Enrollment
583
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Sandersville, GA
T. J. Elder Middle School
Federal NCES profile for T. J. Elder Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 130549002289
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 13
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
T. J. Elder Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% of Georgia schools.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Sandersville · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.1:1
- small classes for Georgia
- 77.5%
- free-lunch eligible
T. J. Elder Middle School has class sizes smaller than 80% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, T. J. Elder Middle School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Sandersville, GA.
School address
District: Washington County · Georgia
NCES ID 130549002289 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.1:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.5%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How T. J. Elder Middle School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at T. J. Elder Middle School
T. J. Elder Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Sandersville, Georgia, enrolling 583 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 77.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 583 students, its enrollment sits close to the Georgia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Among 359 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #292, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (70%) and White (23%) (diversity index 46/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 583 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 265 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 583 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 17 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Washington County also operates Washington County High School (905 students) and Ridge Road Primary School (588 students) alongside T. J. Elder Middle 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 T. J. Elder Middle School compares
T. J. Elder Middle 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 | 12.1:1 | ▼ 16% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.5% | ▲ 28% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 583 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.1:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
583
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% 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
12.1:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 20% in Georgia - lower ratio than 80% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
34.8%
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
$12,904
per pupil, district-wide
- below Georgia avg of $13,863
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 583 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
155
in-school suspensions + 110 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 26.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 45.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 17 expulsions.
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 70.0%
White 23.0%
Two or More 4.3%
Hispanic or Latino 2.4%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 70.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.5, T. J. Elder Middle School is less mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Washington County, which includes T. J. Elder Middle School.
$12,904
Per student
-7%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.7%
State 36.4%
Federal 24.8%
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 T. J. Elder Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ridge Road Primary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ridge Road Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to T. J. Elder Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 905
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 588
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 585
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar middle 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 (~583 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on T. J. Elder Middle School's federal record.
- Compare T. J. Elder Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Washington 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 T. J. Elder Middle School
How many students attend T. J. Elder Middle School?
T. J. Elder Middle School has 583 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Sandersville, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at T. J. Elder Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at T. J. Elder Middle School is 12.1:1, which is 16% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 23% 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 T. J. Elder Middle School?
77.5% of students at T. J. Elder Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of T. J. Elder Middle School?
The largest demographic group at T. J. Elder Middle School is African American at 70.0% of enrollment, in Sandersville, GA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for T. J. Elder Middle School?
T. J. Elder Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 T. J. Elder Middle School rank among public schools in Sandersville?
By Resource Investment Index, T. J. Elder Middle School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Sandersville, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Sandersville on the city page.
Is T. J. Elder Middle School a good school?
T. J. Elder Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% of Georgia 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 Washington County?
Besides T. J. Elder Middle School, Washington County also operates Washington County High School (905 students), Ridge Road Primary School (588 students), and Ridge Road Elementary School (585 students). See the Washington 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.