Enrollment
461
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Elizabethtown, KY
Helmwood Heights Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Helmwood Heights Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 210165000324
👥 S:T ratio 29
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 8
📋 Attendance 75
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Helmwood Heights Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Kentucky schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- #10 of 17
- public schools in Elizabethtown · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.7:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 48.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Helmwood Heights Elementary School has class sizes larger than 83% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Helmwood Heights Elementary School ranks #10 of 17 public schools in Elizabethtown, KY.
School address
District: Elizabethtown Independent · Kentucky
NCES ID 210165000324 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.7:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.3%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-18% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Helmwood Heights Elementary School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Helmwood Heights Elementary School
Helmwood Heights Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, enrolling 461 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 48.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 461 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kentucky median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 412 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #166.
Its student body is led by White (64%) and Two or More (16%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 461 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
10.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 15.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Elizabethtown's elementary schools, it stands alongside Morningside Elementary School (455 students): Helmwood Heights Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.7:1 vs 14.7:1).
Elizabethtown Independent also operates Elizabethtown High School (757 students) and Talton K Stone Middle School (526 students) alongside Helmwood Heights 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 Helmwood Heights Elementary School compares
Helmwood Heights Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.7:1 | ▲ 16% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.3% | ▼ 18% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 461 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.7:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
461
Bigger than 56% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% below the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.7:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 83% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
10.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$11,567
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kentucky avg of $13,211
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 461 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
32
in-school suspensions + 21 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.5 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 63.6%
Two or More 15.6%
African American 10.4%
Hispanic or Latino 6.5%
Asian 3.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 63.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.5, Helmwood Heights Elementary School is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Elizabethtown Independent, which includes Helmwood Heights Elementary School.
$11,567
Per student
-12%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.1%
State 57.0%
Federal 15.9%
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 Helmwood Heights Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Talton K Stone Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Morningside Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Panther Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Valley View Education Center | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Helmwood Heights Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 757
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 526
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 455
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 222
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 62/100
- Enrollment
- 23
- Students per teacher
- 7.7:1
- Resource Index
- 70/100
Similar elementary schools in Elizabethtown
1 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 Kentucky, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~461 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Helmwood Heights Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Helmwood Heights Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Elizabethtown Independent'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 Helmwood Heights Elementary School
How many students attend Helmwood Heights Elementary School?
Helmwood Heights Elementary School has 461 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Elizabethtown, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Helmwood Heights Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Helmwood Heights Elementary School is 17.7:1, which is 16% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Helmwood Heights Elementary School?
48.3% of students at Helmwood Heights Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Helmwood Heights Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Helmwood Heights Elementary School is White at 63.6% of enrollment, in Elizabethtown, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Helmwood Heights Elementary School?
Helmwood Heights Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Helmwood Heights Elementary School rank among public schools in Elizabethtown?
By Resource Investment Index, Helmwood Heights Elementary School ranks #10 of 17 public schools in Elizabethtown, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Elizabethtown on the city page.
Is Helmwood Heights Elementary School a good school?
Helmwood Heights Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% 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 Elizabethtown Independent?
Besides Helmwood Heights Elementary School, Elizabethtown Independent also operates Elizabethtown High School (757 students), Talton K Stone Middle School (526 students), and Morningside Elementary School (455 students). See the Elizabethtown Independent 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.