Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 5 schools in district

Shades Cahaba Elementary School

3001 Independence Drive, Homewood, AL 35209Homewood City →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–05Non-Charter
501
Students
Total enrolled
$15,381
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 7% vs nat'l
14.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
42/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 16% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 501 students in grades KG–05 in Homewood, Alabama.
Near-average funding
District spends $15,381 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 42th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Shades Cahaba Elementary School is a large elementary in Homewood, Alabama, serving grades KG–05 with 501 students. The district invests $15,381 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 14.7:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. With only 24% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community.

Student Body & Demographics at Shades Cahaba Elementary School

501
Total Students
14.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
24%
Free Lunch
34
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution258 male · 243 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility24%
National avg 52% · 119 students
Student Composition
71%
9%
10%
8%
Asian2%
White71%
Hispanic / Latino9%
Black10%
Multiracial8%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 010176000610

Academic Outcomes at Shades Cahaba Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
42
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 42th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 41th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 35209

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$15,381Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$15,381
State avg
$14,511
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,768
Student Support$2,922
Administration$1,846
Operations$2,307
Other$1,538
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $15,381 spent per student, an estimated $6,814 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
34%
58%
State government
34.3%
Local (property tax)
58.1%
Federal programs
7.7%
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
Edgewood Elementary SchoolHall Kent Elementary School
↓
Middle
Homewood Middle School
↓
High School
Homewood High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 05
Location—
CountyJefferson County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictHomewood City →
Phone: (205)871-1113
NCES ID: 010176000610
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Homewood seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Homewood City
High
Homewood High School
1,330 students · 09–12
● 42 opp28% FRL
Mid
Homewood Middle School
926 students · 06–08
● 42 opp30% FRL
Elem
Edgewood Elementary School
888 students · KG–05
● 42 opp12% FRL
Elem
Hall Kent Elementary School
726 students · PK–05
● 42 opp33% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
3001 Independence Drive, Homewood, AL 35209
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.