Enrollment
495
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Mechanicsville, VA
Cold Harbor Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Cold Harbor Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510183001995
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 1
📋 Attendance 80
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cold Harbor Elementary earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median.
- #8 of 10
- schools in Mechanicsville · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.4:1
- students per teacher
- 35.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Cold Harbor Elementary has class sizes near the Virginia median. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cold Harbor Elementary ranks #8 of 10 schools in Mechanicsville, VA.
School address
District: Hanover County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510183001995 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.4:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.3%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cold Harbor Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cold Harbor Elementary
Cold Harbor Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Mechanicsville, Virginia, enrolling 495 students.
At 13.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Virginia median, within a few percentage points of the 13.9:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 35.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 495 students, its enrollment sits close to the Virginia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 273 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #183.
Its student body is led by White (73%) and Hispanic or Latino (9%) (diversity index 45/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 495 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.9% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Mechanicsville's public schools, it stands alongside Cool Spring Elementary (852 students): Cold Harbor Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.4:1 vs 17.8:1).
Hanover County Public Schools also operates Atlee High (1,470 students) and Hanover High (1,349 students) alongside Cold Harbor Elementary.
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 Cold Harbor Elementary compares
Cold Harbor Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.4:1 | ▼ 4% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.3% | ▼ 39% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 495 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
495
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% below the Virginia average of 57.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 44% in Virginia - lower ratio than 56% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
7.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$12,547
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
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 495 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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 72.7%
Hispanic or Latino 9.1%
Two or More 8.1%
African American 7.1%
Asian 2.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 72.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.1, Cold Harbor Elementary is less mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hanover County Public Schools, which includes Cold Harbor Elementary.
$12,547
Per student
-14%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.1%
State 43.1%
Federal 11.8%
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 Cold Harbor Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlee High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hanover High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Patrick Henry High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mechanicsville High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chickahominy Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cold Harbor Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,470
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 1,349
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
- Enrollment
- 1,294
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 1,245
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 61/100
- Enrollment
- 1,199
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
Similar other schools in Mechanicsville
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Cool Spring Elementary
Standard public school
852 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Kersey Creek Elementary
Standard public school
672 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Rural Point Elementary
Standard public school
627 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Laurel Meadow Elementary
Standard public school
591 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Mechanicsville Elementary
Standard public school
572 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Pearson's Corner Elementary
Standard public school
571 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~495 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cold Harbor Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Cold Harbor Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Hanover County 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 Cold Harbor Elementary
How many students attend Cold Harbor Elementary?
Cold Harbor Elementary has 495 students enrolled. It is a public school in Mechanicsville, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cold Harbor Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Cold Harbor Elementary is 13.4:1, which is 4% lower than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 15% 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 Cold Harbor Elementary?
35.3% of students at Cold Harbor Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cold Harbor Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Cold Harbor Elementary is White at 72.7% of enrollment, in Mechanicsville, VA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cold Harbor Elementary?
Cold Harbor Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (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 Cold Harbor Elementary rank among schools in Mechanicsville?
By Resource Investment Index, Cold Harbor Elementary ranks #8 of 10 schools in Mechanicsville, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Mechanicsville on the city page.
Is Cold Harbor Elementary a good school?
Cold Harbor Elementary earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia 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 Hanover County Public Schools?
Besides Cold Harbor Elementary, Hanover County Public Schools also operates Atlee High (1,470 students), Hanover High (1,349 students), and Patrick Henry High (1,294 students). See the Hanover County 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.