Enrollment
250
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Salem, VA
Fort Lewis Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Fort Lewis Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 61/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510333001998
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 81
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Fort Lewis Elementary earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median.
- #2 of 6
- schools in Salem · Resource Index
- 61
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.7:1
- students per teacher
- 21.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Fort Lewis Elementary has class sizes near the Virginia median. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Fort Lewis Elementary ranks #2 of 6 schools in Salem, VA.
School address
District: Roanoke County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510333001998 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.0%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-64% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Fort Lewis Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Fort Lewis Elementary
Fort Lewis Elementary is a small combined-grade school in Salem, Virginia, enrolling 250 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 21.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 250 puts it in the smaller third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 92% of the 1,868 Virginia schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Against 31 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #11.
Its student body is led by White (79%) and Hispanic or Latino (7%) (diversity index 36/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 250 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.6% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Salem's public schools, it stands alongside G.W. Carver Elementary (404 students): Fort Lewis Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.7:1 vs 12.6:1).
Roanoke County Public Schools also operates William Byrd High (1,134 students) and Cave Spring High (1,046 students) alongside Fort Lewis 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 Fort Lewis Elementary compares
Fort Lewis Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.7:1 | ▲ 6% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.0% | ▼ 64% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 250 | top 90% | - | - |
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.
250
Bigger than 25% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 64% below the Virginia average of 57.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 64% in Virginia - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
7.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$12,626
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
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 250 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 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 79.2%
Hispanic or Latino 7.2%
Two or More 7.2%
Asian 4.0%
African American 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 79.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 36.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 36.0, Fort Lewis Elementary is less mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Roanoke County Public Schools, which includes Fort Lewis Elementary.
$12,626
Per student
-14%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 41.4%
State 47.5%
Federal 11.1%
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 Fort Lewis Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Byrd High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cave Spring High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northside High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hidden Valley High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| William Byrd Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Fort Lewis Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,134
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,046
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 919
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 832
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 802
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
Similar other schools in Salem
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
G.W. Carver Elementary
Standard public school
404 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
East Salem Elementary
Standard public school
378 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Glenvar Elementary
Standard public school
372 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
South Salem Elementary
Standard public school
371 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Mason's Cove Elementary
Standard public school
204 students 10.7:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~250 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Fort Lewis Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Fort Lewis Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Roanoke County 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 Fort Lewis Elementary
How many students attend Fort Lewis Elementary?
Fort Lewis Elementary has 250 students enrolled. It is a public school in Salem, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Fort Lewis Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Fort Lewis Elementary is 14.7:1, which is 6% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Fort Lewis Elementary?
21.0% of students at Fort Lewis Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Fort Lewis Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Fort Lewis Elementary is White at 79.2% of enrollment, in Salem, VA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Fort Lewis Elementary?
Fort Lewis Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 61/100 (higher 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 Fort Lewis Elementary rank among schools in Salem?
By Resource Investment Index, Fort Lewis Elementary ranks #2 of 6 schools in Salem, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Salem on the city page.
Is Fort Lewis Elementary a good school?
Fort Lewis Elementary earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia 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 Roanoke County Public Schools?
Besides Fort Lewis Elementary, Roanoke County Public Schools also operates William Byrd High (1,134 students), Cave Spring High (1,046 students), and Northside High (919 students). See the Roanoke County 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.