Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 8 schools in district

James L Cowart Elementary School

1701 W Hobbs St, Athens, AL 35611Athens City →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–03Non-Charter
332
Students
Total enrolled
$15,353
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 7% vs nat'l
17.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 13% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 332 students in grades KG–03 in Athens, Alabama.
Near-average funding
District spends $15,353 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
17.5 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

James L Cowart Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary in Athens, Alabama, serving grades KG–03 with 332 students. The district invests $15,353 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 17.5:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 67% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at James L Cowart Elementary School

332
Total Students
17.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
67%
Free Lunch
19
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–03) are served by this school
Gender Distribution181 male · 151 female
55%
45%
Male 55%Female 45%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility67%
National avg 52% · 223 students
Student Composition
48%
24%
19%
8%
White48%
Hispanic / Latino24%
Black19%
Multiracial8%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 010012001474

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$15,353Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$15,353
State avg
$14,511
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,755
Student Support$2,917
Administration$1,842
Operations$2,303
Other$1,535
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $15,353 spent per student, an estimated $6,802 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
39%
52%
State government
38.8%
Local (property tax)
52.1%
Federal programs
9.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Athens Intermediate SchoolAthens Elementary SchoolJulian Newman Elementary SchoolBrookhill Elementary School
↓
Middle
Athens Middle School
↓
High School
Athens High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 03
Location—
CountyLimestone County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictAthens City →
Phone: (256)233-6627
NCES ID: 010012001474
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Athens seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a diverse, community-focused learning environment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Athens City
High
Athens High School
1,173 students · 09–12
51% FRL
Mid
Athens Middle School
958 students · 06–08
59% FRL
Other
Athens Renaissance School
646 students · KG–12
28% FRL
Elem
Athens Intermediate School
586 students · 04–05
59% FRL
Elem
Athens Elementary School
408 students · PK–03
63% FRL
Elem
Julian Newman Elementary School
371 students · PK–03
43% FRL
Elem
Brookhill Elementary School
366 students · KG–03
39% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1701 W Hobbs St, Athens, AL 35611
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.