Enrollment
270
New Hampshire · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Salem, NH
Dr. L. F. Soule School
Federal NCES profile for Dr. L. F. Soule School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 330606000401
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 46
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dr. L. F. Soule School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of New Hampshire schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New Hampshire schools.
- #4 of 6
- elementary schools in Salem · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.3:1
- large classes for New Hampshire
- 20.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Dr. L. F. Soule School has class sizes larger than 72% of New Hampshire schools. Computed live against every New Hampshire school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dr. L. F. Soule School ranks #4 of 6 elementary schools in Salem, NH.
School address
District: Salem School District · New Hampshire
NCES ID 330606000401 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.3:1
vs 11.3:1 New Hampshire avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.2%
vs 21.5% New Hampshire avg
-6% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dr. L. F. Soule School compares with New Hampshire and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dr. L. F. Soule School
Dr. L. F. Soule School is a mid-sized elementary school in Salem, New Hampshire, enrolling 270 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 12.3:1 puts it in the larger third of New Hampshire schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 20.2% lands close to the New Hampshire typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 270 students, its enrollment sits close to the New Hampshire median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 500 scored New Hampshire schools.
Against 146 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #103.
Its student body is led by White (72%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 46/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 270 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Salem School District spends $19,382 per pupil, 32% below the New Hampshire average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Salem's elementary schools, it stands alongside William T. Barron Elementary School (377 students): Dr. L. F. Soule School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.3:1 vs 14.5:1).
Salem School District also operates Salem High School (1,116 students) and Woodbury School (762 students) alongside Dr. L. F. Soule 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 Dr. L. F. Soule School compares
Dr. L. F. Soule School on the metrics families compare, against New Hampshire and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Hampshire | New Hampshire avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.3:1 | ▲ 9% | 11.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.2% | ▼ 6% | 21.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 270 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.3:1
Leaner classes than 73% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
270
Bigger than 28% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
20.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 6% below the New Hampshire average of 21.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.3:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 72% in New Hampshire - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
32.6%
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
$19,382
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Hampshire avg of $28,358
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 270 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 71.5%
Hispanic or Latino 15.9%
Two or More 8.9%
Asian 3.0%
African American 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 71.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.5, Dr. L. F. Soule School is more mixed than the New Hampshire school average of 24.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Salem School District, which includes Dr. L. F. Soule School.
$19,382
Per student
-32%
vs New Hampshire
Avg $28,358
+17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 63.7%
State 30.4%
Federal 5.9%
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 Dr. L. F. Soule School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salem High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Woodbury School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| William T. Barron Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Salem Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| William E. Lancaster School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dr. L. F. Soule School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,116
- Students per teacher
- 11.2:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 762
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 377
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 353
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 294
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar elementary schools in Salem
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
William T. Barron Elementary School
Standard public school
377 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
North Salem Elementary School
Standard public school
353 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
William E. Lancaster School
Standard public school
294 students 14:1 students per teacher
The Birches Academy of Academics - Art a Public Charter Sch
Standard public school
286 students 19.1:1 students per teacher
Mary a. Fisk Elementary School
Standard public school
272 students 11.3:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New Hampshire, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~270 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dr. L. F. Soule School's federal record.
- Compare Dr. L. F. Soule School against another school. Compare schools
- Salem School District'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 Dr. L. F. Soule School
How many students attend Dr. L. F. Soule School?
Dr. L. F. Soule School has 270 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Salem, NH.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dr. L. F. Soule School?
The student-teacher ratio at Dr. L. F. Soule School is 12.3:1, which is 9% higher than the New Hampshire average of 11.3:1 and 22% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Dr. L. F. Soule School?
20.2% of students at Dr. L. F. Soule School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Hampshire average of 21.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dr. L. F. Soule School?
The largest demographic group at Dr. L. F. Soule School is White at 71.5% of enrollment, in Salem, NH.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dr. L. F. Soule School?
Dr. L. F. Soule School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 Dr. L. F. Soule School rank among elementary schools in Salem?
By Resource Investment Index, Dr. L. F. Soule School ranks #4 of 6 elementary schools in Salem, NH. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Salem on the city page.
Is Dr. L. F. Soule School a good school?
Dr. L. F. Soule School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of New Hampshire schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New Hampshire 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 Salem School District?
Besides Dr. L. F. Soule School, Salem School District also operates Salem High School (1,116 students), Woodbury School (762 students), and William T. Barron Elementary School (377 students). See the Salem School District 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.