- Enrollment
- 1,193
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · So Sioux City, NE
Cardinal Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Cardinal Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 317686000236
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 15
📋 Attendance 59
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cardinal Elementary School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nebraska median.
- #3 of 5
- schools in So Sioux City · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.8:1
- students per teacher
- 44.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Cardinal Elementary School has class sizes near the Nebraska median. Computed live against every Nebraska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cardinal Elementary School ranks #3 of 5 schools in So Sioux City, NE.
School address
District: So Sioux City Community Schs · Nebraska
NCES ID 317686000236 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+2 students YoY
Cardinal Elementary School held near 434 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+2 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 33.9 → 33.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+2 students YoY 317686000236 · So Sioux City, NE Other · SMALL · TRAD
424 enr · 12.8:1 · 44.9% lunch · RII 48
Nearest enrollment peer: South Sioux High School (1,193 students)
Cardinal Elementary School held near 434 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+2 headcount). Teacher FTE held 33.9 → 33.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Nebraska schools → · Find another →
Cardinal Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- South Sioux Hi
South Sioux High School
1,193 students
- South Sioux Ci
South Sioux City Middle School
781 students
- This school 424
Cardinal Elementary School
424 students
- Covington Elem 408
Covington Elementary School
408 students
- Harney Element 328
Harney Elementary School
328 students
- Lewis & Clark 253
Lewis & Clark Elementary Sch
253 students
What this shows Cardinal Elementary School reports 424 students on the CCD universe file.
How Cardinal Elementary School compares
Cardinal Elementary School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Nebraska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nebraska | Nebraska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.8:1 | ▼ 5% | 13.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.9% | ▲ 45% | 30.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 424 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.8:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
424
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
44.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% above the Nebraska average of 30.9%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.8:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 49% in Nebraska - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
16.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,558
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nebraska avg of $18,497
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 424 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 69.6%
White 15.3%
African American 7.1%
Asian 2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.1%
Two or More 1.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 69.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.5, Cardinal Elementary School is more mixed than the Nebraska school average of 34.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for So Sioux City Community Schs reports $14,558 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Cardinal Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Sioux High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Sioux City Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Covington Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Harney Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lewis & Clark Elementary Sch | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cardinal Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 781
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 408
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 328
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 253
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Nationwide other 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 (~424 students)
Frequently asked questions about Cardinal Elementary School
How many students attend Cardinal Elementary School?
Cardinal Elementary School has 424 students enrolled. It is a public school in So Sioux City, NE. CCD year-over-year: 432 (2022-23) → 434 (2023-24), nearly flat (+2).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cardinal Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cardinal Elementary School is 12.8:1, which is 5% lower than the Nebraska average of 13.5:1 and 18% 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 Cardinal Elementary School?
44.9% of students at Cardinal Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nebraska average of 30.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cardinal Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Cardinal Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 69.6% of enrollment, in So Sioux City, NE.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cardinal Elementary School?
Cardinal Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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).
How does Cardinal Elementary School rank among schools in So Sioux City?
By Resource Investment Index, Cardinal Elementary School ranks #3 of 5 schools in So Sioux City, NE. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in So Sioux City on the city page.
What other schools are in So Sioux City Community Schs?
Besides Cardinal Elementary School, So Sioux City Community Schs also operates South Sioux High School (1,193 students), South Sioux City Middle School (781 students), and Covington Elementary School (408 students). See the So Sioux City Community Schs district page for the complete list.