- Enrollment
- 521
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Thief River Falls, MN
Challenger Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Challenger Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 273885002451
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 45
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Challenger Elementary earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Minnesota median.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in Thief River Falls · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.8:1
- students per teacher
- 32.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Challenger Elementary has class sizes near the Minnesota median. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Challenger Elementary ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Thief River Falls, MN.
School address
District: Thief River Falls School District · Minnesota
NCES ID 273885002451 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-2 students YoY
Challenger Elementary held near 781 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-2 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 57.8 → 57.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-2 students YoY 273885002451 · Thief River Falls, MN Other · MID · TRAD
727 enr · 12.8:1 · 32.4% lunch · RII 43
Nearest enrollment peer: Lincoln Senior High (521 students)
Challenger Elementary held near 781 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-2 headcount). Teacher FTE held 57.8 → 57.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Minnesota schools → · Find another →
Challenger Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Challenger Elementary
727 students
- Lincoln Senior
Lincoln Senior High
521 students
- Franklin Middl
Franklin Middle
454 students
- Northwest Area 23
Northwest Area Learning Center
23 students
What this shows Challenger Elementary reports 727 students on the CCD universe file.
How Challenger Elementary compares
Challenger Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.8:1 | ▼ 19% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.4% | ▼ 24% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 727 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.8:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
727
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
32.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% below the Minnesota average of 42.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.8:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 35% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 65% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
22.1%
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
$12,994
per pupil, district-wide
- below Minnesota avg of $15,919
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.7 FTE
Per 267 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 80.6%
Hispanic or Latino 10.6%
Two or More 6.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.2%
Asian 0.6%
African American 0.4%
Largest group: White at 80.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 33.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 33.5, Challenger Elementary is less mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
District finance for Thief River Falls School District reports $12,994 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Challenger Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Senior High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Franklin Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northwest Area Learning Center | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Challenger Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 454
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 23
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~727 students)
Frequently asked questions about Challenger Elementary
How many students attend Challenger Elementary?
Challenger Elementary has 727 students enrolled. It is a public school in Thief River Falls, MN. CCD year-over-year: 783 (2022-23) → 781 (2023-24), nearly flat (-2).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Challenger Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Challenger Elementary is 12.8:1, which is 19% lower than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 18% 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 Challenger Elementary?
32.4% of students at Challenger Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Challenger Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Challenger Elementary is White at 80.6% of enrollment, in Thief River Falls, MN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Challenger Elementary?
Challenger Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Challenger Elementary rank among public schools in Thief River Falls?
By Resource Investment Index, Challenger Elementary ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Thief River Falls, MN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Thief River Falls School District?
Besides Challenger Elementary, Thief River Falls School District also operates Lincoln Senior High (521 students), Franklin Middle (454 students), and Northwest Area Learning Center (23 students). See the Thief River Falls School District district page for the complete list.