Enrollment
538
Ohio · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Columbus, OH
Hawthorne Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Hawthorne Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 390450401954
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 10
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hawthorne Elementary School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Ohio schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Ohio schools.
- #27 of 72
- elementary schools in Columbus · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.5:1
- large classes for Ohio
- 51.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Hawthorne Elementary School has class sizes larger than 84% of Ohio schools. Computed live against every Ohio school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hawthorne Elementary School ranks #27 of 72 elementary schools in Columbus, OH.
School address
District: Westerville City · Ohio
NCES ID 390450401954 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.5:1
vs 18.2:1 Ohio avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
51.9%
vs 31.6% Ohio avg
+64% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hawthorne Elementary School compares with Ohio and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hawthorne Elementary School
Hawthorne Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Columbus, Ohio, enrolling 538 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Ohio schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 51.9% of students qualify for free meals, 64% above the Ohio average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 538 puts it in the larger third of Ohio schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,574 scored Ohio schools.
Against 348 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #241.
Its student body is led by African American (44%) and White (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 448 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Columbus's elementary schools, it stands alongside Hamilton Elementary School (1,028 students): Hawthorne Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.5:1 vs 21.9:1).
Westerville City also operates Westerville-North High School (1,587 students) and Westerville-South High School (1,509 students) alongside Hawthorne 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 Hawthorne Elementary School compares
Hawthorne Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Ohio and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Ohio | Ohio avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.5:1 | ▲ 18% | 18.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 51.9% | ▲ 64% | 31.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 538 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.5:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
538
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
51.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 64% above the Ohio average of 31.6%
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
21.5:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 84% in Ohio - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
29.0%
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
$13,682
per pupil, district-wide
- below Ohio avg of $14,655
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.2 FTE
Per 448 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 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 43.5%
White 25.8%
Two or More 12.8%
Hispanic or Latino 10.6%
Asian 7.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 43.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.2, Hawthorne Elementary School is more mixed than the Ohio school average of 35.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Westerville City, which includes Hawthorne Elementary School.
$13,682
Per student
-7%
vs Ohio
Avg $14,655
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 68.1%
State 22.7%
Federal 9.3%
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 Hawthorne Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westerville-North High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Westerville-South High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Westerville Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Genoa Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Walnut Springs Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hawthorne Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,587
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,509
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,485
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 702
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 613
- Students per teacher
- 10.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar elementary schools in Columbus
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Hamilton Elementary School
Standard public school
1,028 students 21.9:1 students per teacher
United Preparatory Academy
Standard public school
838 students 49.3:1 students per teacher
Horizon Science Academy Elementary School
Standard public school
774 students 22.8:1 students per teacher
Focus Learning Academy of Northern Columbus
Standard public school
721 students
Indianola Informal K-8 School
Standard public school
721 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Hamilton Intermediate School
Standard public school
706 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Ohio, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~538 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hawthorne Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Hawthorne Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Westerville City'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 Hawthorne Elementary School
How many students attend Hawthorne Elementary School?
Hawthorne Elementary School has 538 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Columbus, OH.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hawthorne Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Hawthorne Elementary School is 21.5:1, which is 18% higher than the Ohio average of 18.2:1 and 37% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hawthorne Elementary School?
51.9% of students at Hawthorne Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Ohio average of 31.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hawthorne Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Hawthorne Elementary School is African American at 43.5% of enrollment, in Columbus, OH. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hawthorne Elementary School?
Hawthorne Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower 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 Hawthorne Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Columbus?
By Resource Investment Index, Hawthorne Elementary School ranks #27 of 72 elementary schools in Columbus, OH. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Columbus on the city page.
Is Hawthorne Elementary School a good school?
Hawthorne Elementary School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Ohio schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Ohio 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 Westerville City?
Besides Hawthorne Elementary School, Westerville City also operates Westerville-North High School (1,587 students), Westerville-South High School (1,509 students), and Westerville Central High School (1,485 students). See the Westerville City 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.