Enrollment
326
Louisiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Ruston, LA
Hillcrest Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Hillcrest Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 220099000747
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hillcrest Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Louisiana median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Louisiana schools.
- #4 of 5
- elementary schools in Ruston · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.8:1
- students per teacher
- 70.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Hillcrest Elementary School has class sizes near the Louisiana median. Computed live against every Louisiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hillcrest Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 elementary schools in Ruston, LA.
School address
District: Lincoln Parish · Louisiana
NCES ID 220099000747 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 16.8:1 Louisiana avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
70.3%
vs 62.5% Louisiana avg
+12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hillcrest Elementary School compares with Louisiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hillcrest Elementary School
Hillcrest Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Ruston, Louisiana, enrolling 326 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Louisiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 70.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 326 puts it in the smaller third of Louisiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,330 scored Louisiana schools.
Against 309 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #216.
Its student body is led by African American (44%) and White (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 326 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
13.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Ruston's elementary schools, it stands alongside Glen View Elementary School (438 students): Hillcrest Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.8:1 vs 15.6:1).
Lincoln Parish also operates Ruston High School (1,212 students) and Ruston Junior High School (585 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 Louisiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Louisiana | Louisiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.8:1 | ▼ 12% | 16.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.3% | ▲ 12% | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 326 | top 69% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
326
Bigger than 36% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
70.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% above the Louisiana average of 62.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 33% in Louisiana - lower ratio than 67% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
13.5%
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
$15,391
per pupil, district-wide
- below Louisiana avg of $16,376
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 326 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
12
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.5 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
African American 43.9%
White 29.4%
Hispanic or Latino 17.5%
Two or More 7.1%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 43.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.5, Hillcrest Elementary School is more mixed than the Louisiana school average of 43.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lincoln Parish, which includes Hillcrest Elementary School.
$15,391
Per student
-6%
vs Louisiana
Avg $16,376
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 52.6%
State 33.0%
Federal 14.3%
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 Hillcrest Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruston High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ruston Junior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Choudrant Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Simsboro High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Glen View Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar 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
- 1,212
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 585
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 536
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 62/100
- Enrollment
- 532
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 62/100
- Enrollment
- 438
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar elementary schools in Ruston
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Glen View Elementary School
Standard public school
438 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
A. E. Phillips Laboratory School
Standard public school
412 students 24.2:1 students per teacher
Cypress Springs Elementary School
Standard public school
369 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Ruston Elementary School
Standard public school
359 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Louisiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~326 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hillcrest Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Hillcrest Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Lincoln Parish'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 326 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Ruston, LA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hillcrest Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Hillcrest Elementary School is 14.8:1, which is 12% lower than the Louisiana average of 16.8:1 and 6% 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?
70.3% of students at Hillcrest Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Louisiana average of 62.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hillcrest Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Hillcrest Elementary School is African American at 43.9% of enrollment, in Ruston, LA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hillcrest Elementary School?
Hillcrest Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Hillcrest Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Ruston?
By Resource Investment Index, Hillcrest Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 elementary schools in Ruston, LA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Ruston on the city page.
Is Hillcrest Elementary School a good school?
Hillcrest Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Louisiana median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Louisiana 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 Lincoln Parish?
Besides Hillcrest Elementary School, Lincoln Parish also operates Ruston High School (1,212 students), Ruston Junior High School (585 students), and Choudrant Elementary School (536 students). See the Lincoln Parish 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.