Enrollment
811
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Smiths Station, AL
West Smiths Station Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for West Smiths Station Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010207000794
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 51
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Smiths Station Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of Alabama schools.
- #1 of 3
- schools in Smiths Station · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.6:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 44.5%
- free-lunch eligible
West Smiths Station Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 77% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Smiths Station Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 schools in Smiths Station, AL.
School address
District: Lee County · Alabama
NCES ID 010207000794 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
52.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.6:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.5%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Smiths Station Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Smiths Station Elementary School
West Smiths Station Elementary School is a large combined-grade school in Smiths Station, Alabama, enrolling 811 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 44.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 811 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 302 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #117.
Its student body is led by White (64%) and African American (17%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 811 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Smiths Station's public schools, it stands alongside East Smiths Station Elementary School (785 students): West Smiths Station Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.6:1 vs 16.4:1).
Lee County also operates Smiths Station High School (1,588 students) and Smiths Station Junior High School (910 students) alongside West Smiths Station 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 West Smiths Station Elementary School compares
West Smiths Station 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 | 15.6:1 | ▼ 12% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.5% | ▼ 24% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 811 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.6:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
811
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.6:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 23% in Alabama - lower ratio than 77% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
19.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,578
per pupil, district-wide
- below 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 811 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
40
in-school suspensions + 50 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.1 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 63.6%
African American 17.4%
Hispanic or Latino 10.6%
Two or More 7.6%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 63.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.8, West Smiths Station 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 Lee County, which includes West Smiths Station Elementary School.
$11,578
Per student
-7%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.3%
State 53.3%
Federal 14.4%
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 West Smiths Station Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smiths Station High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Smiths Station Junior High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Smiths Station Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Beauregard Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Beulah Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Smiths Station Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,588
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 910
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 785
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 783
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 696
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar other schools in Smiths Station
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~811 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Smiths Station Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare West Smiths Station Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Lee 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 West Smiths Station Elementary School
How many students attend West Smiths Station Elementary School?
West Smiths Station Elementary School has 811 students enrolled. It is a public school in Smiths Station, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Smiths Station Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Smiths Station Elementary School is 15.6:1, which is 12% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 1% 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 West Smiths Station Elementary School?
44.5% of students at West Smiths Station Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Smiths Station Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at West Smiths Station Elementary School is White at 63.6% of enrollment, in Smiths Station, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Smiths Station Elementary School?
West Smiths Station Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 West Smiths Station Elementary School rank among schools in Smiths Station?
By Resource Investment Index, West Smiths Station Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 schools in Smiths Station, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Smiths Station on the city page.
Is West Smiths Station Elementary School a good school?
West Smiths Station Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% 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 Lee County?
Besides West Smiths Station Elementary School, Lee County also operates Smiths Station High School (1,588 students), Smiths Station Junior High School (910 students), and East Smiths Station Elementary School (785 students). See the Lee 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.