Enrollment
957
Louisiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Scott, LA
J. Wallace James Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for J. Wallace James Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 220087001546
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 96
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
J. Wallace James Elementary School earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Louisiana median.
- #1 of 3
- schools in Scott · Resource Index
- 59
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.8:1
- students per teacher
- 52.0%
- free-lunch eligible
J. Wallace James Elementary School has class sizes near the Louisiana median. Computed live against every Louisiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, J. Wallace James Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 schools in Scott, LA.
School address
District: Lafayette Parish · Louisiana
NCES ID 220087001546 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
57.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.8:1
vs 16.8:1 Louisiana avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
52.0%
vs 62.5% Louisiana avg
-17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How J. Wallace James Elementary School compares with Louisiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at J. Wallace James Elementary School
J. Wallace James Elementary School is a higher-need, large combined-grade school in Scott, Louisiana, enrolling 957 students.
At 16.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Louisiana median, within a few percentage points of the 16.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 52.0% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Louisiana, bigger than 92% of state schools at 957 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,330 scored Louisiana schools.
Among 211 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Louisiana schools statewide, it ranks #16, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (51%) and White (42%) (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 319 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance holds up well here: only 1.5% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Lafayette Parish spends $11,837 per pupil, 28% below the Louisiana average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Scott's public schools, it stands alongside Westside Elementary School (597 students): J. Wallace James Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.8:1 vs 15.7:1).
Lafayette Parish also operates Southside High School (1,833 students) and Lafayette High School (1,720 students) alongside J. Wallace James 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 J. Wallace James Elementary School compares
J. Wallace James 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 | 16.8:1 | ▼ 0% | 16.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.0% | ▼ 17% | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 957 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.8:1
Leaner classes than 32% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
957
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
52.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% below the Louisiana average of 62.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.8:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 56% in Louisiana - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
1.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$11,837
per pupil, district-wide
- below Louisiana avg of $16,376
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 319 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
73
in-school suspensions + 22 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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 50.5%
White 42.0%
Hispanic or Latino 4.2%
Two or More 1.7%
Asian 1.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 50.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.6, J. Wallace James Elementary School is more mixed than the Louisiana school average of 43.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lafayette Parish, which includes J. Wallace James Elementary School.
$11,837
Per student
-28%
vs Louisiana
Avg $16,376
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.5%
State 32.8%
Federal 15.7%
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 J. Wallace James Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southside High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lafayette High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Acadiana High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| David Thibodaux Stem Magnet Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Milton Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to J. Wallace James Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,833
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,720
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,652
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,362
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 1,261
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
Similar other schools in Scott
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 Louisiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~957 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on J. Wallace James Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare J. Wallace James Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Lafayette 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 J. Wallace James Elementary School
How many students attend J. Wallace James Elementary School?
J. Wallace James Elementary School has 957 students enrolled. It is a public school in Scott, LA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at J. Wallace James Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at J. Wallace James Elementary School is 16.8:1, which is 0% higher than the Louisiana average of 16.8:1 and 7% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at J. Wallace James Elementary School?
52.0% of students at J. Wallace James Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Louisiana average of 62.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of J. Wallace James Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at J. Wallace James Elementary School is African American at 50.5% of enrollment, in Scott, LA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for J. Wallace James Elementary School?
J. Wallace James Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (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 J. Wallace James Elementary School rank among schools in Scott?
By Resource Investment Index, J. Wallace James Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 schools in Scott, LA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Scott on the city page.
Is J. Wallace James Elementary School a good school?
J. Wallace James Elementary School earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Louisiana 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 Lafayette Parish?
Besides J. Wallace James Elementary School, Lafayette Parish also operates Southside High School (1,833 students), Lafayette High School (1,720 students), and Acadiana High School (1,652 students). See the Lafayette 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.