Enrollment
404
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Salem, VA
G.W. Carver Elementary
Federal NCES profile for G.W. Carver Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510346002044
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 46
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
G.W. Carver Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of Virginia schools.
- #6 of 6
- schools in Salem · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.6:1
- small classes for Virginia
- 73.1%
- free-lunch eligible
G.W. Carver Elementary has class sizes smaller than 70% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, G.W. Carver Elementary ranks #6 of 6 schools in Salem, VA.
School address
District: Salem City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510346002044 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.6:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
73.1%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How G.W. Carver Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at G.W. Carver Elementary
G.W. Carver Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Salem, Virginia, enrolling 404 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 73.1% lands close to the Virginia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 404 puts it in the smaller third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 275 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #132.
Its student body is led by White (58%) and African American (24%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 323 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Salem's public schools, it stands alongside East Salem Elementary (378 students): G.W. Carver Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.6:1 vs 12.6:1).
Salem City Public Schools also operates Salem High (1,202 students) and Andrew Lewis Middle (839 students) alongside G.W. Carver 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 G.W. Carver Elementary compares
G.W. Carver 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 | 12.6:1 | ▼ 9% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 73.1% | ▲ 27% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 404 | top 72% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.6:1
Leaner classes than 70% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
404
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
73.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% above the Virginia average of 57.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.6:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 30% in Virginia - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
21.5%
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
$13,711
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.3 FTE
Per 323 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.0 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 57.9%
African American 23.8%
Hispanic or Latino 11.6%
Two or More 4.7%
Asian 1.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 57.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.2, G.W. Carver Elementary is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Salem City Public Schools, which includes G.W. Carver Elementary.
$13,711
Per student
-6%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.9%
State 41.4%
Federal 13.7%
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 G.W. Carver Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salem High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Andrew Lewis Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Salem Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Salem Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Salem Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to G.W. Carver Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,202
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 839
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 378
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 375
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 371
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
Similar other schools in Salem
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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
Fort Lewis Elementary
Standard public school
250 students 14.7:1 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 (~404 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on G.W. Carver Elementary's federal record.
- Compare G.W. Carver Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Salem City 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 G.W. Carver Elementary
How many students attend G.W. Carver Elementary?
G.W. Carver Elementary has 404 students enrolled. It is a public school in Salem, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at G.W. Carver Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at G.W. Carver Elementary is 12.6:1, which is 9% lower than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 20% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at G.W. Carver Elementary?
73.1% of students at G.W. Carver Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of G.W. Carver Elementary?
The largest demographic group at G.W. Carver Elementary is White at 57.9% of enrollment, in Salem, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for G.W. Carver Elementary?
G.W. Carver Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (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 G.W. Carver Elementary rank among schools in Salem?
By Resource Investment Index, G.W. Carver Elementary ranks #6 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 G.W. Carver Elementary a good school?
G.W. Carver Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of Virginia 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 Salem City Public Schools?
Besides G.W. Carver Elementary, Salem City Public Schools also operates Salem High (1,202 students), Andrew Lewis Middle (839 students), and East Salem Elementary (378 students). See the Salem City 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.