Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 31 schools in district

Shelby Elementary School

19099 Highway 145, Shelby, AL 35143Shelby County →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
209
Students
Total enrolled
$12,606
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 12% vs nat'l
16.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
36/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 28% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 209 students in grades PK–05 in Shelby, Alabama.
12% below average funding
District spends $12,606 per pupil, 12% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 36th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Shelby Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary in Shelby, Alabama, serving grades PK–05 with 209 students. The district invests $12,606 per student — 12% below the national average of $14,347, with a 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 61% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. A neighborhood opportunity score of 36/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Shelby Elementary School

209
Total Students
16.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
61%
Free Lunch
13
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 Distribution100 male · 109 female
48%
52%
Male 48%Female 52%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility61%
National avg 52% · 127 students
Student Composition
87%
White87%
Hispanic / Latino6%
Black3%
Multiracial3%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 010303001181

Academic Outcomes at Shelby Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
36
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 36th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 12th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 35143

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$12,606Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$12,606
State avg
$14,511
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,547
Student Support$2,395
Administration$1,513
Operations$1,891
Other$1,261
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $12,606 spent per student, an estimated $5,585 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
52%
39%
State government
51.9%
Local (property tax)
38.9%
Federal programs
9.2%
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
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (36/100) — national median is 50
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Helena Intermediate SchoolHelena Elementary SchoolChelsea Park Elementary SchoolCalera Intermediate School
+10 more
↓
Middle
Oak Mountain Middle SchoolHelena MiddleChelsea Middle SchoolCalera Middle
+2 more
↓
High School
Oak Mountain High SchoolHelena High SchoolChelsea High SchoolCalera High
+5 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyShelby County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictShelby County →
Phone: (205)682-6630
NCES ID: 010303001181
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Shelby 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 Shelby County
High
Oak Mountain High School
1,561 students · 09–12
● 41 opp22% FRL
High
Helena High School
1,418 students · 09–12
28% FRL
High
Chelsea High School
1,400 students · 09–12
23% FRL
Mid
Oak Mountain Middle School
1,175 students · 06–08
● 41 opp25% FRL
High
Calera High
1,066 students · 09–12
● 37 opp59% FRL
Mid
Helena Middle
1,035 students · 06–08
30% FRL
Mid
Chelsea Middle School
951 students · 06–08
28% FRL
Elem
Helena Intermediate School
945 students · 03–05
29% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
19099 Highway 145, Shelby, AL 35143
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.