- Enrollment
- 862
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Desoto, MO
Athena Elem.
Federal NCES profile for Athena Elem., including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 291050000347
👥 S:T ratio 58
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 54
📋 Attendance 45
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Athena Elem. earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of Missouri schools.
- #1 of 6
- public schools in Desoto · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10.6:1
- small classes for Missouri
- 37.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Athena Elem. has class sizes smaller than 77% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Athena Elem. ranks #1 of 6 public schools in Desoto, MO.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-12 students YoY
Athena Elem. held near 477 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-12 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 44.2 → 45.9 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-12 students YoY 291050000347 · Desoto, MO Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
465 enr · 10.6:1 · 37.2% lunch · RII 57
Nearest enrollment peer: Desoto Sr. High (862 students)
Athena Elem. held near 477 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-12 headcount). Teacher FTE added 44.2 → 45.9 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Missouri schools → · Find another →
Athena Elem. in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Desoto Sr. Hig
Desoto Sr. High
862 students
- Vineland Elem.
Vineland Elem.
653 students
- This school
Athena Elem.
465 students
- Desoto Jr. Hig 338
Desoto Jr. High
338 students
- Early Childhoo 146
Early Childhood Ctr.
146 students
What this shows Athena Elem. reports 465 students on the CCD universe file.
How Athena Elem. compares
Athena Elem. held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.6:1 | ▼ 17% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.2% | ▼ 19% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 465 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.6:1
Leaner classes than 85% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
465
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
37.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% below the Missouri average of 46.1%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
10.6:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 23% in Missouri - lower ratio than 77% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
21.9%
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
$11,996
per pupil, district-wide
- below Missouri avg of $14,087
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 233 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
79
in-school suspensions + 51 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 17.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 28.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 91.6%
Two or More 4.9%
Hispanic or Latino 2.4%
African American 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 91.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 15.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 15.8, Athena Elem. is less mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Desoto 73 reports $11,996 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Athena Elem. Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desoto Sr. High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Vineland Elem. | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Desoto Jr. High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Early Childhood Ctr. | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Athena Elem.'s own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 653
- Students per teacher
- 11.5:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 338
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 146
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~465 students)
Frequently asked questions about Athena Elem.
How many students attend Athena Elem.?
Athena Elem. has 465 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Desoto, MO. CCD year-over-year: 489 (2022-23) → 477 (2023-24), nearly flat (-12).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Athena Elem.?
The student-teacher ratio at Athena Elem. is 10.6:1, which is 17% lower than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 32% 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 Athena Elem.?
37.2% of students at Athena Elem. are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Athena Elem.?
The largest demographic group at Athena Elem. is White at 91.6% of enrollment, in Desoto, MO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Athena Elem.?
Athena Elem. has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Athena Elem. rank among public schools in Desoto?
By Resource Investment Index, Athena Elem. ranks #1 of 6 public schools in Desoto, MO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Desoto on the city page.
What other schools are in Desoto 73?
Besides Athena Elem., Desoto 73 also operates Desoto Sr. High (862 students), Vineland Elem. (653 students), and Desoto Jr. High (338 students). See the Desoto 73 district page for the complete list.