Enrollment
741
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Hinesville, GA
Waldo Pafford Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Waldo Pafford Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 130330002406
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 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
Waldo Pafford Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Georgia schools.
- #5 of 5
- elementary schools in Hinesville · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19:1
- large classes for Georgia
- 55.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Waldo Pafford Elementary School has class sizes larger than 95% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Waldo Pafford Elementary School ranks #5 of 5 elementary schools in Hinesville, GA.
School address
District: Liberty County · Georgia
NCES ID 130330002406 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
55.2%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Waldo Pafford Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Waldo Pafford Elementary School
Waldo Pafford Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Hinesville, Georgia, enrolling 741 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19:1 is larger than about 95% of Georgia schools and 32% above the 14.4:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 55.2% lands close to the Georgia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 741 students, its enrollment sits close to the Georgia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 2,314 Georgia schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 415 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #409, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (60%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 741 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 151 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 741 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Hinesville's elementary schools, it stands alongside Taylors Creek Elementary School (765 students): Waldo Pafford Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19:1 vs 15.9:1).
Liberty County also operates Bradwell Institute (1,900 students) and Liberty County High School (1,192 students) alongside Waldo Pafford 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 Waldo Pafford Elementary School compares
Waldo Pafford 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 | 19:1 | ▲ 32% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.2% | ▼ 9% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 741 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
741
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
55.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% below the Georgia average of 60.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19:1
students per teacher
- 32% above state mean
Top 95% in Georgia - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
34.7%
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
$12,299
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 741 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
58
in-school suspensions + 93 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 20.4 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 59.8%
Hispanic or Latino 16.2%
White 11.3%
Two or More 9.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.5%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 59.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.4, Waldo Pafford 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 Liberty County, which includes Waldo Pafford Elementary School.
$12,299
Per student
-11%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.2%
State 53.5%
Federal 19.3%
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 Waldo Pafford Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bradwell Institute | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Liberty County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Button Gwinnett Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Snelson-Golden Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lewis Frasier Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Waldo Pafford Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,900
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,192
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,162
- Students per teacher
- 30.6:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 876
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 828
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar elementary schools in Hinesville
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Taylors Creek Elementary School
Standard public school
765 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Joseph Martin Elementary School
Standard public school
720 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Frank Long Elementary School
Standard public school
685 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Lyman Hall Elementary School
Standard public school
588 students 14.7:1 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 (~741 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Waldo Pafford Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Waldo Pafford Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Liberty 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 Waldo Pafford Elementary School
How many students attend Waldo Pafford Elementary School?
Waldo Pafford Elementary School has 741 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Hinesville, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Waldo Pafford Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Waldo Pafford Elementary School is 19:1, which is 32% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 21% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Waldo Pafford Elementary School?
55.2% of students at Waldo Pafford Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Waldo Pafford Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Waldo Pafford Elementary School is African American at 59.8% of enrollment, in Hinesville, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Waldo Pafford Elementary School?
Waldo Pafford 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 Waldo Pafford Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Hinesville?
By Resource Investment Index, Waldo Pafford Elementary School ranks #5 of 5 elementary schools in Hinesville, 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 Hinesville on the city page.
Is Waldo Pafford Elementary School a good school?
Waldo Pafford Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% 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 Liberty County?
Besides Waldo Pafford Elementary School, Liberty County also operates Bradwell Institute (1,900 students), Liberty County High School (1,192 students), and Button Gwinnett Elementary School (1,162 students). See the Liberty 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.