Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 48 schools in district

Richard Arrington Elementary

2101 Jefferson Avenue SW, Birmingham, AL 35211Birmingham City →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
374
Students
Total enrolled
$15,867
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 11% vs nat'l
20.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 35% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 374 students in grades PK–05 in Birmingham, Alabama.
11% above average funding
District spends $15,867 per pupil, 11% more than the national average of $14,347.
20.8 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

Richard Arrington Elementary is a mid-sized elementary in Birmingham, Alabama, serving grades PK–05 with 374 students. The district invests $15,867 per student — 11% above the national average of $14,347, with a 20.8:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 77% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at Richard Arrington Elementary

374
Total Students
20.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
77%
Free Lunch
18
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution219 male · 155 female
59%
41%
Male 59%Female 41%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility77%
National avg 52% · 289 students
Student Composition
13%
87%
White1%
Hispanic / Latino13%
Black87%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 010039002489

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$15,867Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$15,867
State avg
$14,511
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,982
Student Support$3,015
Administration$1,904
Operations$2,380
Other$1,587
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $15,867 spent per student, an estimated $7,029 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
44%
33%
State government
43.8%
Local (property tax)
33.0%
Federal programs
23.2%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 77% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Huffman AcademyGlen Iris Elementary SchoolHayes K8Phillips Academy
+14 more
↓
Middle
Jones Valley Middle SchoolBush Hills STEAM AcademySmith Middle SchoolHuffman Middle School
+1 more
↓
High School
Huffman High SchoolMagnetParker High SchoolJacksonOlin High SchoolWoodlawn High SchoolMagnet
+3 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyJefferson County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictBirmingham City →
Phone: (205)231-1130
NCES ID: 010039002489
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Birmingham 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 Birmingham City
High
Huffman High SchoolMagnet
1,147 students · 08–12
● 41 opp71% FRL
High
Parker High School
826 students · 09–12
● 32 opp90% FRL
High
JacksonOlin High School
784 students · 08–12
● 30 opp91% FRL
High
Woodlawn High SchoolMagnet
738 students · 09–12
● 29 opp91% FRL
Elem
Huffman Academy
735 students · PK–05
● 41 opp79% FRL
Elem
Glen Iris Elementary School
731 students · PK–05
● 38 opp78% FRL
High
Ramsay High School
660 students · 09–12
● 38 opp60% FRL
Elem
Hayes K8
658 students · PK–08
91% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
2101 Jefferson Avenue SW, Birmingham, AL 35211
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.