Enrollment
401
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Topeka, KS
Mccarter Elem
Federal NCES profile for Mccarter Elem, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 62/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 201226001454
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 60
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mccarter Elem earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kansas median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kansas schools.
- #2 of 21
- schools in Topeka · Resource Index
- 62
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.2:1
- students per teacher
- 67.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Mccarter Elem has class sizes near the Kansas median. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mccarter Elem ranks #2 of 21 schools in Topeka, KS.
School address
District: Topeka Public Schools · Kansas
NCES ID 201226001454 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.2:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.6%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
+58% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mccarter Elem compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mccarter Elem
Mccarter Elem is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Topeka, Kansas, enrolling 401 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Kansas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 67.6% of students qualify for free meals, 58% above the Kansas average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 401 puts it in the larger third of Kansas schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 92% of the 1,346 Kansas schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 161 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kansas schools statewide, it ranks #2, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (36%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 73/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 201 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
13.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Topeka's public schools, it stands alongside Jardine Elementary (729 students): Mccarter Elem is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.2:1 vs 13.5:1).
Topeka Public Schools also operates Topeka High (1,578 students) and Topeka West High (971 students) alongside Mccarter Elem.
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 Mccarter Elem compares
Mccarter Elem on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.2:1 | ▼ 12% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.6% | ▲ 58% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 401 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.2:1
Leaner classes than 74% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
401
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 58% 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
12.2:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 33% in Kansas - lower ratio than 67% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
13.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$16,138
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kansas avg of $15,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 201 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.2 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
White 35.7%
Hispanic or Latino 29.4%
Two or More 21.2%
African American 12.5%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 35.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.5, Mccarter Elem is more mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Topeka Public Schools, which includes Mccarter Elem.
$16,138
Per student
+4%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 13.8%
State 72.4%
Federal 13.8%
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 Mccarter Elem Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Topeka West High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Highland Park High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jardine Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ross Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mccarter Elem's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,578
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 971
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 835
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 729
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 563
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar other schools in Topeka
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Jardine Elementary
Standard public school
729 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Farley Elementary
Standard public school
596 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Ross Elementary
Standard public school
563 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Logan Elementary
Standard public school
558 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Wanamaker Elem
Standard public school
475 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Williams Science and Fine Arts Magnet School
Standard public school
447 students 11.5:1 students per teacher
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 (~401 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mccarter Elem's federal record.
- Compare Mccarter Elem against another school. Compare schools
- Topeka 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 Mccarter Elem
How many students attend Mccarter Elem?
Mccarter Elem has 401 students enrolled. It is a public school in Topeka, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mccarter Elem?
The student-teacher ratio at Mccarter Elem is 12.2:1, which is 12% lower than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 22% 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 Mccarter Elem?
67.6% of students at Mccarter Elem are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mccarter Elem?
The largest demographic group at Mccarter Elem is White at 35.7% of enrollment, in Topeka, KS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mccarter Elem?
Mccarter Elem has a Resource Investment Index of 62/100 (higher 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 Mccarter Elem rank among schools in Topeka?
By Resource Investment Index, Mccarter Elem ranks #2 of 21 schools in Topeka, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Topeka on the city page.
Is Mccarter Elem a good school?
Mccarter Elem earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kansas median. 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 Topeka Public Schools?
Besides Mccarter Elem, Topeka Public Schools also operates Topeka High (1,578 students), Topeka West High (971 students), and Highland Park High (835 students). See the Topeka 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.