Enrollment
228
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Talladega, AL
Zora Ellis Junior High School
Federal NCES profile for Zora Ellis Junior High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 010315001208
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 54
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Zora Ellis Junior High School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% of Alabama schools.
- #4 of 7
- public schools in Talladega · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.2:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 88.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Zora Ellis Junior High School has class sizes smaller than 81% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Zora Ellis Junior High School ranks #4 of 7 public schools in Talladega, AL.
School address
District: Talladega City · Alabama
NCES ID 010315001208 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
88.2%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Zora Ellis Junior High School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Zora Ellis Junior High School
Zora Ellis Junior High School is a high-poverty, small middle school in Talladega, Alabama, enrolling 228 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 88.2% of students qualify for free meals, 50% above the Alabama average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 228 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 97 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #46.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 228 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 249 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 228 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Talladega City also operates Talladega High School (634 students) and C L Salter Elementary School (353 students) alongside Zora Ellis Junior High 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 Zora Ellis Junior High School compares
Zora Ellis Junior High 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 | 15.2:1 | ▼ 14% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 88.2% | ▲ 50% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 228 | top 90% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
228
Bigger than 23% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
88.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 19% in Alabama - lower ratio than 81% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
43.9%
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
$13,644
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 228 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
88
in-school suspensions + 161 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 38.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 109.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
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.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Talladega City, which includes Zora Ellis Junior High School.
$13,644
Per student
+9%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.3%
State 56.1%
Federal 23.7%
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 Zora Ellis Junior High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Talladega High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| C L Salter Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Evelyn D Houston Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Raymond L Young Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Zora Ellis Junior High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 634
- Students per teacher
- 30.2:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 353
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 302
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 174
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
Similar middle 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 (~228 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Zora Ellis Junior High School's federal record.
- Compare Zora Ellis Junior High School against another school. Compare schools
- Talladega 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 Zora Ellis Junior High School
How many students attend Zora Ellis Junior High School?
Zora Ellis Junior High School has 228 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Talladega, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Zora Ellis Junior High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Zora Ellis Junior High School is 15.2:1, which is 14% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 3% 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 Zora Ellis Junior High School?
88.2% of students at Zora Ellis Junior High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Zora Ellis Junior High School?
Zora Ellis Junior High School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Zora Ellis Junior High School rank among public schools in Talladega?
By Resource Investment Index, Zora Ellis Junior High School ranks #4 of 7 public schools in Talladega, 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 Talladega on the city page.
Is Zora Ellis Junior High School a good school?
Zora Ellis Junior High School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% 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 Talladega City?
Besides Zora Ellis Junior High School, Talladega City also operates Talladega High School (634 students), C L Salter Elementary School (353 students), and Evelyn D Houston Elementary School (302 students). See the Talladega 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.