Enrollment
678
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Birmingham, AL
Sun Valley Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Sun Valley Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010039001762
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 11
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sun Valley Elementary School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Alabama schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #34 of 38
- schools in Birmingham · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.9:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 77.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Sun Valley Elementary School has class sizes larger than 83% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sun Valley Elementary School ranks #34 of 38 schools in Birmingham, AL.
School address
District: Birmingham City · Alabama
NCES ID 010039001762 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.9:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.7%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sun Valley Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sun Valley Elementary School
Sun Valley Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Birmingham, Alabama, enrolling 678 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 77.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 678 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 1,365 Alabama schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 246 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #209, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (95% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 9/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 678 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Birmingham's public schools, it stands alongside Huffman High Schoolmagnet (1,094 students): Sun Valley Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.9:1 vs 18.2:1).
Birmingham City also operates Huffman High Schoolmagnet (1,094 students) and Parker High School (942 students) alongside Sun Valley 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 Sun Valley Elementary School compares
Sun Valley 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 | 19.9:1 | ▲ 12% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.7% | ▲ 32% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 678 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.9:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
678
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.9:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 83% in Alabama - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
35.5%
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
$13,890
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 678 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 23 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 95.4%
Hispanic or Latino 3.2%
Two or More 0.9%
White 0.3%
Asian 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 95.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 8.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 8.9, Sun Valley Elementary School is less mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Birmingham City, which includes Sun Valley Elementary School.
$13,890
Per student
+11%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.0%
State 43.8%
Federal 23.2%
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 Sun Valley Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huffman High Schoolmagnet | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Parker High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glen Iris Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Huffman Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ramsay High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sun Valley Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,094
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 942
- Students per teacher
- 26.2:1
- Resource Index
- 11/100
- Enrollment
- 827
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 779
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 762
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar other schools in Birmingham
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Huffman High Schoolmagnet
Standard public school
1,094 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Glen Iris Elementary School
Standard public school
827 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Chalkville Elementary School
Standard public school
818 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
Huffman Academy
Standard public school
779 students 20:1 students per teacher
Jacksonolin High School
Standard public school
713 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Bryant Park Elementary
Standard public school
707 students 19.1:1 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 (~678 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sun Valley Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Sun Valley Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Birmingham 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 Sun Valley Elementary School
How many students attend Sun Valley Elementary School?
Sun Valley Elementary School has 678 students enrolled. It is a public school in Birmingham, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sun Valley Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sun Valley Elementary School is 19.9:1, which is 12% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 27% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sun Valley Elementary School?
77.7% of students at Sun Valley Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sun Valley Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Sun Valley Elementary School is African American at 95.4% of enrollment, in Birmingham, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sun Valley Elementary School?
Sun Valley Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower 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 Sun Valley Elementary School rank among schools in Birmingham?
By Resource Investment Index, Sun Valley Elementary School ranks #34 of 38 schools in Birmingham, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Birmingham on the city page.
Is Sun Valley Elementary School a good school?
Sun Valley Elementary School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Alabama schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Birmingham City?
Besides Sun Valley Elementary School, Birmingham City also operates Huffman High Schoolmagnet (1,094 students), Parker High School (942 students), and Glen Iris Elementary School (827 students). See the Birmingham 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.