Enrollment
403
Oregon · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · La Grande, OR
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 dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 410720001125
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 17
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 near the Oregon median.
- #4 of 5
- public schools in La Grande · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.1:1
- students per teacher
- 64.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Elementary School has class sizes near the Oregon median. Computed live against every Oregon school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in La Grande, OR.
School address
District: La Grande Sd 1 · Oregon
NCES ID 410720001125 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 17.6:1 Oregon avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.4%
vs 52.8% Oregon avg
+22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Elementary School compares with Oregon and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Elementary School
Central Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in La Grande, Oregon, enrolling 403 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 16.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Oregon schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 64.4% lands close to the Oregon typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 403 students, its enrollment sits close to the Oregon median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,273 scored Oregon schools.
Against 318 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #137.
Its student body is led by White (76%) and Hispanic or Latino (8%) (diversity index 41/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 403 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding La Grande Sd 1 spends $14,013 per pupil, 23% below the Oregon average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among La Grande's elementary schools, it stands alongside Greenwood Elementary School (234 students): Central Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.1:1 vs 13:1).
La Grande Sd 1 also operates La Grande High School (604 students) and La Grande Middle School (480 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 Oregon and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Oregon | Oregon avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.1:1 | ▼ 9% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.4% | ▲ 22% | 52.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 403 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
403
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% above the Oregon average of 52.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 38% in Oregon - lower ratio than 62% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
33.3%
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
$14,013
per pupil, district-wide
- below Oregon avg of $18,086
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 403 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
34
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.7 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 75.8%
Hispanic or Latino 8.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 7.5%
Two or More 6.2%
African American 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 75.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.9, Central Elementary School is less mixed than the Oregon school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for La Grande Sd 1, which includes Central Elementary School.
$14,013
Per student
-23%
vs Oregon
Avg $18,086
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.6%
State 58.2%
Federal 14.2%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Grande High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| La Grande Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Island City Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Greenwood Elementary School | Smaller | Similar 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
- 604
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 480
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 293
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 234
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar elementary schools in La Grande
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Oregon, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~403 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Central Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- La Grande Sd 1'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 403 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in La Grande, OR.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 16.1:1, which is 9% lower than the Oregon average of 17.6:1 and 3% higher 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?
64.4% of students at Central Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Oregon average of 52.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Central Elementary School is White at 75.8% of enrollment, in La Grande, OR.
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 public schools in La Grande?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in La Grande, OR. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in La Grande 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 near the Oregon median. 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 La Grande Sd 1?
Besides Central Elementary School, La Grande Sd 1 also operates La Grande High School (604 students), La Grande Middle School (480 students), and Island City Elementary School (293 students). See the La Grande Sd 1 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.