Enrollment
346
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hutchinson, KS
Mccandless Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Mccandless Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 200762000536
👥 S:T ratio 23
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 50
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mccandless Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Kansas schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kansas schools.
- #7 of 9
- schools in Hutchinson · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.2:1
- large classes for Kansas
- 84.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Mccandless Elementary has class sizes larger than 95% of Kansas schools. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mccandless Elementary ranks #7 of 9 schools in Hutchinson, KS.
School address
District: Hutchinson Public Schools · Kansas
NCES ID 200762000536 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.2:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
+39% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
84.5%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
+98% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mccandless Elementary compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mccandless Elementary
Mccandless Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Hutchinson, Kansas, enrolling 346 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.2:1 is larger than about 95% of Kansas schools and 39% above the 13.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 84.5% of students qualify for free meals, 98% above the Kansas average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 346 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kansas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 1,346 Kansas schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Against 94 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #65.
Its student body is led by White (54%) and Hispanic or Latino (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 346 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Hutchinson's public schools, it stands alongside Plum Creek Elementary (448 students): Mccandless Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.2:1 vs 18.7:1).
Hutchinson Public Schools also operates Hutchinson High School (1,214 students) and Morgan Elementary (388 students) alongside Mccandless 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 Mccandless Elementary compares
Mccandless Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.2:1 | ▲ 39% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 84.5% | ▲ 98% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 346 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.2:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
346
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
84.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 98% above the Kansas average of 42.7%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.2:1
students per teacher
- 39% above state mean
Top 95% in Kansas - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
20.2%
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
$15,014
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kansas avg of $15,487
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 346 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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
White 53.8%
Hispanic or Latino 32.4%
Two or More 8.4%
African American 4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 53.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.7, Mccandless Elementary is more mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hutchinson Public Schools, which includes Mccandless Elementary.
$15,014
Per student
-3%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
-10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.8%
State 65.3%
Federal 12.9%
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 Mccandless Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hutchinson High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Morgan Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Wiley Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Graber Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hutchinson Virtual School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Mccandless Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,214
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 388
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 322
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 311
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 300
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar other schools in Hutchinson
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Plum Creek Elementary
Standard public school
448 students 18.7:1 students per teacher
Union Valley Elem
Standard public school
435 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Morgan Elementary
Standard public school
388 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Wiley Elementary
Standard public school
322 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Graber Elementary
Standard public school
311 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Hutchinson Virtual School
Standard public school
300 students
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~346 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mccandless Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Mccandless Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Hutchinson Public Schools'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 Mccandless Elementary
How many students attend Mccandless Elementary?
Mccandless Elementary has 346 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hutchinson, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mccandless Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Mccandless Elementary is 19.2:1, which is 39% higher than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mccandless Elementary?
84.5% of students at Mccandless Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mccandless Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Mccandless Elementary is White at 53.8% of enrollment, in Hutchinson, KS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mccandless Elementary?
Mccandless Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Mccandless Elementary rank among schools in Hutchinson?
By Resource Investment Index, Mccandless Elementary ranks #7 of 9 schools in Hutchinson, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hutchinson on the city page.
Is Mccandless Elementary a good school?
Mccandless Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Kansas schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kansas 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 Hutchinson Public Schools?
Besides Mccandless Elementary, Hutchinson Public Schools also operates Hutchinson High School (1,214 students), Morgan Elementary (388 students), and Wiley Elementary (322 students). See the Hutchinson Public Schools 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.