Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 8 schools in district

J. L. Lomax Elementary School

1450 Howell Rd, Valdosta, GA 31601Valdosta City →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
596
Students
Total enrolled
$13,099
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 9% vs nat'l
12.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 19% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 596 students in grades PK–05 in Valdosta, Georgia.
9% below average funding
District spends $13,099 per pupil, 9% less than the national average of $14,347.
12.5 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is well below the national average — smaller classes of 15.4:1.
About This School

J. L. Lomax Elementary School is a large elementary in Valdosta, Georgia, serving grades PK–05 with 596 students. The district invests $13,099 per student — 9% below the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 92% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at J. L. Lomax Elementary School

596
Total Students
12.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
92%
Free Lunch
48
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 Distribution304 male · 292 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility92%
National avg 52% · 548 students
Student Composition
11%
85%
White2%
Hispanic / Latino11%
Black85%
Multiracial2%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 130531001728

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$13,099Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$13,099
State avg
$15,679
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,764
Student Support$2,489
Administration$1,572
Operations$1,965
Other$1,310
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $13,099 spent per student, an estimated $5,803 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
41%
33%
State government
40.5%
Local (property tax)
33.3%
Federal programs
26.2%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 92% 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
Sallas Mahone ElementaryW.G. Nunn ElementaryS.L. Mason Elementary SchoolPinevale Elementary School
↓
Middle
Valdosta Middle SchoolNewbern Middle School
↓
High School
Valdosta High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyLowndes County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictValdosta City →
Phone: (229)333-8520
NCES ID: 130531001728
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Valdosta 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 Valdosta City
High
Valdosta High School
2,381 students · 09–12
95% FRL
Elem
Sallas Mahone Elementary
1,078 students · PK–05
● 41 opp90% FRL
Mid
Valdosta Middle School
1,060 students · 06–08
95% FRL
Elem
W.G. Nunn Elementary
901 students · PK–05
93% FRL
Elem
S.L. Mason Elementary School
887 students · PK–05
92% FRL
Mid
Newbern Middle School
806 students · 06–08
95% FRL
Elem
Pinevale Elementary School
582 students · PK–05
92% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1450 Howell Rd, Valdosta, GA 31601
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.