Enrollment
348
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lawrence, KS
Cordley Elem
Federal NCES profile for Cordley Elem, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 200840001365
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cordley Elem earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Kansas schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kansas schools.
- #4 of 12
- elementary schools in Lawrence · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.1:1
- large classes for Kansas
- 42.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Cordley Elem has class sizes larger than 74% of Kansas schools. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cordley Elem ranks #4 of 12 elementary schools in Lawrence, KS.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.2%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
-1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cordley Elem compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cordley Elem
Cordley Elem is a mid-sized elementary school in Lawrence, Kansas, enrolling 348 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Kansas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 42.2% lands close to the Kansas typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 348 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kansas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,346 scored Kansas schools.
Among 306 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kansas schools statewide, it ranks #229, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and Hispanic or Latino (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Lawrence spends $12,091 per pupil, 22% below the Kansas average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Lawrence's elementary schools, it stands alongside Langston Hughes Elem (560 students): Cordley Elem is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.1:1 vs 23.3:1).
Lawrence also operates Lawrence Free State High (1,774 students) and Lawrence High (1,454 students) alongside Cordley Elem.
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 Cordley Elem compares
Cordley Elem on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.1:1 | ▲ 9% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.2% | ▼ 1% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 348 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.1:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
348
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 1% below the Kansas average of 42.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 74% in Kansas - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
33.0%
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
$12,091
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kansas avg of $15,487
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 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 52.6%
Hispanic or Latino 21.6%
Two or More 15.8%
African American 4.6%
Asian 3.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.3%
Largest group: White at 52.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.8, Cordley Elem is more mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lawrence, which includes Cordley Elem.
$12,091
Per student
-22%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.8%
State 59.4%
Federal 6.8%
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 Cordley Elem Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence Free State High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lawrence High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lawrence West Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lawrence Southwest Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Langston Hughes Elem | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cordley Elem's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,774
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,454
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 648
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 641
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 560
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar elementary schools in Lawrence
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Langston Hughes Elem
Standard public school
560 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Sunflower Elementary
Standard public school
444 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Schwegler Elem
Standard public school
434 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
Deerfield Elem
Standard public school
433 students 16:1 students per teacher
Quail Run Elementary
Standard public school
421 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Sunset Hill Elem
Standard public school
398 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~348 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cordley Elem's federal record.
- Compare Cordley Elem against another school. Compare schools
- Lawrence'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 Cordley Elem
How many students attend Cordley Elem?
Cordley Elem has 348 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lawrence, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cordley Elem?
The student-teacher ratio at Cordley Elem is 15.1:1, which is 9% higher than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cordley Elem?
42.2% of students at Cordley Elem are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cordley Elem?
The largest demographic group at Cordley Elem is White at 52.6% of enrollment, in Lawrence, KS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cordley Elem?
Cordley Elem has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Cordley Elem rank among elementary schools in Lawrence?
By Resource Investment Index, Cordley Elem ranks #4 of 12 elementary schools in Lawrence, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Lawrence on the city page.
Is Cordley Elem a good school?
Cordley Elem earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Kansas schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kansas 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 Lawrence?
Besides Cordley Elem, Lawrence also operates Lawrence Free State High (1,774 students), Lawrence High (1,454 students), and Lawrence West Middle School (648 students). See the Lawrence 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.