- Enrollment
- 1,325
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Blacksburg, VA
Harding Avenue Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Harding Avenue Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 63/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 510252001024
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
📋 Attendance 89
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Harding Avenue Elementary earns 63/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median.
- #1 of 7
- public schools in Blacksburg · Resource Index
- 63
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.7:1
- students per teacher
- 15.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Harding Avenue Elementary has class sizes near the Virginia median. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Harding Avenue Elementary ranks #1 of 7 public schools in Blacksburg, VA.
School address
District: Montgomery County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510252001024 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-14 students YoY
Harding Avenue Elementary held near 282 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-14 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 22.3 → 22.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-14 students YoY 510252001024 · Blacksburg, VA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
279 enr · 12.7:1 · 15.9% lunch · RII 63
Nearest enrollment peer: Blacksburg High (1,325 students)
Harding Avenue Elementary held near 282 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-14 headcount). Teacher FTE held 22.3 → 22.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Virginia schools → · Find another →
Harding Avenue Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Blacksburg Hig
Blacksburg High
1,325 students
- Christiansburg
Christiansburg High
1,072 students
- Blacksburg Mid
Blacksburg Middle
958 students
- Christiansburg
Christiansburg Middle
778 students
- Auburn Element
Auburn Elementary
544 students
- This school 279
Harding Avenue Elementary
279 students
What this shows Harding Avenue Elementary reports 279 students on the CCD universe file.
How Harding Avenue Elementary compares
Harding Avenue Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.7:1 | ▼ 9% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 15.9% | ▼ 72% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 279 | top 87% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.7:1
Leaner classes than 69% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
279
Bigger than 29% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
15.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% below the Virginia average of 57.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.7:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 32% in Virginia - lower ratio than 68% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
4.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$14,114
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $15,892
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 279 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 70.6%
Asian 11.5%
Hispanic or Latino 6.8%
Two or More 6.8%
African American 3.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 70.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.8, Harding Avenue Elementary is less mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Montgomery County Public Schools reports $14,114 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Harding Avenue Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blacksburg High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Christiansburg High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Blacksburg Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Christiansburg Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Auburn Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Harding Avenue Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,072
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 958
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 778
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 544
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
Similar elementary schools in Blacksburg
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~279 students)
Frequently asked questions about Harding Avenue Elementary
How many students attend Harding Avenue Elementary?
Harding Avenue Elementary has 279 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Blacksburg, VA. CCD year-over-year: 296 (2022-23) → 282 (2023-24), nearly flat (-14).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Harding Avenue Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Harding Avenue Elementary is 12.7:1, which is 9% lower than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 19% 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 Harding Avenue Elementary?
15.9% of students at Harding Avenue Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Harding Avenue Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Harding Avenue Elementary is White at 70.6% of enrollment, in Blacksburg, VA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Harding Avenue Elementary?
Harding Avenue Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 63/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Harding Avenue Elementary rank among public schools in Blacksburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Harding Avenue Elementary ranks #1 of 7 public schools in Blacksburg, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Blacksburg on the city page.
What other schools are in Montgomery County Public Schools?
Besides Harding Avenue Elementary, Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Blacksburg High (1,325 students), Christiansburg High (1,072 students), and Blacksburg Middle (958 students). See the Montgomery County Public Schools district page for the complete list.