Enrollment
288
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gadsden, AL
Thompson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Thompson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010162001666
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thompson Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Alabama schools.
- #10 of 11
- schools in Gadsden · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 26.2:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 83.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Thompson Elementary School has class sizes larger than 98% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thompson Elementary School ranks #10 of 11 schools in Gadsden, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
11.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
26.2:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+48% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
83.4%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thompson Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thompson Elementary School
Thompson Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Gadsden, Alabama, enrolling 288 students.
Class loads run heavy: 26.2:1 is larger than about 98% of Alabama schools and 48% above the 17.7:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 83.4% of students qualify for free meals, 42% above the Alabama average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 288 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Among 181 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #162, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (62%) and White (17%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 288 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Gadsden's public schools, it stands alongside Adams Elementary School (433 students): Thompson Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (26.2:1 vs 17.3:1).
Gadsden City also operates Gadsden City High School (1,361 students) and Gadsden Middle School (438 students) alongside Thompson 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 Thompson Elementary School compares
Thompson 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 | 26.2:1 | ▲ 48% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 83.4% | ▲ 42% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 288 | top 82% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
26.2:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
288
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
83.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% 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
26.2:1
students per teacher
- 48% above state mean
Top 98% in Alabama - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
25.7%
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
$12,669
per pupil, district-wide
- above Alabama avg of $12,491
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 288 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 62.2%
White 17.4%
Hispanic or Latino 13.9%
Two or More 5.2%
Asian 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
Largest group: African American at 62.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.1, Thompson Elementary School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gadsden City, which includes Thompson Elementary School.
$12,669
Per student
+1%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.6%
State 57.1%
Federal 24.3%
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 Thompson Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gadsden City High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gadsden Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Adams Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| W E Striplin Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Floyd Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thompson Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,361
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 438
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 433
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 400
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 384
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar other schools in Gadsden
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Adams Elementary School
Standard public school
433 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
W E Striplin Elementary School
Standard public school
400 students 20:1 students per teacher
Floyd Elementary School
Standard public school
384 students 24:1 students per teacher
Gaston High School
Standard public school
380 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
Eura Brown Elementary School
Standard public school
340 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Gaston Elementary School
Standard public school
290 students 18.1:1 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 (~288 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thompson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Thompson Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Gadsden 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 Thompson Elementary School
How many students attend Thompson Elementary School?
Thompson Elementary School has 288 students enrolled. It is a public school in Gadsden, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thompson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Thompson Elementary School is 26.2:1, which is 48% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 67% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thompson Elementary School?
83.4% of students at Thompson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thompson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Thompson Elementary School is African American at 62.2% of enrollment, in Gadsden, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thompson Elementary School?
Thompson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (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 Thompson Elementary School rank among schools in Gadsden?
By Resource Investment Index, Thompson Elementary School ranks #10 of 11 schools in Gadsden, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Gadsden on the city page.
Is Thompson Elementary School a good school?
Thompson Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% 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 Gadsden City?
Besides Thompson Elementary School, Gadsden City also operates Gadsden City High School (1,361 students), Gadsden Middle School (438 students), and Adams Elementary School (433 students). See the Gadsden 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.