Enrollment
251
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Decatur, AL
Walter Jackson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Walter Jackson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 010117000436
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Walter Jackson Elementary School earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 76% of Alabama schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Decatur · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.7:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 65.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Walter Jackson Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 76% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Walter Jackson Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Decatur, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.7:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.6%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Walter Jackson Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Walter Jackson Elementary School
Walter Jackson Elementary School is a higher-need, small elementary school in Decatur, Alabama, enrolling 251 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 65.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 251 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 96% of the 1,365 Alabama schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 184 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #7, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (45%) and African American (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 251 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
13.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Decatur's elementary schools, it stands alongside Priceville Junior High School (483 students): Walter Jackson Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.7:1 vs 19.3:1).
Decatur City also operates Austin High School (999 students) and Decatur High School (915 students) alongside Walter Jackson 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 Walter Jackson Elementary School compares
Walter Jackson 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 | 15.7:1 | ▼ 11% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.6% | ▲ 12% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 251 | top 87% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.7:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
251
Bigger than 25% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% 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
15.7:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 24% in Alabama - lower ratio than 76% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
13.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$13,764
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 251 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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
White 45.0%
African American 22.3%
Hispanic or Latino 20.3%
Two or More 10.4%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 45.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.5, Walter Jackson Elementary School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Decatur City, which includes Walter Jackson Elementary School.
$13,764
Per student
+10%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.5%
State 47.0%
Federal 13.5%
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 Walter Jackson Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Decatur High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Decatur Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Austin Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Austin Junior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Walter Jackson Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 999
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 915
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 818
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 727
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 664
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar elementary schools in Decatur
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~251 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Walter Jackson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Walter Jackson Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Decatur 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 Walter Jackson Elementary School
How many students attend Walter Jackson Elementary School?
Walter Jackson Elementary School has 251 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Decatur, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Walter Jackson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Walter Jackson Elementary School is 15.7:1, which is 11% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 0% higher 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 Walter Jackson Elementary School?
65.6% of students at Walter Jackson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Walter Jackson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Walter Jackson Elementary School is White at 45.0% of enrollment, in Decatur, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Walter Jackson Elementary School?
Walter Jackson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (higher 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 Walter Jackson Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Decatur?
By Resource Investment Index, Walter Jackson Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Decatur, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Decatur on the city page.
Is Walter Jackson Elementary School a good school?
Walter Jackson Elementary School earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 76% of Alabama schools. It is also more 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 Decatur City?
Besides Walter Jackson Elementary School, Decatur City also operates Austin High School (999 students), Decatur High School (915 students), and Decatur Middle School (818 students). See the Decatur 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.