Enrollment
583
Louisiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Chalmette, LA
Arlene Meraux Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Arlene Meraux Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 220141002449
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 81
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Arlene Meraux Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Louisiana median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Louisiana schools.
- #4 of 4
- schools in Chalmette · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.2:1
- students per teacher
- 72.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Arlene Meraux Elementary School has class sizes near the Louisiana median. Computed live against every Louisiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Arlene Meraux Elementary School ranks #4 of 4 schools in Chalmette, LA.
School address
District: St. Bernard Parish · Louisiana
NCES ID 220141002449 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.2:1
vs 16.8:1 Louisiana avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
72.2%
vs 62.5% Louisiana avg
+16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Arlene Meraux Elementary School compares with Louisiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Arlene Meraux Elementary School
Arlene Meraux Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Chalmette, Louisiana, enrolling 583 students.
At 16.2:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Louisiana median, within a few percentage points of the 16.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 72.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 583 puts it in the larger third of Louisiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,330 scored Louisiana schools.
Against 348 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #125.
Its student body is led by African American (38%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 583 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.5% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 18.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Chalmette's public schools, it stands alongside Lacoste Elementary School (621 students): Arlene Meraux Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.2:1 vs 15.1:1).
St. Bernard Parish also operates Chalmette High School (2,193 students) and N.P. Trist Middle School (767 students) alongside Arlene Meraux Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Arlene Meraux Elementary School compares
Arlene Meraux Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Louisiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Louisiana | Louisiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.2:1 | ▼ 4% | 16.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.2% | ▲ 16% | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 583 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
583
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
72.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% above the Louisiana average of 62.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 48% in Louisiana - lower ratio than 52% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
7.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$13,983
per pupil, district-wide
- below Louisiana avg of $16,376
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 583 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 37.9%
Hispanic or Latino 31.2%
White 25.0%
Two or More 4.5%
Asian 1.4%
Largest group: African American at 37.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.4, Arlene Meraux Elementary School is more mixed than the Louisiana school average of 43.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for St. Bernard Parish, which includes Arlene Meraux Elementary School.
$13,983
Per student
-15%
vs Louisiana
Avg $16,376
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.9%
State 42.6%
Federal 18.5%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Arlene Meraux Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chalmette High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| N.P. Trist Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lacoste Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Joseph J. Davies Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Arabi Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Arlene Meraux Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,193
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 767
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 621
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 593
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 567
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar other schools in Chalmette
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Louisiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~583 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Arlene Meraux Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Arlene Meraux Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- St. Bernard Parish's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Arlene Meraux Elementary School
How many students attend Arlene Meraux Elementary School?
Arlene Meraux Elementary School has 583 students enrolled. It is a public school in Chalmette, LA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Arlene Meraux Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Arlene Meraux Elementary School is 16.2:1, which is 4% lower than the Louisiana average of 16.8:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Arlene Meraux Elementary School?
72.2% of students at Arlene Meraux Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Louisiana average of 62.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Arlene Meraux Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Arlene Meraux Elementary School is African American at 37.9% of enrollment, in Chalmette, LA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Arlene Meraux Elementary School?
Arlene Meraux Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Arlene Meraux Elementary School rank among schools in Chalmette?
By Resource Investment Index, Arlene Meraux Elementary School ranks #4 of 4 schools in Chalmette, LA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Chalmette on the city page.
Is Arlene Meraux Elementary School a good school?
Arlene Meraux Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Louisiana median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Louisiana schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in St. Bernard Parish?
Besides Arlene Meraux Elementary School, St. Bernard Parish also operates Chalmette High School (2,193 students), N.P. Trist Middle School (767 students), and Lacoste Elementary School (621 students). See the St. Bernard Parish district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.