Enrollment
615
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Paducah, KY
Clark Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Clark Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 210465001146
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 80
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Clark Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- #5 of 5
- elementary schools in Paducah · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.4:1
- students per teacher
- 49.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Clark Elementary School has class sizes near the Kentucky median. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Clark Elementary School ranks #5 of 5 elementary schools in Paducah, KY.
School address
District: Paducah Independent · Kentucky
NCES ID 210465001146 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
49.9%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Clark Elementary School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Clark Elementary School
Clark Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Paducah, Kentucky, enrolling 615 students.
At 15.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Kentucky median, within a few percentage points of the 15.2:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 49.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 615 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 455 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #115.
Its student body is led by White (57%) and African American (20%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 615 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 8.1% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 26.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Paducah's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lone Oak Intermediate School (437 students): Clark Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.4:1 vs 16.2:1).
Paducah Independent also operates Paducah Tilghman High School (860 students) and Paducah Middle School (632 students) alongside Clark 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 Clark Elementary School compares
Clark Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.4:1 | ▲ 1% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 49.9% | ▼ 16% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 615 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
615
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
49.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% below the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 55% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
8.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
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 615 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
84
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 56.7%
African American 20.3%
Two or More 13.7%
Hispanic or Latino 8.6%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: White at 56.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.1, Clark Elementary School 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 Clark Elementary School.
$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 Clark Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paducah Tilghman High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Paducah Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Morgan Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mcnabb Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Paducah Head Start Preschool | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Clark Elementary School'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
- 369
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 334
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 251
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
Similar elementary schools in Paducah
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Lone Oak Intermediate School
Standard public school
437 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Morgan Elementary School
Standard public school
369 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Mcnabb Elementary School
Standard public school
334 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Reidland Intermediate School
Standard public school
228 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~615 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Clark Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Clark Elementary School 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 Clark Elementary School
How many students attend Clark Elementary School?
Clark Elementary School has 615 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Paducah, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Clark Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Clark Elementary School is 15.4:1, which is 1% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 2% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Clark Elementary School?
49.9% of students at Clark Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Clark Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Clark Elementary School is White at 56.7% of enrollment, in Paducah, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Clark Elementary School?
Clark 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 Clark Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Paducah?
By Resource Investment Index, Clark Elementary School ranks #5 of 5 elementary 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 elementary schools in Paducah on the city page.
Is Clark Elementary School a good school?
Clark Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky 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 Paducah Independent?
Besides Clark Elementary School, Paducah Independent also operates Paducah Tilghman High School (860 students), Paducah Middle School (632 students), and Morgan Elementary School (369 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.