Enrollment
526
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Richmond, VA
Henry D. Ward Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Henry D. Ward Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510189001128
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 49
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Henry D. Ward Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Virginia schools.
- #33 of 63
- schools in Richmond · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.4:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 89.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Henry D. Ward Elementary has class sizes larger than 86% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Henry D. Ward Elementary ranks #33 of 63 schools in Richmond, VA.
School address
District: Henrico County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510189001128 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.4:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
89.6%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Henry D. Ward Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Henry D. Ward Elementary
Henry D. Ward Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Richmond, Virginia, enrolling 526 students.
Class loads run heavy: 16.4:1 is larger than about 86% of Virginia schools and 18% above the 13.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 89.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 526 students, its enrollment sits close to the Virginia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 396 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #146.
Its student body is led by African American (73%) and White (16%) (diversity index 44/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 263 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Richmond's public schools, it stands alongside Elizabeth Holladay Elementary (859 students): Henry D. Ward Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.4:1 vs 16.2:1).
Henrico County Public Schools also operates John Randolph Tucker High (2,132 students) and Deep Run High (1,992 students) alongside Henry D. Ward 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 Henry D. Ward Elementary compares
Henry D. Ward 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 | 16.4:1 | ▲ 18% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 89.6% | ▲ 56% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 526 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.4:1
Leaner classes than 35% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
526
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
89.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% above the Virginia average of 57.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.4:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 86% in Virginia - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
20.5%
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
$12,658
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 263 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
13
in-school suspensions + 59 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.7 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 72.6%
White 16.2%
Two or More 6.7%
Hispanic or Latino 4.6%
Largest group: African American at 72.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.0, Henry D. Ward Elementary is less mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Henrico County Public Schools, which includes Henry D. Ward Elementary.
$12,658
Per student
-14%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 50.5%
State 42.1%
Federal 7.4%
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 Henry D. Ward Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Randolph Tucker High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Deep Run High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glen Allen High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Highland Springs High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Douglas S. Freeman High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Henry D. Ward Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,132
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,992
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,939
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,928
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,881
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar other schools in Richmond
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Elizabeth Holladay Elementary
Standard public school
859 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Falling Creek Elementary
Standard public school
823 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Cardinal Elementary
Standard public school
821 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Maybeury Elementary
Standard public school
691 students 18.7:1 students per teacher
Dumbarton Elementary
Standard public school
684 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Tuckahoe Elementary
Standard public school
682 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~526 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Henry D. Ward Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Henry D. Ward Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Henrico County 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 Henry D. Ward Elementary
How many students attend Henry D. Ward Elementary?
Henry D. Ward Elementary has 526 students enrolled. It is a public school in Richmond, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Henry D. Ward Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Henry D. Ward Elementary is 16.4:1, which is 18% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 4% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Henry D. Ward Elementary?
89.6% of students at Henry D. Ward Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Henry D. Ward Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Henry D. Ward Elementary is African American at 72.6% of enrollment, in Richmond, VA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Henry D. Ward Elementary?
Henry D. Ward Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher 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 Henry D. Ward Elementary rank among schools in Richmond?
By Resource Investment Index, Henry D. Ward Elementary ranks #33 of 63 schools in Richmond, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Richmond on the city page.
Is Henry D. Ward Elementary a good school?
Henry D. Ward Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Virginia 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 Henrico County Public Schools?
Besides Henry D. Ward Elementary, Henrico County Public Schools also operates John Randolph Tucker High (2,132 students), Deep Run High (1,992 students), and Glen Allen High (1,939 students). See the Henrico County 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.