Enrollment
203
Vermont · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Essex Junction, VT
Hiawatha Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Hiawatha Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 500039500117
👥 S:T ratio 57
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 59
📋 Attendance 79
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hiawatha Elementary School earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Vermont median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Vermont schools.
- #1 of 3
- schools in Essex Junction · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10.7:1
- students per teacher
- 21.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Hiawatha Elementary School has class sizes near the Vermont median. Computed live against every Vermont school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hiawatha Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 schools in Essex Junction, VT.
School address
NCES ID 500039500117 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.7:1
vs 11.9:1 Vermont avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.5%
vs 27.6% Vermont avg
-22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hiawatha Elementary School compares with Vermont and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hiawatha Elementary School
Hiawatha Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Essex Junction, Vermont, enrolling 203 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 10.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Vermont schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 21.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 203 students, its enrollment sits close to the Vermont median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 98% of the 288 Vermont schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 77 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Vermont schools statewide, it ranks #2, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and Asian (15%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 48/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 203 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance holds up well here: only 8.4% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union Sd #51 spends $27,102 per pupil, 42% above the Vermont average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Essex Junction's public schools, it stands alongside Essex Elementary School (484 students): Hiawatha Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.7:1 vs 14.2:1).
Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union Sd #51 also operates Essex High School (1,224 students) and Essex Elementary School (484 students) alongside Hiawatha 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 Hiawatha Elementary School compares
Hiawatha Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Vermont and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Vermont | Vermont avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.7:1 | ▼ 10% | 11.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.5% | ▼ 22% | 27.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 203 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.7:1
Leaner classes than 85% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
203
Bigger than 20% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% below the Vermont average of 27.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
10.7:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 34% in Vermont - lower ratio than 66% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
8.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$27,102
per pupil, district-wide
- above Vermont avg of $19,105
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 203 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 70.0%
Asian 15.3%
Two or More 7.9%
Hispanic or Latino 3.9%
African American 2.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 70.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.8, Hiawatha Elementary School is more mixed than the Vermont school average of 19.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union Sd #51, which includes Hiawatha Elementary School.
$27,102
Per student
+42%
vs Vermont
Avg $19,105
+63%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 6.4%
State 85.8%
Federal 7.9%
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 Hiawatha Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essex High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Essex Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Essex Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Founders Memorial School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Summit Street School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hiawatha Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,224
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 484
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 366
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 353
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 305
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar other schools in Essex Junction
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Vermont, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~203 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hiawatha Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Hiawatha Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union Sd #51'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 Hiawatha Elementary School
How many students attend Hiawatha Elementary School?
Hiawatha Elementary School has 203 students enrolled. It is a public school in Essex Junction, VT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hiawatha Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Hiawatha Elementary School is 10.7:1, which is 10% lower than the Vermont average of 11.9:1 and 32% 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 Hiawatha Elementary School?
21.5% of students at Hiawatha Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Vermont average of 27.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hiawatha Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Hiawatha Elementary School is White at 70.0% of enrollment, in Essex Junction, VT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hiawatha Elementary School?
Hiawatha Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (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 Hiawatha Elementary School rank among schools in Essex Junction?
By Resource Investment Index, Hiawatha Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 schools in Essex Junction, VT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Essex Junction on the city page.
Is Hiawatha Elementary School a good school?
Hiawatha Elementary School earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Vermont median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Vermont 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 Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union Sd #51?
Besides Hiawatha Elementary School, Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union Sd #51 also operates Essex High School (1,224 students), Essex Elementary School (484 students), and Essex Middle School (366 students). See the Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union Sd #51 district page for the complete list.
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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.