Enrollment
42
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Paducah, KY
Choices Educational Center
Federal NCES profile for Choices Educational Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 210465002364
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 92
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Choices Educational Center earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median.
- #2 of 7
- schools in Paducah · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14:1
- students per teacher
- 91.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Choices Educational Center has class sizes near the Kentucky median. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Choices Educational Center ranks #2 of 7 schools in Paducah, KY.
School address
District: Paducah Independent · Kentucky
NCES ID 210465002364 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
3.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
91.9%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+55% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Choices Educational Center compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Choices Educational Center
Choices Educational Center is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Paducah, Kentucky, enrolling 42 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14:1 puts it in the smaller third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 91.9% of students qualify for free meals, 55% above the Kentucky average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 42 puts it in the smaller third of Kentucky schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 31 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #14.
Its student body is led by African American (71%) and White (14%) (diversity index 46/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 42 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 92.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 26.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 12 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 42 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Paducah's public schools, it stands alongside Concord Elementary School (606 students): Choices Educational Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14:1 vs 16.8:1).
Paducah Independent also operates Paducah Tilghman High School (860 students) and Paducah Middle School (632 students) alongside Choices Educational Center.
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 Choices Educational Center compares
Choices Educational Center on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14:1 | ▼ 8% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 91.9% | ▲ 55% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 42 | top 90% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14:1
Leaner classes than 57% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
42
Bigger than 5% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
91.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% above the Kentucky average of 59.2%
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
14:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 36% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 64% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
92.9%
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
$13,678
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 42 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 28.6 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
African American 71.4%
White 14.3%
Two or More 11.9%
Hispanic or Latino 2.4%
Largest group: African American at 71.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.5, Choices Educational Center is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Paducah Independent, which includes Choices Educational Center.
$13,678
Per student
+4%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.0%
State 44.9%
Federal 26.1%
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 Choices Educational Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paducah Tilghman High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Paducah Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Clark Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Morgan Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mcnabb Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Choices Educational Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 860
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 632
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 615
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 369
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 334
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar other schools in Paducah
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Concord Elementary School
Standard public school
606 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Reidland Elementary School
Standard public school
548 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Hendron Lone Oak Elementary School
Standard public school
498 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
Lone Oak Elementary School
Standard public school
495 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Paducah Head Start Preschool
Standard public school
251 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Mccracken Regional School
Alternative education program
31 students 31:1 students per teacher
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 (~42 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Choices Educational Center's federal record.
- Compare Choices Educational Center against another school. Compare schools
- Paducah Independent'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 Choices Educational Center
How many students attend Choices Educational Center?
Choices Educational Center has 42 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Paducah, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Choices Educational Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Choices Educational Center is 14:1, which is 8% lower than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 11% 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 Choices Educational Center?
91.9% of students at Choices Educational Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Choices Educational Center?
The largest demographic group at Choices Educational Center is African American at 71.4% of enrollment, in Paducah, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Choices Educational Center?
Choices Educational Center has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher 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 Choices Educational Center rank among schools in Paducah?
By Resource Investment Index, Choices Educational Center ranks #2 of 7 schools in Paducah, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Paducah on the city page.
Is Choices Educational Center a good school?
Choices Educational Center earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky 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 Paducah Independent?
Besides Choices Educational Center, Paducah Independent also operates Paducah Tilghman High School (860 students), Paducah Middle School (632 students), and Clark Elementary School (615 students). See the Paducah Independent 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.