Enrollment
372
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Staunton, VA
Arthur R. Ware Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Arthur R. Ware Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 510369001610
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 26
📋 Attendance 35
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Arthur R. Ware Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of Virginia schools.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Staunton · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.6:1
- small classes for Virginia
- 99.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Arthur R. Ware Elementary has class sizes smaller than 83% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Arthur R. Ware Elementary ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Staunton, VA.
School address
District: Staunton City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510369001610 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.6:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.5%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+73% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Arthur R. Ware Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Arthur R. Ware Elementary
Arthur R. Ware Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Staunton, Virginia, enrolling 372 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 99.5% of students qualify for free meals, 73% above the Virginia average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 372 puts it in the smaller third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 239 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #140.
Its student body is led by White (58%) and Two or More (17%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 372 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Staunton's elementary schools, it stands alongside Thomas C. Mcswain Elementary (449 students): Arthur R. Ware Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.6:1 vs 15:1).
Staunton City Public Schools also operates Staunton High (766 students) and Shelburne Middle (583 students) alongside Arthur R. Ware Elementary.
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 Arthur R. Ware Elementary compares
Arthur R. Ware Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.6:1 | ▼ 17% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.5% | ▲ 73% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 372 | top 77% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.6:1
Leaner classes than 79% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
372
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 73% above the Virginia average of 57.6%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.6:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 17% in Virginia - lower ratio than 83% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
26.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$15,219
per pupil, district-wide
- above Virginia avg of $14,649
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 372 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.2 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
White 58.1%
Two or More 16.7%
Hispanic or Latino 11.8%
African American 10.8%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Largest group: White at 58.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.9, Arthur R. Ware Elementary is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Staunton City Public Schools, which includes Arthur R. Ware Elementary.
$15,219
Per student
+4%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.8%
State 46.7%
Federal 18.4%
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 Arthur R. Ware Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staunton High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shelburne Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Thomas C. Mcswain Elementary | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bessie Weller Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Staunton City School Preschool Programs | Smaller | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Arthur R. Ware Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 766
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 583
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 449
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 373
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 149
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar elementary schools in Staunton
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~372 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Arthur R. Ware Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Arthur R. Ware Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Staunton City Public Schools'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 Arthur R. Ware Elementary
How many students attend Arthur R. Ware Elementary?
Arthur R. Ware Elementary has 372 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Staunton, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Arthur R. Ware Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Arthur R. Ware Elementary is 11.6:1, which is 17% lower than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 26% lower 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 Arthur R. Ware Elementary?
99.5% of students at Arthur R. Ware Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Arthur R. Ware Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Arthur R. Ware Elementary is White at 58.1% of enrollment, in Staunton, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Arthur R. Ware Elementary?
Arthur R. Ware Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Arthur R. Ware Elementary rank among elementary schools in Staunton?
By Resource Investment Index, Arthur R. Ware Elementary ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Staunton, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Staunton on the city page.
Is Arthur R. Ware Elementary a good school?
Arthur R. Ware Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of Virginia 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 Staunton City Public Schools?
Besides Arthur R. Ware Elementary, Staunton City Public Schools also operates Staunton High (766 students), Shelburne Middle (583 students), and Thomas C. Mcswain Elementary (449 students). See the Staunton City Public Schools 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.