Enrollment
480
Massachusetts · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Chelmsford, MA
Center Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Center Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 250351001300
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 4
📋 Attendance 73
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Center Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of Massachusetts schools.
- #4 of 5
- elementary schools in Chelmsford · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.7:1
- large classes for Massachusetts
- 480
- students enrolled
Center Elementary School has class sizes larger than 76% of Massachusetts schools. Computed live against every Massachusetts school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Center Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 elementary schools in Chelmsford, MA.
School address
District: Chelmsford · Massachusetts
NCES ID 250351001300 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.7:1
vs 12.3:1 Massachusetts avg
+11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Center Elementary School compares with Massachusetts and U.S. medians
What stands out at Center Elementary School
Center Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, enrolling 480 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 13.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Massachusetts schools by student-teacher ratio.
With 480 students, its enrollment sits close to the Massachusetts median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,831 scored Massachusetts schools.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and Asian (21%) (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 480 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
10.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Chelmsford spends $17,638 per pupil, 21% below the Massachusetts average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Chelmsford's elementary schools, it stands alongside Mccarthy Middle School (808 students): Center Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.7:1 vs 12.6:1).
Chelmsford also operates Chelmsford High (1,402 students) and Mccarthy Middle School (808 students) alongside Center 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 Center Elementary School compares
Center Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Massachusetts and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Massachusetts | Massachusetts avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.7:1 | ▲ 11% | 12.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 480 | top 39% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.7:1
Leaner classes than 60% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
480
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
13.7:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 76% in Massachusetts - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
10.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$17,638
per pupil, district-wide
- below Massachusetts avg of $22,458
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 480 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 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 61.7%
Asian 20.6%
Hispanic or Latino 7.5%
African American 5.2%
Two or More 4.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 61.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.6, Center Elementary School is more mixed than the Massachusetts school average of 47.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chelmsford, which includes Center Elementary School.
$17,638
Per student
-21%
vs Massachusetts
Avg $22,458
+6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 67.8%
State 25.7%
Federal 6.5%
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 Center Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chelmsford High | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mccarthy Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Col Moses Parker School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Byam School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Charles D Harrington | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Center Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,402
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 808
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 778
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 510
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 468
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar elementary schools in Chelmsford
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Mccarthy Middle School
Standard public school
808 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Col Moses Parker School
Standard public school
778 students 12.2:1 students per teacher
Byam School
Standard public school
510 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
South Row
Standard public school
464 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Massachusetts, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~480 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Center Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Center Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Chelmsford'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 Center Elementary School
How many students attend Center Elementary School?
Center Elementary School has 480 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Chelmsford, MA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Center Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Center Elementary School is 13.7:1, which is 11% higher than the Massachusetts average of 12.3:1 and 13% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Center Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Center Elementary School is White at 61.7% of enrollment, in Chelmsford, MA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Center Elementary School?
Center Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Center Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Chelmsford?
By Resource Investment Index, Center Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 elementary schools in Chelmsford, MA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Chelmsford on the city page.
Is Center Elementary School a good school?
Center Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of Massachusetts 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 Chelmsford?
Besides Center Elementary School, Chelmsford also operates Chelmsford High (1,402 students), Mccarthy Middle School (808 students), and Col Moses Parker School (778 students). See the Chelmsford 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.