Enrollment
284
Nebraska · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Kearney, NE
Central Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Central Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 317239001102
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 44
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of Nebraska schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Nebraska schools.
- #11 of 12
- schools in Kearney · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.8:1
- large classes for Nebraska
- 58.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Elementary School has class sizes larger than 78% of Nebraska schools. Computed live against every Nebraska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #11 of 12 schools in Kearney, NE.
School address
District: Kearney Public Schools · Nebraska
NCES ID 317239001102 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 13.5:1 Nebraska avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
58.7%
vs 30.9% Nebraska avg
+90% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Elementary School compares with Nebraska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Elementary School
Central Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Kearney, Nebraska, enrolling 284 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Nebraska schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 58.7% of students qualify for free meals, 90% above the Nebraska average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 284 students, its enrollment sits close to the Nebraska median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,003 scored Nebraska schools.
Among 56 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Nebraska schools statewide, it ranks #52, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and Hispanic or Latino (35%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 284 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Kearney Public Schools spends $11,003 per pupil, 38% below the Nebraska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Kearney Public Schools also operates Kearney High School (1,663 students) and Horizon Middle School (648 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 Nebraska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nebraska | Nebraska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.8:1 | ▲ 17% | 13.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 58.7% | ▲ 90% | 30.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 284 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
284
Bigger than 30% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
58.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 90% above the Nebraska average of 30.9%
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
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 78% in Nebraska - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
22.5%
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
$11,003
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nebraska avg of $17,680
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 284 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.3 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 53.2%
Hispanic or Latino 34.9%
African American 3.5%
Two or More 3.5%
Asian 2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.4%
Largest group: White at 53.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.2, Central Elementary School is more mixed than the Nebraska school average of 34.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Kearney Public Schools, which includes Central Elementary School.
$11,003
Per student
-38%
vs Nebraska
Avg $17,680
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 67.2%
State 22.5%
Federal 10.2%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kearney High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Horizon Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sunrise Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Meadowlark Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kenwood Elementary School | Larger | Lower 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
- 1,663
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 648
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 536
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 417
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 398
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Nebraska, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~284 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Central Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Kearney Public Schools'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 284 students enrolled. It is a public school in Kearney, NE.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 15.8:1, which is 17% higher than the Nebraska average of 13.5:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Elementary School?
58.7% of students at Central Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nebraska average of 30.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Central Elementary School is White at 53.2% of enrollment, in Kearney, NE. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Elementary School?
Central 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 Central Elementary School rank among schools in Kearney?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #11 of 12 schools in Kearney, NE. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Kearney on the city page.
Is Central Elementary School a good school?
Central Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of Nebraska schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Nebraska 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 Kearney Public Schools?
Besides Central Elementary School, Kearney Public Schools also operates Kearney High School (1,663 students), Horizon Middle School (648 students), and Sunrise Middle School (536 students). See the Kearney Public Schools 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.