Enrollment
526
Ohio · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Hilliard, OH
Darby Creek Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Darby Creek Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 390470101424
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 82
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Darby Creek Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Ohio median.
- #9 of 13
- elementary schools in Hilliard · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.8:1
- students per teacher
- 18.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Darby Creek Elementary School has class sizes near the Ohio median. Computed live against every Ohio school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Darby Creek Elementary School ranks #9 of 13 elementary schools in Hilliard, OH.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.8:1
vs 18.2:1 Ohio avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.4%
vs 31.6% Ohio avg
-42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Darby Creek Elementary School compares with Ohio and U.S. medians
What stands out at Darby Creek Elementary School
Darby Creek Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Hilliard, Ohio, enrolling 526 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Ohio schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 18.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 526 puts it in the larger third of Ohio schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,574 scored Ohio schools.
Against 710 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #242.
Its student body is led by White (66%) and African American (11%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 848 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.2% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Hilliard's elementary schools, it stands alongside Ridgewood Elementary School (598 students): Darby Creek Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.8:1 vs 18.1:1).
Hilliard City also operates Hilliard Davidson High School (1,847 students) and Hilliard Bradley High School (1,712 students) alongside Darby Creek 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 Darby Creek Elementary School compares
Darby Creek Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Ohio and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Ohio | Ohio avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.8:1 | ▲ 3% | 18.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.4% | ▼ 42% | 31.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 526 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.8:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
526
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% below the Ohio average of 31.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.8:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 64% in Ohio - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
7.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$14,096
per pupil, district-wide
- below Ohio avg of $14,655
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.6 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.5 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 65.6%
African American 11.0%
Hispanic or Latino 8.0%
Asian 7.8%
Two or More 7.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 65.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.0, Darby Creek Elementary School is more mixed than the Ohio school average of 35.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hilliard City, which includes Darby Creek Elementary School.
$14,096
Per student
-4%
vs Ohio
Avg $14,655
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 64.3%
State 25.7%
Federal 10.0%
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 Darby Creek Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hilliard Davidson High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hilliard Bradley High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hilliard Darby High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hilliard Weaver Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hilliard Memorial Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Darby Creek Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,847
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,712
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,674
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 917
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 797
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Hilliard
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Ridgewood Elementary School
Standard public school
598 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Alton Darby Elementary School
Standard public school
533 students 19.7:1 students per teacher
Hilliard Crossing Elementary School
Standard public school
518 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Hilliard Tharp Sixth Grade Elementary School
Standard public school
512 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
J W Reason Elementary School
Standard public school
472 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Hoffman Trails Elementary School
Standard public school
468 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Ohio, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~526 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Darby Creek Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Darby Creek Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Hilliard City'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 Darby Creek Elementary School
How many students attend Darby Creek Elementary School?
Darby Creek Elementary School has 526 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Hilliard, OH.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Darby Creek Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Darby Creek Elementary School is 18.8:1, which is 3% higher than the Ohio average of 18.2:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Darby Creek Elementary School?
18.4% of students at Darby Creek Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Ohio average of 31.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Darby Creek Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Darby Creek Elementary School is White at 65.6% of enrollment, in Hilliard, OH. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Darby Creek Elementary School?
Darby Creek Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Darby Creek Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Hilliard?
By Resource Investment Index, Darby Creek Elementary School ranks #9 of 13 elementary schools in Hilliard, OH. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Hilliard on the city page.
Is Darby Creek Elementary School a good school?
Darby Creek Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Ohio 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 Hilliard City?
Besides Darby Creek Elementary School, Hilliard City also operates Hilliard Davidson High School (1,847 students), Hilliard Bradley High School (1,712 students), and Hilliard Darby High School (1,674 students). See the Hilliard City 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.