Enrollment
597
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Louisville, KY
Hartstern Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Hartstern Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 210299000704
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 54
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hartstern Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Kentucky schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- #57 of 68
- schools in Louisville · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.6:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 63.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Hartstern Elementary has class sizes larger than 94% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hartstern Elementary ranks #57 of 68 schools in Louisville, KY.
School address
District: Jefferson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210299000704 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.6:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+36% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.0%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+6% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hartstern Elementary compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hartstern Elementary
Hartstern Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Louisville, Kentucky, enrolling 597 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.6:1 is larger than about 94% of Kentucky schools and 36% above the 15.2:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 63.0% lands close to the Kentucky typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 597 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Among 488 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kentucky schools statewide, it ranks #374, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (40%) and African American (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 597 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Jefferson County spends $17,376 per pupil, 32% above the Kentucky average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 22.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Louisville's public schools, it stands alongside Marion C. Moore School (1,892 students): Hartstern Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.6:1 vs 14.9:1).
Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students) and Dupont Manual High (1,899 students) alongside Hartstern 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 Hartstern Elementary compares
Hartstern Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.6:1 | ▲ 36% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.0% | ▲ 6% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 597 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.6:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
597
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 6% above the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
20.6:1
students per teacher
- 36% above state mean
Top 94% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
18.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$17,376
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kentucky avg of $13,211
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 597 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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 39.5%
African American 31.5%
White 17.1%
Asian 6.4%
Two or More 5.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 39.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.9, Hartstern Elementary is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jefferson County, which includes Hartstern Elementary.
$17,376
Per student
+32%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
+5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.8%
State 30.9%
Federal 22.3%
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 Hartstern Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dupont Manual High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Marion C. Moore School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eastern High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pleasure Ridge Park High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hartstern Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,148
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,899
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,892
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,790
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,777
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar other schools in Louisville
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Marion C. Moore School
Standard public school
1,892 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
The Academy @ Shawnee
Standard public school
1,051 students 26.3:1 students per teacher
Pathfinder School of Innovation
Alternative education program
918 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
J. Graham Brown School
Standard public school
800 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Tully Elementary
Standard public school
791 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Stopher Elementary
Standard public school
781 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kentucky, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~597 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hartstern Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Hartstern Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Jefferson County'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 Hartstern Elementary
How many students attend Hartstern Elementary?
Hartstern Elementary has 597 students enrolled. It is a public school in Louisville, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hartstern Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Hartstern Elementary is 20.6:1, which is 36% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 31% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hartstern Elementary?
63.0% of students at Hartstern Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hartstern Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Hartstern Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 39.5% of enrollment, in Louisville, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hartstern Elementary?
Hartstern Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Hartstern Elementary rank among schools in Louisville?
By Resource Investment Index, Hartstern Elementary ranks #57 of 68 schools in Louisville, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Louisville on the city page.
Is Hartstern Elementary a good school?
Hartstern Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Kentucky schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky 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 Jefferson County?
Besides Hartstern Elementary, Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students), Dupont Manual High (1,899 students), and Marion C. Moore School (1,892 students). See the Jefferson County 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.