Enrollment
767
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Brunswick, GA
Sterling Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Sterling Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130240003372
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 23
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sterling Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median.
- #8 of 9
- schools in Brunswick · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.7:1
- students per teacher
- 64.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Sterling Elementary School has class sizes near the Georgia median. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sterling Elementary School ranks #8 of 9 schools in Brunswick, GA.
School address
District: Glynn County · Georgia
NCES ID 130240003372 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
56.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.7:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.7%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+7% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sterling Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sterling Elementary School
Sterling Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Brunswick, Georgia, enrolling 767 students.
At 13.7:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 64.7% lands close to the Georgia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 767 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Among 339 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #270, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (44%) and African American (27%) (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 767 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Brunswick's public schools, it stands alongside Satilla Marsh Elementary School (752 students): Sterling Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.7:1 vs 15:1).
Glynn County also operates Brunswick High School (1,951 students) and Glynn Academy (1,911 students) alongside Sterling 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 Sterling Elementary School compares
Sterling 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 | 13.7:1 | ▼ 5% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.7% | ▲ 7% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 767 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.7:1
Leaner classes than 60% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
767
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 7% above the Georgia average of 60.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.7:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 43% in Georgia - lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
30.6%
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
$13,446
per pupil, district-wide
- below Georgia avg of $13,863
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 767 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
57
in-school suspensions + 42 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.9 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 44.2%
African American 27.0%
Hispanic or Latino 20.5%
Two or More 6.1%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 44.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.6, Sterling Elementary School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Glynn County, which includes Sterling Elementary School.
$13,446
Per student
-3%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 56.2%
State 28.9%
Federal 14.9%
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 Sterling Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glynn Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jane Macon Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Satilla Marsh Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Needwood Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sterling Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,951
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,911
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 801
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 752
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 736
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools in Brunswick
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Satilla Marsh Elementary School
Standard public school
752 students 15:1 students per teacher
Altama Elementary School
Standard public school
672 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Golden Isles Elementary School
Standard public school
619 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Greer Elementary School
Standard public school
599 students 12.7:1 students per teacher
Glyndale Elementary School
Standard public school
585 students 11.7:1 students per teacher
Burroughs-Molette Elementary School
Standard public school
546 students 12.4:1 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 (~767 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sterling Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Sterling Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Glynn 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 Sterling Elementary School
How many students attend Sterling Elementary School?
Sterling Elementary School has 767 students enrolled. It is a public school in Brunswick, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sterling Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sterling Elementary School is 13.7:1, which is 5% 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 Sterling Elementary School?
64.7% of students at Sterling Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sterling Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Sterling Elementary School is White at 44.2% of enrollment, in Brunswick, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sterling Elementary School?
Sterling Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Sterling Elementary School rank among schools in Brunswick?
By Resource Investment Index, Sterling Elementary School ranks #8 of 9 schools in Brunswick, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Brunswick on the city page.
Is Sterling Elementary School a good school?
Sterling Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia 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 Glynn County?
Besides Sterling Elementary School, Glynn County also operates Brunswick High School (1,951 students), Glynn Academy (1,911 students), and Jane Macon Middle (801 students). See the Glynn 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.