Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 15 schools in district

Thompson Elementary School

236 Goldenrod Ave, Gadsden, AL 35901Gadsden City →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
217
Students
Total enrolled
$14,820
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
~avg
19.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 24% vs nat'l
40/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 20% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 217 students in grades PK–05 in Gadsden, Alabama.
Near-average funding
District spends $14,820 per pupil — close to 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

Thompson Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary in Gadsden, Alabama, serving grades PK–05 with 217 students. The district invests $14,820 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 19.0:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 90% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at Thompson Elementary School

217
Total Students
19.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
90%
Free Lunch
11
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 Distribution112 male · 105 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility90%
National avg 52% · 195 students
Student Composition
22%
15%
60%
Asian1%
White22%
Hispanic / Latino15%
Black60%
Multiracial1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 010162001666

Academic Outcomes at Thompson Elementary 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 28th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 35901

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$14,820Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$14,820
State avg
$14,511
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,521
Student Support$2,816
Administration$1,778
Operations$2,223
Other$1,482
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $14,820 spent per student, an estimated $6,565 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
57%
19%
State government
57.1%
Local (property tax)
18.6%
Federal programs
24.3%
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
  • 90% 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
W E Striplin Elementary SchoolAdams Elementary SchoolFloyd Elementary SchoolEura Brown Elementary School
+4 more
↓
Middle
Gadsden Middle SchoolSansom Middle SchoolLitchfield Middle School
↓
High School
Gadsden City High SchoolGadsden City Alternative SchoolC I T Y Program
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyEtowah County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictGadsden City →
Phone: (256)546-7011
NCES ID: 010162001666
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Gadsden 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 Gadsden City
High
Gadsden City High School
1,318 students · 09–12
● 36 opp76% FRL
Mid
Gadsden Middle School
464 students · 06–08
● 40 opp75% FRL
Elem
W E Striplin Elementary School
464 students · PK–05
● 40 opp86% FRL
Elem
Adams Elementary School
423 students · PK–05
● 36 opp91% FRL
Mid
Sansom Middle School
376 students · 06–08
● 36 opp84% FRL
Elem
Floyd Elementary School
367 students · PK–05
● 36 opp85% FRL
Elem
Eura Brown Elementary School
335 students · PK–05
● 40 opp37% FRL
Elem
Donehoo Elementary School
260 students · PK–05
● 36 opp80% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
236 Goldenrod Ave, Gadsden, AL 35901
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.