Enrollment
520
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Columbus, GA
Waddell Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Waddell Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 130387001434
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Waddell Elementary School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Georgia schools.
- #13 of 14
- elementary schools in Columbus · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.6:1
- large classes for Georgia
- 96.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Waddell Elementary School has class sizes larger than 93% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Waddell Elementary School ranks #13 of 14 elementary schools in Columbus, GA.
School address
District: Muscogee County · Georgia
NCES ID 130387001434 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.6:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+29% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
96.6%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Waddell Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Waddell Elementary School
Waddell Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Columbus, Georgia, enrolling 520 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.6:1 is larger than about 93% of Georgia schools and 29% above the 14.4:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 96.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 520 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 2,314 Georgia schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 491 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #454, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (77%) and White (9%) (diversity index 39/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 520 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Columbus's elementary schools, it stands alongside Britt David Elementary Computer Magnet Academy (552 students): Waddell Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.6:1 vs 17.3:1).
Muscogee County also operates Northside High School (1,405 students) and Shaw High School (1,162 students) alongside Waddell 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 Waddell Elementary School compares
Waddell 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 | 18.6:1 | ▲ 29% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 96.6% | ▲ 59% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 520 | top 66% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.6:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
520
Bigger than 64% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
96.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% 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
18.6:1
students per teacher
- 29% above state mean
Top 93% in Georgia - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
33.3%
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
$12,762
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 520 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 38 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.5 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 77.3%
White 8.5%
Hispanic or Latino 7.1%
Two or More 6.2%
Asian 1.0%
Largest group: African American at 77.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 38.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 38.6, Waddell Elementary School is less mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Muscogee County, which includes Waddell Elementary School.
$12,762
Per student
-8%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.8%
State 43.0%
Federal 18.2%
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 Waddell Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northside High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Shaw High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Columbus High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hardaway High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jordan Vocational High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Waddell Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,405
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,162
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,161
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 1,067
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,040
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar elementary schools in Columbus
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Britt David Elementary Computer Magnet Academy
Standard public school
552 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Martin Luther King- Jr. Elementary School
Standard public school
487 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Blanchard Elementary School
Standard public school
451 students 15:1 students per teacher
St. Marys Video and Communication Technology
Standard public school
450 students 19.6:1 students per teacher
Gentian Elementary School
Standard public school
442 students 11.6:1 students per teacher
Allen Elementary School
Standard public school
436 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~520 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Waddell Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Waddell Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Muscogee 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 Waddell Elementary School
How many students attend Waddell Elementary School?
Waddell Elementary School has 520 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Columbus, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Waddell Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Waddell Elementary School is 18.6:1, which is 29% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Waddell Elementary School?
96.6% of students at Waddell Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Waddell Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Waddell Elementary School is African American at 77.3% of enrollment, in Columbus, GA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Waddell Elementary School?
Waddell Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (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 Waddell Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Columbus?
By Resource Investment Index, Waddell Elementary School ranks #13 of 14 elementary schools in Columbus, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Columbus on the city page.
Is Waddell Elementary School a good school?
Waddell Elementary School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% 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 Muscogee County?
Besides Waddell Elementary School, Muscogee County also operates Northside High School (1,405 students), Shaw High School (1,162 students), and Columbus High School (1,161 students). See the Muscogee 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.