Enrollment
587
Louisiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Metairie, LA
J.C. Ellis School
Federal NCES profile for J.C. Ellis School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 70/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 220084000600
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 90
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
J.C. Ellis School earns 70/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of Louisiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Louisiana schools.
- #1 of 14
- schools in Metairie · Resource Index
- 70
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.8:1
- small classes for Louisiana
- 49.1%
- free-lunch eligible
J.C. Ellis School has class sizes smaller than 82% of Louisiana schools. Computed live against every Louisiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, J.C. Ellis School ranks #1 of 14 schools in Metairie, LA.
School address
District: Jefferson Parish · Louisiana
NCES ID 220084000600 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
46.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.8:1
vs 16.8:1 Louisiana avg
-24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
49.1%
vs 62.5% Louisiana avg
-21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How J.C. Ellis School compares with Louisiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at J.C. Ellis School
J.C. Ellis School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Metairie, Louisiana, enrolling 587 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Louisiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 49.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 587 puts it in the larger third of Louisiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 98% of the 1,330 Louisiana schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 370 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Louisiana schools statewide, it ranks #2, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (42%) and White (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 4.1% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Metairie's public schools, it stands alongside Haynes Academy School for Advanced Studies (872 students): J.C. Ellis School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.8:1 vs 28.1:1).
Jefferson Parish also operates Bonnabel Magnet Academy High School (2,376 students) and Kenner Discovery Health Sciences Academy (2,263 students) alongside J.C. Ellis 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.C. Ellis School compares
J.C. Ellis 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 | 12.8:1 | ▼ 24% | 16.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 49.1% | ▼ 21% | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 587 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.8:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
587
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
49.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% 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
12.8:1
students per teacher
- 24% below state mean
Top 18% in Louisiana - lower ratio than 82% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
4.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$16,675
per pupil, district-wide
- above Louisiana avg of $16,376
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
24
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.8 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 41.7%
White 25.9%
African American 25.0%
Asian 5.8%
Two or More 1.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 41.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.3, J.C. Ellis School is more mixed than the Louisiana school average of 43.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jefferson Parish, which includes J.C. Ellis School.
$16,675
Per student
+2%
vs Louisiana
Avg $16,376
+0%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.4%
State 31.1%
Federal 14.5%
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.C. Ellis School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonnabel Magnet Academy High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kenner Discovery Health Sciences Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| John Ehret High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Grace King High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Jefferson High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to J.C. Ellis School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,376
- Students per teacher
- 43.2:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 2,263
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 1,850
- Students per teacher
- 30.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,463
- Students per teacher
- 25.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,438
- Students per teacher
- 25.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools in Metairie
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Haynes Academy School for Advanced Studies
Standard public school
872 students 28.1:1 students per teacher
Bissonet Plaza School
Standard public school
624 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
Phoebe Hearst School
Standard public school
602 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Rudolph Matas School
Standard public school
600 students 20:1 students per teacher
Alice Birney Elementary School
Standard public school
579 students 17:1 students per teacher
Harold Keller Elementary School
Standard public school
550 students 13.1:1 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 (~587 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on J.C. Ellis School's federal record.
- Compare J.C. Ellis School against another school. Compare schools
- Jefferson 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.C. Ellis School
How many students attend J.C. Ellis School?
J.C. Ellis School has 587 students enrolled. It is a public school in Metairie, LA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at J.C. Ellis School?
The student-teacher ratio at J.C. Ellis School is 12.8:1, which is 24% lower than the Louisiana average of 16.8:1 and 18% 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 J.C. Ellis School?
49.1% of students at J.C. Ellis School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Louisiana average of 62.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of J.C. Ellis School?
The largest demographic group at J.C. Ellis School is Hispanic or Latino at 41.7% of enrollment, in Metairie, LA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for J.C. Ellis School?
J.C. Ellis School has a Resource Investment Index of 70/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does J.C. Ellis School rank among schools in Metairie?
By Resource Investment Index, J.C. Ellis School ranks #1 of 14 schools in Metairie, LA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Metairie on the city page.
Is J.C. Ellis School a good school?
J.C. Ellis School earns 70/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of Louisiana schools. 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 Jefferson Parish?
Besides J.C. Ellis School, Jefferson Parish also operates Bonnabel Magnet Academy High School (2,376 students), Kenner Discovery Health Sciences Academy (2,263 students), and John Ehret High School (1,850 students). See the Jefferson 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.