Enrollment
341
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Paintsville, KY
Central Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Central Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 210306000692
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 21
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% of Kentucky schools.
- #3 of 4
- schools in Paintsville · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.1:1
- small classes for Kentucky
- 68.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 74% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #3 of 4 schools in Paintsville, KY.
School address
District: Johnson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210306000692 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.1:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.3%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+15% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Elementary School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Elementary School
Central Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Paintsville, Kentucky, enrolling 341 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 68.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 341 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kentucky median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Among 365 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kentucky schools statewide, it ranks #303, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (94% of enrollment) (diversity index 11/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 682 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 20.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Paintsville's public schools, it stands alongside Paintsville Elementary School (434 students): Central Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.1:1 vs 15:1).
Johnson County also operates Johnson Central High School (888 students) and Johnson County Middle School (449 students) alongside Central 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 Central Elementary School compares
Central Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.1:1 | ▼ 14% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.3% | ▲ 15% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 341 | top 64% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.1:1
Leaner classes than 66% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
341
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 15% above the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.1:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 26% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 74% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
31.7%
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
$13,528
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kentucky avg of $13,211
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.6 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 94.4%
Two or More 3.5%
Hispanic or Latino 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: White at 94.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 10.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 10.7, Central Elementary School is less mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Johnson County, which includes Central Elementary School.
$13,528
Per student
+2%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 12.7%
State 66.7%
Federal 20.7%
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 Central Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Johnson County Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Porter Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Highland Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| W R Castle Memorial Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 888
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 449
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 431
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 392
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 390
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Paintsville
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kentucky, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~341 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Central Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Johnson County'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 Central Elementary School
How many students attend Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has 341 students enrolled. It is a public school in Paintsville, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 13.1:1, which is 14% lower than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 17% 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 Central Elementary School?
68.3% of students at Central Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Central Elementary School is White at 94.4% of enrollment, in Paintsville, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Central Elementary School rank among schools in Paintsville?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #3 of 4 schools in Paintsville, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Paintsville on the city page.
Is Central Elementary School a good school?
Central Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% of Kentucky 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 Johnson County?
Besides Central Elementary School, Johnson County also operates Johnson Central High School (888 students), Johnson County Middle School (449 students), and Porter Elementary School (431 students). See the Johnson County 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.