- Enrollment
- 1,017
- Students per teacher
- 11.6:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Portsmouth, NH
Mary C. Dondero Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Mary C. Dondero Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 330582000373
👥 S:T ratio 59
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 39
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mary C. Dondero Elementary School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Hampshire median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New Hampshire schools.
- #3 of 3
- elementary schools in Portsmouth · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.3:1
- students per teacher
- 15.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Mary C. Dondero Elementary School has class sizes near the New Hampshire median. Computed live against every New Hampshire school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mary C. Dondero Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Portsmouth, NH.
School address
District: Portsmouth School District · New Hampshire
NCES ID 330582000373 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+14 students YoY
Mary C. Dondero Elementary School held near 337 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+14 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 32.0 → 29.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+14 students YoY 330582000373 · Portsmouth, NH Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
328 enr · 10.3:1 · 15.2% lunch · RII 41
Nearest enrollment peer: Portsmouth High School (1,017 students)
Mary C. Dondero Elementary School held near 337 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+14 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 32.0 → 29.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · New Hampshire schools → · Find another →
Mary C. Dondero Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Portsmouth Hig
Portsmouth High School
1,017 students
- Portsmouth Mid
Portsmouth Middle School
486 students
- This school 328
Mary C. Dondero Elementary School
328 students
- Little Harbour 325
Little Harbour School
325 students
- New Franklin S 247
New Franklin School
247 students
- Peep School - 24
Peep School - Pre School Program
24 students
What this shows Mary C. Dondero Elementary School reports 328 students on the CCD universe file.
How Mary C. Dondero Elementary School compares
Mary C. Dondero Elementary School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs New Hampshire and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Hampshire | New Hampshire avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.3:1 | ▼ 9% | 11.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 15.2% | ▼ 29% | 21.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 328 | top 39% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.3:1
Leaner classes than 87% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
328
Bigger than 36% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
15.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% below the New Hampshire average of 21.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
10.3:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 40% in New Hampshire - lower ratio than 60% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
24.4%
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
$25,059
per pupil, district-wide
- above New Hampshire avg of $24,919
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 328 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 71.0%
Asian 11.9%
Hispanic or Latino 6.4%
Two or More 6.4%
African American 3.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 71.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.2, Mary C. Dondero Elementary School is more mixed than the New Hampshire school average of 24.3.
Programs
District finance for Portsmouth School District reports $25,059 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Mary C. Dondero Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Portsmouth Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Little Harbour School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| New Franklin School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Peep School - Pre School Program | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mary C. Dondero Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 486
- Students per teacher
- 10.3:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 325
- Students per teacher
- 9.8:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 247
- Students per teacher
- 9.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 24
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar elementary schools in Portsmouth
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~328 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.3:1)
Frequently asked questions about Mary C. Dondero Elementary School
How many students attend Mary C. Dondero Elementary School?
Mary C. Dondero Elementary School has 328 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Portsmouth, NH. CCD year-over-year: 323 (2022-23) → 337 (2023-24), nearly flat (+14).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mary C. Dondero Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mary C. Dondero Elementary School is 10.3:1, which is 9% lower than the New Hampshire average of 11.3:1 and 34% 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 Mary C. Dondero Elementary School?
15.2% of students at Mary C. Dondero Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Hampshire average of 21.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mary C. Dondero Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Mary C. Dondero Elementary School is White at 71.0% of enrollment, in Portsmouth, NH.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mary C. Dondero Elementary School?
Mary C. Dondero Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Mary C. Dondero Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Portsmouth?
By Resource Investment Index, Mary C. Dondero Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Portsmouth, NH. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Portsmouth on the city page.
What other schools are in Portsmouth School District?
Besides Mary C. Dondero Elementary School, Portsmouth School District also operates Portsmouth High School (1,017 students), Portsmouth Middle School (486 students), and Little Harbour School (325 students). See the Portsmouth School District district page for the complete list.