Enrollment
744
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Louisville, KY
Fern Creek Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Fern Creek Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 210299000627
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 26
📋 Attendance 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Fern Creek Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Kentucky schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- #7 of 51
- elementary schools in Louisville · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.3:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 63.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Fern Creek Elementary has class sizes larger than 79% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Fern Creek Elementary ranks #7 of 51 elementary schools in Louisville, KY.
School address
District: Jefferson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210299000627 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.3:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.2%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+7% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Fern Creek Elementary compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Fern Creek Elementary
Fern Creek Elementary is a higher-need, large elementary school in Louisville, Kentucky, enrolling 744 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 63.2% lands close to the Kentucky typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 744 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 374 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #63.
Its student body is led by African American (30%) and Hispanic or Latino (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 372 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
17.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Jefferson County spends $17,376 per pupil, 32% above the Kentucky average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 22.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Louisville's elementary schools, it stands alongside Bowen Elementary (729 students): Fern Creek Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.3:1 vs 17.4:1).
Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students) and Dupont Manual High (1,899 students) alongside Fern Creek Elementary.
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 Fern Creek Elementary compares
Fern Creek Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.3:1 | ▲ 14% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.2% | ▲ 7% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 744 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.3:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
744
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 7% above the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.3:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 79% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
17.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$17,376
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kentucky avg of $13,211
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 372 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
21
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.1 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
African American 30.4%
Hispanic or Latino 28.0%
White 27.3%
Asian 8.6%
Two or More 5.8%
Largest group: African American at 30.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.4, Fern Creek Elementary is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jefferson County, which includes Fern Creek Elementary.
$17,376
Per student
+32%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
+5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.8%
State 30.9%
Federal 22.3%
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 Fern Creek Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dupont Manual High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Marion C. Moore School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eastern High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pleasure Ridge Park High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Fern Creek Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,148
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,899
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,892
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,790
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,777
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar elementary schools in Louisville
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Bowen Elementary
Standard public school
729 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Norton Elementary
Standard public school
716 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Goldsmith Elementary
Standard public school
651 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Indian Trail Elementary
Standard public school
649 students 18:1 students per teacher
Wheeler Elementary
Standard public school
626 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Audubon Traditional Elementary
Standard public school
610 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kentucky, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~744 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Fern Creek Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Fern Creek Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Jefferson County'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 Fern Creek Elementary
How many students attend Fern Creek Elementary?
Fern Creek Elementary has 744 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Louisville, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Fern Creek Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Fern Creek Elementary is 17.3:1, which is 14% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Fern Creek Elementary?
63.2% of students at Fern Creek Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Fern Creek Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Fern Creek Elementary is African American at 30.4% of enrollment, in Louisville, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Fern Creek Elementary?
Fern Creek Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Fern Creek Elementary rank among elementary schools in Louisville?
By Resource Investment Index, Fern Creek Elementary ranks #7 of 51 elementary schools in Louisville, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Louisville on the city page.
Is Fern Creek Elementary a good school?
Fern Creek Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Kentucky schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky 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 Jefferson County?
Besides Fern Creek Elementary, Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students), Dupont Manual High (1,899 students), and Marion C. Moore School (1,892 students). See the Jefferson County 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.