- Enrollment
- 1,106
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Fort Payne, AL
Wills Valley Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Wills Valley Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010156001365
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 2
📋 Attendance 51
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Wills Valley Elementary School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 85% of Alabama schools.
- #4 of 5
- public schools in Fort Payne · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.8:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 68.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Wills Valley Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 85% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Wills Valley Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Fort Payne, AL.
School address
District: Fort Payne City · Alabama
NCES ID 010156001365 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-34 students YoY
Wills Valley Elementary School held near 774 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-34 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 50.0 → 49.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-34 students YoY 010156001365 · Fort Payne, AL Other · MID · TRAD
738 enr · 14.8:1 · 68.9% lunch · RII 31
Nearest enrollment peer: Fort Payne High School (1,106 students)
Wills Valley Elementary School held near 774 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-34 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 50.0 → 49.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Alabama schools → · Find another →
Wills Valley Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Fort Payne Hig
Fort Payne High School
1,106 students
- Little Ridge I
Little Ridge Intermediate School
792 students
- Fort Payne Mid
Fort Payne Middle School
741 students
- This school
Wills Valley Elementary School
738 students
- Williams Avenu 131
Williams Avenue Elementary School
131 students
What this shows Wills Valley Elementary School reports 738 students on the CCD universe file.
How Wills Valley Elementary School compares
Wills Valley Elementary School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.8:1 | ▼ 16% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.9% | ▲ 17% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 738 | top 18% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
738
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
68.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% 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
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 15% in Alabama - lower ratio than 85% 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
$11,328
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $13,538
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 492 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 49.3%
Hispanic or Latino 42.7%
Two or More 3.9%
African American 2.7%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: White at 49.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.2, Wills Valley Elementary School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
District finance for Fort Payne City reports $11,328 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Wills Valley Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Payne High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Little Ridge Intermediate School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fort Payne Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Williams Avenue Elementary School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Wills Valley Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 792
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 741
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 131
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar other schools in Fort Payne
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~738 students)
Frequently asked questions about Wills Valley Elementary School
How many students attend Wills Valley Elementary School?
Wills Valley Elementary School has 738 students enrolled. It is a public school in Fort Payne, AL. CCD year-over-year: 808 (2022-23) → 774 (2023-24), nearly flat (-34).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Wills Valley Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Wills Valley Elementary School is 14.8:1, which is 16% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 6% 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 Wills Valley Elementary School?
68.9% of students at Wills Valley Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Wills Valley Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Wills Valley Elementary School is White at 49.3% of enrollment, in Fort Payne, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Wills Valley Elementary School?
Wills Valley Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Wills Valley Elementary School rank among public schools in Fort Payne?
By Resource Investment Index, Wills Valley Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Fort Payne, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Fort Payne on the city page.
What other schools are in Fort Payne City?
Besides Wills Valley Elementary School, Fort Payne City also operates Fort Payne High School (1,106 students), Little Ridge Intermediate School (792 students), and Fort Payne Middle School (741 students). See the Fort Payne City district page for the complete list.