Enrollment
535
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Hopewell, VA
Harry E. James Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Harry E. James Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 510198000357
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Harry E. James Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Hopewell · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.7:1
- students per teacher
- 97.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Harry E. James Elementary has class sizes near the Virginia median. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Harry E. James Elementary ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Hopewell, VA.
School address
District: Hopewell City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510198000357 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.7:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
97.5%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+69% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Harry E. James Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Harry E. James Elementary
Harry E. James Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Hopewell, Virginia, enrolling 535 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 97.5% of students qualify for free meals, 69% above the Virginia average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 535 students, its enrollment sits close to the Virginia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Among 288 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #218, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (57%) and Hispanic or Latino (18%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 268 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 22.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Hopewell's elementary schools, it stands alongside Dupont Elementary (589 students): Harry E. James Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.7:1 vs 13.1:1).
Hopewell City Public Schools also operates Hopewell High (1,136 students) and Carter G. Woodson Middle (803 students) alongside Harry E. James 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 Harry E. James Elementary compares
Harry E. James 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 | 12.7:1 | ▼ 9% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 97.5% | ▲ 69% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 535 | top 52% | - | - |
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.
535
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
97.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 69% above the Virginia average of 57.6%
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
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
41.1%
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
$14,856
per pupil, district-wide
- above Virginia avg of $14,649
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 268 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 23 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.7 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 57.0%
Hispanic or Latino 17.9%
White 13.8%
Two or More 10.1%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 57.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.4, Harry E. James Elementary is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hopewell City Public Schools, which includes Harry E. James Elementary.
$14,856
Per student
+1%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.7%
State 57.2%
Federal 22.1%
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 Harry E. James Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hopewell High | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Carter G. Woodson Middle | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dupont Elementary | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Patrick Copeland Elementary | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Woodlawn Pre-School Learning Center | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Harry E. James Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,136
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 803
- Students per teacher
- 11.5:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 589
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 579
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 307
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar elementary schools in Hopewell
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~535 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Harry E. James Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Harry E. James Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Hopewell 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 Harry E. James Elementary
How many students attend Harry E. James Elementary?
Harry E. James Elementary has 535 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Hopewell, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Harry E. James Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Harry E. James 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 Harry E. James Elementary?
97.5% of students at Harry E. James Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Harry E. James Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Harry E. James Elementary is African American at 57.0% of enrollment, in Hopewell, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Harry E. James Elementary?
Harry E. James Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Harry E. James Elementary rank among elementary schools in Hopewell?
By Resource Investment Index, Harry E. James Elementary ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Hopewell, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Hopewell on the city page.
Is Harry E. James Elementary a good school?
Harry E. James Elementary earns 41/100 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 Hopewell City Public Schools?
Besides Harry E. James Elementary, Hopewell City Public Schools also operates Hopewell High (1,136 students), Carter G. Woodson Middle (803 students), and Dupont Elementary (589 students). See the Hopewell 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.