Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Other· 31 schools in district

Linda Nolen Learning Center

2280 Highwy 35, Pelham, AL 35124Shelby County
Federal DataSpecial Education SchoolGrades PK12Non-Charter
59
Students
Total enrolled
$12,606
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
12% vs nat'l
4.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
73% vs nat'l
Small public school
Serves 59 students in grades PK–12 in Pelham, Alabama.
12% below average funding
District spends $12,606 per pupil, 12% less than the national average of $14,347.
4.2 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is well below the national average — smaller classes of 15.4:1.
About This School

Linda Nolen Learning Center is a small other in Pelham, Alabama, serving grades PK–12 with 59 students. The district invests $12,606 per student — 12% below the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 4.2:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 63% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Linda Nolen Learning Center

59
Total Students
4.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
63%
Free Lunch
14
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution41 male · 18 female
69%
31%
Male 69%Female 31%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility63%
National avg 52% · 37 students
Student Composition
49%
19%
29%
Asian2%
White49%
Hispanic / Latino19%
Black29%
Multiracial2%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 010303001803

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
  • 4.2:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • 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.
School Profile
TypeSpecial Education School
LevelOther
GradesPK – 12
Location
CountyShelby County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (205)682-5800
NCES ID: 010303001803
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Pelham seeking a public 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.

Location
2280 Highwy 35, Pelham, AL 35124
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.

Other
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
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.