Enrollment
234
Nevada · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sparks, NV
Jerry Whitehead Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Jerry Whitehead Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 320048000336
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 53
📋 Attendance 48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jerry Whitehead Elementary earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% of Nevada schools.
- #2 of 7
- elementary schools in Sparks · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.6:1
- small classes for Nevada
- 33.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Jerry Whitehead Elementary has class sizes smaller than 81% of Nevada schools. Computed live against every Nevada school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Jerry Whitehead Elementary ranks #2 of 7 elementary schools in Sparks, NV.
School address
District: Washoe County School District · Nevada
NCES ID 320048000336 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 20.5:1 Nevada avg
-29% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.0%
vs 76.8% Nevada avg
-57% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Jerry Whitehead Elementary compares with Nevada and U.S. medians
What stands out at Jerry Whitehead Elementary
Jerry Whitehead Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Sparks, Nevada, enrolling 234 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of Nevada schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 234 puts it in the smaller third of Nevada schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 733 scored Nevada schools.
Against 24 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #10.
Its student body is led by White (45%) and Hispanic or Latino (38%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 234 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Washoe County School District spends $10,957 per pupil, 33% below the Nevada average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Sparks's elementary schools, it stands alongside Pinecrest Academy of Northern Nevada (1,033 students): Jerry Whitehead Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.6:1 vs 25.8:1).
Washoe County School District also operates North Valleys High School (2,307 students) and Spanish Springs High School (2,131 students) alongside Jerry Whitehead Elementary.
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 Jerry Whitehead Elementary compares
Jerry Whitehead Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Nevada and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nevada | Nevada avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.6:1 | ▼ 29% | 20.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.0% | ▼ 57% | 76.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 234 | top 77% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
234
Bigger than 23% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% below the Nevada average of 76.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 29% below state mean
Top 19% in Nevada - lower ratio than 81% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
20.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$10,957
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nevada avg of $16,454
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 234 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 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
White 44.9%
Hispanic or Latino 38.0%
Two or More 8.5%
Asian 3.4%
African American 2.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: White at 44.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.5, Jerry Whitehead Elementary is more mixed than the Nevada school average of 56.4.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Washoe County School District, which includes Jerry Whitehead Elementary.
$10,957
Per student
-33%
vs Nevada
Avg $16,454
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.8%
State 68.2%
Federal 12.0%
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 Jerry Whitehead Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Valleys High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spanish Springs High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Edward C. Reed High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Procter R. Hug High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Reno High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Jerry Whitehead Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,307
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,131
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 2,092
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,008
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,741
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar elementary schools in Sparks
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Nevada, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~234 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jerry Whitehead Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Jerry Whitehead Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Washoe County School 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 Jerry Whitehead Elementary
How many students attend Jerry Whitehead Elementary?
Jerry Whitehead Elementary has 234 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sparks, NV.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jerry Whitehead Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Jerry Whitehead Elementary is 14.6:1, which is 29% lower than the Nevada average of 20.5:1 and 7% 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 Jerry Whitehead Elementary?
33.0% of students at Jerry Whitehead Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nevada average of 76.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Jerry Whitehead Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Jerry Whitehead Elementary is White at 44.9% of enrollment, in Sparks, NV. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jerry Whitehead Elementary?
Jerry Whitehead Elementary 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 Jerry Whitehead Elementary rank among elementary schools in Sparks?
By Resource Investment Index, Jerry Whitehead Elementary ranks #2 of 7 elementary schools in Sparks, NV. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Sparks on the city page.
Is Jerry Whitehead Elementary a good school?
Jerry Whitehead Elementary earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% of Nevada 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 Washoe County School District?
Besides Jerry Whitehead Elementary, Washoe County School District also operates North Valleys High School (2,307 students), Spanish Springs High School (2,131 students), and Edward C. Reed High School (2,092 students). See the Washoe County School 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.