Enrollment
223
Nebraska · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sidney, NE
Central Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Central Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 317671001599
👥 S:T ratio 19
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 55
📋 Attendance 84
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Nebraska schools.
- #4 of 6
- public schools in Sidney · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.3:1
- large classes for Nebraska
- 26.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Elementary School has class sizes larger than 95% of Nebraska schools. Computed live against every Nebraska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #4 of 6 public schools in Sidney, NE.
School address
District: Sidney Public Schools · Nebraska
NCES ID 317671001599 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
11.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.3:1
vs 13.5:1 Nebraska avg
+50% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
26.0%
vs 30.9% Nebraska avg
-16% 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 mid-sized combined-grade school in Sidney, Nebraska, enrolling 223 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.3:1 is larger than about 95% of Nebraska schools and 50% above the 13.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 26.0% lands close to the Nebraska typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 223 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 210 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Nebraska schools statewide, it ranks #170, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 223 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.3% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Sidney Public Schools spends $12,601 per pupil, 29% below the Nebraska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Sidney Public Schools also operates Sidney High School (329 students) and South Ward Elementary School (261 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 | 20.3:1 | ▲ 50% | 13.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 26.0% | ▼ 16% | 30.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 223 | top 53% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.3:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
223
Bigger than 22% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
26.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% below the Nebraska average of 30.9%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
20.3:1
students per teacher
- 50% above state mean
Top 95% in Nebraska - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
6.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$12,601
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 223 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.
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.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sidney Public Schools, which includes Central Elementary School.
$12,601
Per student
-29%
vs Nebraska
Avg $17,680
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 53.2%
State 35.4%
Federal 11.4%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sidney High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Ward Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Ward Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sidney Middle School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower 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
- 329
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 261
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 238
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 186
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 152
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
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 (~223 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Central Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Sidney 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 223 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sidney, NE.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 20.3:1, which is 50% higher than the Nebraska average of 13.5:1 and 29% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Elementary School?
26.0% of students at Central Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nebraska average of 30.9%.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 public schools in Sidney?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #4 of 6 public schools in Sidney, NE. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Sidney on the city page.
Is Central Elementary School a good school?
Central Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of 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 Sidney Public Schools?
Besides Central Elementary School, Sidney Public Schools also operates Sidney High School (329 students), South Ward Elementary School (261 students), and West Elementary School (238 students). See the Sidney 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.