Enrollment
308
Louisiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lake Charles, LA
M. J. Kaufman Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for M. J. Kaufman Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 220033000240
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 86
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
M. J. Kaufman Elementary School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Louisiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Louisiana schools.
- #20 of 22
- schools in Lake Charles · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.1:1
- large classes for Louisiana
- 75.9%
- free-lunch eligible
M. J. Kaufman Elementary School has class sizes larger than 70% of Louisiana schools. Computed live against every Louisiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, M. J. Kaufman Elementary School ranks #20 of 22 schools in Lake Charles, LA.
School address
District: Calcasieu Parish · Louisiana
NCES ID 220033000240 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.1:1
vs 16.8:1 Louisiana avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.9%
vs 62.5% Louisiana avg
+21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How M. J. Kaufman Elementary School compares with Louisiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at M. J. Kaufman Elementary School
M. J. Kaufman Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Lake Charles, Louisiana, enrolling 308 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Louisiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 75.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 308 puts it in the smaller third of Louisiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,330 scored Louisiana schools.
Among 312 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Louisiana schools statewide, it ranks #265, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (43%) and White (38%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 856 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 5.8% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Calcasieu Parish spends $20,543 per pupil, 25% above the Louisiana average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Lake Charles's public schools, it stands alongside Moss Bluff Elementary School (969 students): M. J. Kaufman Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.1:1 vs 18.3:1).
Calcasieu Parish also operates Sulphur High School (1,911 students) and Alfred M. Barbe High School (1,908 students) alongside M. J. Kaufman 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 M. J. Kaufman Elementary School compares
M. J. Kaufman Elementary 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 | 18.1:1 | ▲ 8% | 16.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.9% | ▲ 21% | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 308 | top 72% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
308
Bigger than 33% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% above the Louisiana average of 62.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 70% in Louisiana - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
5.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$20,543
per pupil, district-wide
- above Louisiana avg of $16,376
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.4 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.8 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
African American 43.2%
White 38.3%
Two or More 9.4%
Hispanic or Latino 8.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 43.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.1, M. J. Kaufman Elementary School is more mixed than the Louisiana school average of 43.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Calcasieu Parish, which includes M. J. Kaufman Elementary School.
$20,543
Per student
+25%
vs Louisiana
Avg $16,376
+24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.6%
State 27.7%
Federal 17.7%
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 M. J. Kaufman Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sulphur High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Alfred M. Barbe High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sam Houston High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| S. J. Welsh Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Iowa High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to M. J. Kaufman Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,911
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,908
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,141
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,011
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 1,007
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Lake Charles
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Moss Bluff Elementary School
Standard public school
969 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Lake Charles Charter Academy
Standard public school
951 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Southwest Louisiana Charter Academy
Standard public school
852 students 19.8:1 students per teacher
A. a. Nelson Elementary School
Standard public school
736 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
St. John Elementary School
Standard public school
670 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Gillis Elementary School
Standard public school
650 students 14.1:1 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 (~308 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on M. J. Kaufman Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare M. J. Kaufman Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Calcasieu 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 M. J. Kaufman Elementary School
How many students attend M. J. Kaufman Elementary School?
M. J. Kaufman Elementary School has 308 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lake Charles, LA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at M. J. Kaufman Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at M. J. Kaufman Elementary School is 18.1:1, which is 8% higher than the Louisiana average of 16.8:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at M. J. Kaufman Elementary School?
75.9% of students at M. J. Kaufman Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Louisiana average of 62.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of M. J. Kaufman Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at M. J. Kaufman Elementary School is African American at 43.2% of enrollment, in Lake Charles, LA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for M. J. Kaufman Elementary School?
M. J. Kaufman Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 M. J. Kaufman Elementary School rank among schools in Lake Charles?
By Resource Investment Index, M. J. Kaufman Elementary School ranks #20 of 22 schools in Lake Charles, LA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Lake Charles on the city page.
Is M. J. Kaufman Elementary School a good school?
M. J. Kaufman Elementary School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% 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 Calcasieu Parish?
Besides M. J. Kaufman Elementary School, Calcasieu Parish also operates Sulphur High School (1,911 students), Alfred M. Barbe High School (1,908 students), and Sam Houston High School (1,141 students). See the Calcasieu 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.