Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 15 schools in district

Ruhuma Junior High School

3371 County Road 81, Ft Payne, AL 35967DeKalb County →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–08Non-Charter
165
Students
Total enrolled
$12,957
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 10% vs nat'l
13.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 14% vs nat'l
40/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 19% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 165 students in grades PK–08 in Ft Payne, Alabama.
10% below average funding
District spends $12,957 per pupil, 10% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 40th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Ruhuma Junior High School is a small elementary in Ft Payne, Alabama, serving grades PK–08 with 165 students. The district invests $12,957 per student — 10% below the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 81% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at Ruhuma Junior High School

165
Total Students
13.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
81%
Free Lunch
13
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution90 male · 75 female
55%
45%
Male 55%Female 45%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility81%
National avg 52% · 133 students
Student Composition
72%
21%
White72%
Hispanic / Latino5%
Black1%
Multiracial1%
Native American21%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 010114000423

Academic Outcomes at Ruhuma Junior High School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
40
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 40th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 30th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 35967

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$12,957Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$12,957
State avg
$14,511
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,701
Student Support$2,462
Administration$1,555
Operations$1,944
Other$1,296
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $12,957 spent per student, an estimated $5,740 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
61%
18%
State government
61.4%
Local (property tax)
18.0%
Federal programs
20.6%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 81% 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
Crossville Elementary SchoolHenagar Junior High School
↓
Middle
Crossville Middle School
↓
High School
Crossville High SchoolDekalb Technical CenterAlternative School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 08
Location—
CountyDeKalb County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictDeKalb County →
Phone: (256)845-3377
NCES ID: 010114000423
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Ft Payne seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in DeKalb County
Other
Plainview School
1,264 students · PK–12
63% FRL
Other
Geraldine School
1,150 students · PK–12
62% FRL
Other
Sylvania School
945 students · PK–12
59% FRL
Other
Fyffe High School
937 students · PK–12
● 42 opp57% FRL
Other
Collinsville High School
920 students · PK–12
● 40 opp88% FRL
Mid
Crossville Middle School
790 students · 04–08
82% FRL
High
Crossville High School
657 students · 09–12
77% FRL
Other
Ider School
601 students · PK–12
55% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
3371 County Road 81, Ft Payne, AL 35967
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.