Enrollment
856
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Bowling Green, KY
Lost River Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Lost River Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 210573001164
👥 S:T ratio 27
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 14
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lost River Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Kentucky schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- #14 of 18
- schools in Bowling Green · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.2:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 76.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Lost River Elementary has class sizes larger than 86% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lost River Elementary ranks #14 of 18 schools in Bowling Green, KY.
School address
District: Warren County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210573001164 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.2:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.2%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lost River Elementary compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lost River Elementary
Lost River Elementary is a high-poverty, large combined-grade school in Bowling Green, Kentucky, enrolling 856 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.2:1 is larger than about 86% of Kentucky schools and 20% above the 15.2:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 76.2% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Kentucky, bigger than 91% of state schools at 856 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 142 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #44.
Its student body is led by White (37%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 76/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 428 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 22.8% 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 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Bowling Green's public schools, it stands alongside Rich Pond Elementary (990 students): Lost River Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.2:1 vs 21.1:1).
Warren County also operates South Warren High School (1,548 students) and Greenwood High School (1,451 students) alongside Lost River 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 Lost River Elementary compares
Lost River Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.2:1 | ▲ 20% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.2% | ▲ 29% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 856 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.2:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
856
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
76.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% above the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.2:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 86% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
18.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,423
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kentucky avg of $13,211
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 428 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
27
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 37.1%
Hispanic or Latino 25.4%
African American 13.7%
Asian 11.9%
Two or More 7.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 3.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 37.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.7, Lost River Elementary is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Warren County, which includes Lost River Elementary.
$11,423
Per student
-14%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.6%
State 44.6%
Federal 22.8%
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 Lost River Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Warren High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Greenwood High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Warren Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rich Pond Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Warren East High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lost River Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,548
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,451
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,070
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 990
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 967
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar other schools in Bowling Green
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Rich Pond Elementary
Standard public school
990 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
Jennings Creek Elementary
Standard public school
852 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Jody Richards Elementary
Standard public school
754 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Plano Elementary
Standard public school
750 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Warren Elementary
Standard public school
714 students 17:1 students per teacher
William H. Natcher Elementary
Standard public school
713 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kentucky, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~856 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lost River Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Lost River Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Warren County'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 Lost River Elementary
How many students attend Lost River Elementary?
Lost River Elementary has 856 students enrolled. It is a public school in Bowling Green, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lost River Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Lost River Elementary is 18.2:1, which is 20% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 16% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lost River Elementary?
76.2% of students at Lost River Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lost River Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Lost River Elementary is White at 37.1% of enrollment, in Bowling Green, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lost River Elementary?
Lost River Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Lost River Elementary rank among schools in Bowling Green?
By Resource Investment Index, Lost River Elementary ranks #14 of 18 schools in Bowling Green, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Bowling Green on the city page.
Is Lost River Elementary a good school?
Lost River Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Kentucky schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky 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 Warren County?
Besides Lost River Elementary, Warren County also operates South Warren High School (1,548 students), Greenwood High School (1,451 students), and Warren Central High School (1,070 students). See the Warren County 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.