Enrollment
585
New York · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Utica, NY
Kernan Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Kernan Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 362937003954
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Kernan Elementary School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of New York schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New York schools.
- #6 of 11
- elementary schools in Utica · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.9:1
- large classes for New York
- 80.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Kernan Elementary School has class sizes larger than 79% of New York schools. Computed live against every New York school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Kernan Elementary School ranks #6 of 11 elementary schools in Utica, NY.
School address
District: Utica City School District · New York
NCES ID 362937003954 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.9:1
vs 11.8:1 New York avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
80.9%
vs 56.2% New York avg
+44% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Kernan Elementary School compares with New York and U.S. medians
What stands out at Kernan Elementary School
Kernan Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Utica, New York, enrolling 585 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 13.9:1 puts it in the larger third of New York schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 80.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 585 puts it in the larger third of New York schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 4,801 scored New York schools.
Against 905 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #555.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (34%) and African American (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 76/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 80.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Utica City School District spends $18,903 per pupil, 28% below the New York average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 6 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Utica City School District also operates Thomas R Proctor High School (2,820 students) and Senator James H Donovan Middle School (749 students) alongside Kernan 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 Kernan Elementary School compares
Kernan Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against New York and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New York | New York avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.9:1 | ▲ 18% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 80.9% | ▲ 44% | 56.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 585 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.9:1
Leaner classes than 58% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
585
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
80.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% above the New York average of 56.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.9:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 79% in New York - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
80.9%
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
$18,903
per pupil, district-wide
- below New York avg of $26,410
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.2 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 36 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 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
Hispanic or Latino 33.7%
African American 28.5%
White 15.9%
Two or More 13.3%
Asian 8.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 33.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.5, Kernan Elementary School is more mixed than the New York school average of 45.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Utica City School District, which includes Kernan Elementary School.
$18,903
Per student
-28%
vs New York
Avg $26,410
+14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 14.1%
State 75.3%
Federal 10.6%
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 Kernan Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas R Proctor High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Senator James H Donovan Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| John F Kennedy Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| General Herkimer Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Christopher Columbus Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Kernan Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,820
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 749
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 687
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 634
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 618
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New York, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~585 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Kernan Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Kernan Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Utica City 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 Kernan Elementary School
How many students attend Kernan Elementary School?
Kernan Elementary School has 585 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Utica, NY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Kernan Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Kernan Elementary School is 13.9:1, which is 18% higher than the New York average of 11.8:1 and 11% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Kernan Elementary School?
80.9% of students at Kernan Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New York average of 56.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Kernan Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Kernan Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 33.7% of enrollment, in Utica, NY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Kernan Elementary School?
Kernan Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower 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 Kernan Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Utica?
By Resource Investment Index, Kernan Elementary School ranks #6 of 11 elementary schools in Utica, NY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Utica on the city page.
Is Kernan Elementary School a good school?
Kernan Elementary School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of New York schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New York 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 Utica City School District?
Besides Kernan Elementary School, Utica City School District also operates Thomas R Proctor High School (2,820 students), Senator James H Donovan Middle School (749 students), and John F Kennedy Middle School (687 students). See the Utica City 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.