Enrollment
357
Idaho · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · American Falls, ID
Hillcrest Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Hillcrest Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 160006000005
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hillcrest Elementary School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Idaho median.
- #4 of 5
- public schools in American Falls · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.5:1
- students per teacher
- 51.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Hillcrest Elementary School has class sizes near the Idaho median. Computed live against every Idaho school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hillcrest Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in American Falls, ID.
School address
District: American Falls Joint District · Idaho
NCES ID 160006000005 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 17.1:1 Idaho avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
51.3%
vs 29.3% Idaho avg
+75% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hillcrest Elementary School compares with Idaho and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hillcrest Elementary School
Hillcrest Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in American Falls, Idaho, enrolling 357 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Idaho schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 51.3% of students qualify for free meals, 75% above the Idaho average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 357 students, its enrollment sits close to the Idaho median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 775 scored Idaho schools.
Against 77 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #50.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (54%) and White (45%) (diversity index 51/100).
Its district draws 23.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
American Falls Joint District also operates American Falls High School (436 students) and J.R. Simplot Elementary School (350 students) alongside Hillcrest 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 Hillcrest Elementary School compares
Hillcrest Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Idaho and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Idaho | Idaho avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.5:1 | ▼ 9% | 17.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 51.3% | ▲ 75% | 29.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 357 | top 46% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
357
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
51.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 75% above the Idaho average of 29.3%
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
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 38% in Idaho - lower ratio than 62% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Funding equity
$11,505
per pupil, district-wide
- below Idaho avg of $11,939
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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
Hispanic or Latino 53.8%
White 44.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
African American 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Two or More 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 53.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.2, Hillcrest Elementary School is more mixed than the Idaho school average of 36.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for American Falls Joint District, which includes Hillcrest Elementary School.
$11,505
Per student
-4%
vs Idaho
Avg $11,939
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.9%
State 53.9%
Federal 23.2%
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 Hillcrest Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Falls High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| J.R. Simplot Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| William Thomas Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| American Falls Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hillcrest Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 436
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 350
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 333
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 38
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Idaho, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~357 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hillcrest Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Hillcrest Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- American Falls Joint District'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 Hillcrest Elementary School
How many students attend Hillcrest Elementary School?
Hillcrest Elementary School has 357 students enrolled. It is a public school in American Falls, ID.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hillcrest Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Hillcrest Elementary School is 15.5:1, which is 9% lower than the Idaho average of 17.1:1 and 1% 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 Hillcrest Elementary School?
51.3% of students at Hillcrest Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Idaho average of 29.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hillcrest Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Hillcrest Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 53.8% of enrollment, in American Falls, ID. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hillcrest Elementary School?
Hillcrest Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Hillcrest Elementary School rank among public schools in American Falls?
By Resource Investment Index, Hillcrest Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in American Falls, ID. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in American Falls on the city page.
Is Hillcrest Elementary School a good school?
Hillcrest Elementary School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Idaho median. 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 American Falls Joint District?
Besides Hillcrest Elementary School, American Falls Joint District also operates American Falls High School (436 students), J.R. Simplot Elementary School (350 students), and William Thomas Middle School (333 students). See the American Falls Joint District 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.