Enrollment
284
Nebraska · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Grand Island, NE
Gates Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Gates Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 61/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 310001601015
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 72
📋 Attendance 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gates Elementary School earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nebraska median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Nebraska schools.
- #1 of 18
- schools in Grand Island · Resource Index
- 61
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.5:1
- students per teacher
- 53.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Gates Elementary School has class sizes near the Nebraska median. Computed live against every Nebraska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gates Elementary School ranks #1 of 18 schools in Grand Island, NE.
School address
District: Grand Island Public Schools · Nebraska
NCES ID 310001601015 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.5:1
vs 13.5:1 Nebraska avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.2%
vs 30.9% Nebraska avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gates Elementary School compares with Nebraska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gates Elementary School
Gates Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Grand Island, Nebraska, enrolling 284 students.
At 13.5:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Nebraska median, within a few percentage points of the 13.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 53.2% of students qualify for free meals, 72% above the Nebraska average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 284 students, its enrollment sits close to the Nebraska median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,003 scored Nebraska schools.
Against 87 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #12.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (47%) and White (44%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 142 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
17.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Grand Island Public Schools spends $13,377 per pupil, 24% below the Nebraska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 16.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Grand Island Public Schools also operates Grand Island Senior High School (2,696 students) and Walnut Middle School (777 students) alongside Gates 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 Gates Elementary School compares
Gates 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 | 13.5:1 | ▼ 0% | 13.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.2% | ▲ 72% | 30.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 284 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.5:1
Leaner classes than 62% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
284
Bigger than 30% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% 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
13.5:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 57% in Nebraska - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,377
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nebraska avg of $17,680
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 142 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
19
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.8 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
Hispanic or Latino 46.5%
White 44.4%
African American 4.9%
Two or More 3.2%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 46.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.3, Gates Elementary School is more mixed than the Nebraska school average of 34.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Grand Island Public Schools, which includes Gates Elementary School.
$13,377
Per student
-24%
vs Nebraska
Avg $17,680
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.1%
State 48.4%
Federal 16.5%
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 Gates Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Island Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Walnut Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Westridge Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Barr Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Howard Elementary School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gates Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,696
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 777
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 694
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 648
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 484
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
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 (~284 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gates Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Gates Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Grand Island 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 Gates Elementary School
How many students attend Gates Elementary School?
Gates Elementary School has 284 students enrolled. It is a public school in Grand Island, NE.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gates Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Gates Elementary School is 13.5:1, which is 0% higher than the Nebraska average of 13.5:1 and 14% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Gates Elementary School?
53.2% of students at Gates Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nebraska average of 30.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gates Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Gates Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 46.5% of enrollment, in Grand Island, NE. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gates Elementary School?
Gates Elementary School 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 Gates Elementary School rank among schools in Grand Island?
By Resource Investment Index, Gates Elementary School ranks #1 of 18 schools in Grand Island, NE. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Grand Island on the city page.
Is Gates Elementary School a good school?
Gates Elementary School earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nebraska median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Nebraska 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 Grand Island Public Schools?
Besides Gates Elementary School, Grand Island Public Schools also operates Grand Island Senior High School (2,696 students), Walnut Middle School (777 students), and Westridge Middle School (694 students). See the Grand Island 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.