- Enrollment
- 1,733
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · St. Joseph, MO
Carden Park Elem
Federal NCES profile for Carden Park Elem, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 292706003250
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Carden Park Elem earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Missouri schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Missouri schools.
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.4:1
- large classes for Missouri
- 99.5%
- free-lunch eligible
- 638
- students enrolled
Carden Park Elem has class sizes larger than 90% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: St. Joseph · Missouri
NCES ID 292706003250 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+27 students YoY
Carden Park Elem held near 604 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+27 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 39.2 → 48.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+27 students YoY 292706003250 · St. Joseph, MO Elementary · MID · TRAD
638 enr · 16.4:1 · 99.5% lunch · RII 42
Nearest enrollment peer: Central High (1,733 students)
Carden Park Elem held near 604 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+27 headcount). Teacher FTE added 39.2 → 48.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Missouri schools → · Find another →
Carden Park Elem in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Central High
Central High
1,733 students
- Benton High 682
Benton High
682 students
- Lafayette High 644
Lafayette High
644 students
- This school 638
Carden Park Elem
638 students
- Oak Grove Elem 502
Oak Grove Elem
502 students
- Bode Middle 488
Bode Middle
488 students
What this shows Carden Park Elem reports 638 students on the CCD universe file.
How Carden Park Elem compares
Carden Park 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 | 16.4:1 | ▲ 28% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.5% | ▲ 116% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 638 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.4:1
Leaner classes than 35% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
638
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
99.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 116% above the Missouri average of 46.1%
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
16.4:1
students per teacher
- 28% above state mean
Top 90% in Missouri - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
29.0%
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
$12,067
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 319 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
24
in-school suspensions + 26 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 53.1%
Hispanic or Latino 21.2%
Two or More 16.3%
African American 6.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.7%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 53.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.2, Carden Park Elem is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for St. Joseph reports $12,067 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Carden Park Elem Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Benton High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lafayette High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Oak Grove Elem | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bode Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Carden Park Elem's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 682
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 644
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 502
- Students per teacher
- 9.3:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 488
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
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 (~638 students)
Frequently asked questions about Carden Park Elem
How many students attend Carden Park Elem?
Carden Park Elem has 638 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in St. Joseph, MO. CCD year-over-year: 577 (2022-23) → 604 (2023-24), nearly flat (+27).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Carden Park Elem?
The student-teacher ratio at Carden Park Elem is 16.4:1, which is 28% higher than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 4% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Carden Park Elem?
99.5% of students at Carden Park Elem are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Carden Park Elem?
The largest demographic group at Carden Park Elem is White at 53.1% of enrollment, in St. Joseph, MO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Carden Park Elem?
Carden Park Elem has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical 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).
What other schools are in St. Joseph?
Besides Carden Park Elem, St. Joseph also operates Central High (1,733 students), Benton High (682 students), and Lafayette High (644 students). See the St. Joseph district page for the complete list.