Enrollment
433
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Goddard, KS
Explorer Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Explorer Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 200654001856
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 13
📋 Attendance 59
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Explorer Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kansas median.
- #2 of 5
- schools in Goddard · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14:1
- students per teacher
- 23.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Explorer Elementary School has class sizes near the Kansas median. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Explorer Elementary School ranks #2 of 5 schools in Goddard, KS.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.9%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
-44% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Explorer Elementary School compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Explorer Elementary School
Explorer Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Goddard, Kansas, enrolling 433 students.
At 14:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Kansas median, within a few percentage points of the 13.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 23.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 433 puts it in the larger third of Kansas schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,346 scored Kansas schools.
Against 243 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #133.
Its student body is led by White (73%) and Hispanic or Latino (14%) (diversity index 43/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 433 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
16.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Goddard's public schools, it stands alongside Apollo Elementary School (544 students): Explorer Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14:1 vs 16.5:1).
Goddard also operates Eisenhower High School (991 students) and Goddard High (962 students) alongside Explorer 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 Explorer Elementary School compares
Explorer Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14:1 | ▲ 1% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.9% | ▼ 44% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 433 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14:1
Leaner classes than 57% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
433
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% below the Kansas average of 42.7%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 59% in Kansas - lower ratio than 41% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
16.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,551
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kansas avg of $15,487
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 433 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.8 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 73.4%
Hispanic or Latino 14.3%
Two or More 7.6%
African American 2.1%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: White at 73.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.4, Explorer Elementary School is more mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Goddard, which includes Explorer Elementary School.
$13,551
Per student
-13%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.4%
State 62.4%
Federal 8.2%
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 Explorer Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eisenhower High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Goddard High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apollo Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Amelia Earhart Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Explorer Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 991
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 962
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 625
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 544
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 514
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar other schools in Goddard
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Apollo Elementary School
Standard public school
544 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
Amelia Earhart Elementary School
Standard public school
514 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Clark Davidson Elem
Standard public school
462 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Usd 265 - Goddard Virtual School
Standard public school
29 students 29:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~433 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Explorer Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Explorer Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Goddard'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 Explorer Elementary School
How many students attend Explorer Elementary School?
Explorer Elementary School has 433 students enrolled. It is a public school in Goddard, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Explorer Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Explorer Elementary School is 14:1, which is 1% higher than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 11% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Explorer Elementary School?
23.9% of students at Explorer Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Explorer Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Explorer Elementary School is White at 73.4% of enrollment, in Goddard, KS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Explorer Elementary School?
Explorer Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Explorer Elementary School rank among schools in Goddard?
By Resource Investment Index, Explorer Elementary School ranks #2 of 5 schools in Goddard, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Goddard on the city page.
Is Explorer Elementary School a good school?
Explorer Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kansas 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 Goddard?
Besides Explorer Elementary School, Goddard also operates Eisenhower High School (991 students), Goddard High (962 students), and Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School (625 students). See the Goddard 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.