Enrollment
421
Louisiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Ville Platte, LA
James Stephens Montessori School
Federal NCES profile for James Stephens Montessori School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 220063001659
👥 S:T ratio 27
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 16
📋 Attendance 95
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James Stephens Montessori School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Louisiana schools.
- #2 of 5
- schools in Ville Platte · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 18.3:1
- large classes for Louisiana
- 60.6%
- free-lunch eligible
James Stephens Montessori School has class sizes larger than 72% of Louisiana schools. Computed live against every Louisiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Stephens Montessori School ranks #2 of 5 schools in Ville Platte, LA.
School address
District: Evangeline Parish · Louisiana
NCES ID 220063001659 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.3:1
vs 16.8:1 Louisiana avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.6%
vs 62.5% Louisiana avg
-3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James Stephens Montessori School compares with Louisiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at James Stephens Montessori School
James Stephens Montessori School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Ville Platte, Louisiana, enrolling 421 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Louisiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 60.6% lands close to the Louisiana typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 421 students, its enrollment sits close to the Louisiana median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,330 scored Louisiana schools.
Against 405 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #160.
Its student body is led by African American (77%) and White (19%) (diversity index 38/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 421 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 2.1% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 26.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Ville Platte's public schools, it stands alongside Bayou Chicot Elementary School (661 students): James Stephens Montessori School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.3:1 vs 20:1).
Evangeline Parish also operates Pine Prairie High School (757 students) and Bayou Chicot Elementary School (661 students) alongside James Stephens Montessori 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 James Stephens Montessori School compares
James Stephens Montessori 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 | 18.3:1 | ▲ 9% | 16.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.6% | ▼ 3% | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 421 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.3:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
421
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% 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
18.3:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 72% in Louisiana - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
2.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$13,656
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 421 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.1 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 76.7%
White 18.5%
Two or More 3.3%
Hispanic or Latino 1.2%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 76.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.6, James Stephens Montessori School is less mixed than the Louisiana school average of 43.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Evangeline Parish, which includes James Stephens Montessori School.
$13,656
Per student
-17%
vs Louisiana
Avg $16,376
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.1%
State 48.8%
Federal 26.1%
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 James Stephens Montessori School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Prairie High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bayou Chicot Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mamou High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Basile High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ville Platte High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James Stephens Montessori School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 757
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 661
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 443
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 61/100
- Enrollment
- 432
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 419
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools in Ville Platte
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Bayou Chicot Elementary School
Standard public school
661 students 20:1 students per teacher
Ville Platte High School
Standard public school
419 students 12:1 students per teacher
Vidrine Elementary School
Standard public school
359 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Ville Platte Elementary School
Standard public school
319 students 10.6:1 students per teacher
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 (~421 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James Stephens Montessori School's federal record.
- Compare James Stephens Montessori School against another school. Compare schools
- Evangeline 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 James Stephens Montessori School
How many students attend James Stephens Montessori School?
James Stephens Montessori School has 421 students enrolled. It is a public school in Ville Platte, LA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Stephens Montessori School?
The student-teacher ratio at James Stephens Montessori School is 18.3:1, which is 9% higher than the Louisiana average of 16.8:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James Stephens Montessori School?
60.6% of students at James Stephens Montessori School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Louisiana average of 62.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James Stephens Montessori School?
The largest demographic group at James Stephens Montessori School is African American at 76.7% of enrollment, in Ville Platte, LA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Stephens Montessori School?
James Stephens Montessori School has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (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 James Stephens Montessori School rank among schools in Ville Platte?
By Resource Investment Index, James Stephens Montessori School ranks #2 of 5 schools in Ville Platte, LA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Ville Platte on the city page.
Is James Stephens Montessori School a good school?
James Stephens Montessori School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of 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 Evangeline Parish?
Besides James Stephens Montessori School, Evangeline Parish also operates Pine Prairie High School (757 students), Bayou Chicot Elementary School (661 students), and Mamou High School (443 students). See the Evangeline 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.