Southside High School (285 students). See the Dallas 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.