Enrollment
421
Arkansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Jacksonville, AR
Bobby G Lester Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Bobby G Lester Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 050041901655
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 58
📋 Attendance 24
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bobby G Lester Elementary School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arkansas median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Arkansas schools.
- #1 of 4
- elementary schools in Jacksonville · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.7:1
- students per teacher
- 99.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Bobby G Lester Elementary School has class sizes near the Arkansas median. Computed live against every Arkansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bobby G Lester Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Jacksonville, AR.
School address
District: Jacksonville North Pulaski School District · Arkansas
NCES ID 050041901655 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.7:1
vs 13.6:1 Arkansas avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.8%
vs 59.2% Arkansas avg
+69% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bobby G Lester Elementary School compares with Arkansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bobby G Lester Elementary School
Bobby G Lester Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Jacksonville, Arkansas, enrolling 421 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Arkansas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 99.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 421 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arkansas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,066 scored Arkansas schools.
Against 157 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #42.
Its student body is led by African American (45%) and White (34%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 211 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Jacksonville North Pulaski School District also operates Jacksonville High School (1,208 students) and Jacksonville Middle School (926 students) alongside Bobby G Lester 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 Bobby G Lester Elementary School compares
Bobby G Lester Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Arkansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arkansas | Arkansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.7:1 | ▼ 14% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.8% | ▲ 69% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 421 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.7:1
Leaner classes than 78% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
421
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 69% above the Arkansas average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.7:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 32% in Arkansas - lower ratio than 68% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
30.4%
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
$11,447
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arkansas avg of $12,251
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 211 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
28
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.8 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 44.9%
White 33.7%
Hispanic or Latino 11.4%
Two or More 8.3%
Asian 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 44.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.5, Bobby G Lester Elementary School is more mixed than the Arkansas school average of 40.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jacksonville North Pulaski School District, which includes Bobby G Lester Elementary School.
$11,447
Per student
-7%
vs Arkansas
Avg $12,251
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.5%
State 46.2%
Federal 21.3%
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 Bobby G Lester Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jacksonville Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jacksonville Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Murrell Taylor Elem. School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bayou Meto Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bobby G Lester Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,208
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 926
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 733
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 428
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 416
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Arkansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~421 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bobby G Lester Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Bobby G Lester Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Jacksonville North Pulaski School District'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 Bobby G Lester Elementary School
How many students attend Bobby G Lester Elementary School?
Bobby G Lester Elementary School has 421 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Jacksonville, AR.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bobby G Lester Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Bobby G Lester Elementary School is 11.7:1, which is 14% lower than the Arkansas average of 13.6:1 and 25% 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 Bobby G Lester Elementary School?
99.8% of students at Bobby G Lester Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arkansas average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bobby G Lester Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Bobby G Lester Elementary School is African American at 44.9% of enrollment, in Jacksonville, AR. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bobby G Lester Elementary School?
Bobby G Lester Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher 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 Bobby G Lester Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Jacksonville?
By Resource Investment Index, Bobby G Lester Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Jacksonville, AR. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Jacksonville on the city page.
Is Bobby G Lester Elementary School a good school?
Bobby G Lester Elementary School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arkansas median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Arkansas 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 Jacksonville North Pulaski School District?
Besides Bobby G Lester Elementary School, Jacksonville North Pulaski School District also operates Jacksonville High School (1,208 students), Jacksonville Middle School (926 students), and Jacksonville Elementary School (733 students). See the Jacksonville North Pulaski School District district page for the complete list.
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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.