Enrollment
235
Nebraska · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Kearney, NE
Emerson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Emerson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 317239001103
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 53
📋 Attendance 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Emerson Elementary School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nebraska median.
- #5 of 12
- schools in Kearney · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.7:1
- students per teacher
- 55.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Emerson Elementary School has class sizes near the Nebraska median. Computed live against every Nebraska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Emerson Elementary School ranks #5 of 12 schools in Kearney, NE.
School address
District: Kearney Public Schools · Nebraska
NCES ID 317239001103 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 13.5:1 Nebraska avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
55.2%
vs 30.9% Nebraska avg
+79% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Emerson Elementary School compares with Nebraska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Emerson Elementary School
Emerson Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Kearney, Nebraska, enrolling 235 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Nebraska schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 55.2% of students qualify for free meals, 79% above the Nebraska average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 235 students, its enrollment sits close to the Nebraska median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,003 scored Nebraska schools.
Among 75 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Nebraska schools statewide, it ranks #55, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (65%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 235 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.6% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Kearney Public Schools spends $11,003 per pupil, 38% below the Nebraska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Kearney Public Schools also operates Kearney High School (1,663 students) and Horizon Middle School (648 students) alongside Emerson 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 Emerson Elementary School compares
Emerson Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Nebraska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nebraska | Nebraska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.7:1 | ▲ 9% | 13.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.2% | ▲ 79% | 30.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 235 | top 51% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
235
Bigger than 23% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
55.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 79% above the Nebraska average of 30.9%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 67% in Nebraska - lower ratio than 33% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
22.6%
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
$11,003
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nebraska avg of $17,680
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 235 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.4 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 64.7%
Hispanic or Latino 29.8%
Two or More 3.4%
African American 2.1%
Largest group: White at 64.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.1, Emerson Elementary School is more mixed than the Nebraska school average of 34.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Kearney Public Schools, which includes Emerson Elementary School.
$11,003
Per student
-38%
vs Nebraska
Avg $17,680
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 67.2%
State 22.5%
Federal 10.2%
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 Emerson Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kearney High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Horizon Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sunrise Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Meadowlark Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kenwood Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Emerson Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,663
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 648
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 536
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 417
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 398
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Nebraska, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~235 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Emerson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Emerson Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Kearney 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 Emerson Elementary School
How many students attend Emerson Elementary School?
Emerson Elementary School has 235 students enrolled. It is a public school in Kearney, NE.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Emerson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Emerson Elementary School is 14.7:1, which is 9% higher than the Nebraska average of 13.5:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Emerson Elementary School?
55.2% of students at Emerson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nebraska average of 30.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Emerson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Emerson Elementary School is White at 64.7% of enrollment, in Kearney, NE.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Emerson Elementary School?
Emerson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Emerson Elementary School rank among schools in Kearney?
By Resource Investment Index, Emerson Elementary School ranks #5 of 12 schools in Kearney, NE. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Kearney on the city page.
Is Emerson Elementary School a good school?
Emerson Elementary School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nebraska 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 Kearney Public Schools?
Besides Emerson Elementary School, Kearney Public Schools also operates Kearney High School (1,663 students), Horizon Middle School (648 students), and Sunrise Middle School (536 students). See the Kearney 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.