Enrollment
431
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Salina, KS
Meadowlark Ridge Elem
Federal NCES profile for Meadowlark Ridge Elem, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 201137000512
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 14
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Meadowlark Ridge Elem earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kansas median.
- #4 of 10
- schools in Salina · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.4:1
- students per teacher
- 30.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Meadowlark Ridge Elem has class sizes near the Kansas median. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Meadowlark Ridge Elem ranks #4 of 10 schools in Salina, KS.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.4:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.6%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
-28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Meadowlark Ridge Elem compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Meadowlark Ridge Elem
Meadowlark Ridge Elem is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Salina, Kansas, enrolling 431 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Kansas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 30.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 431 puts it in the larger third of Kansas schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,346 scored Kansas schools.
Against 248 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #144.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%) (diversity index 48/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 431 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
17.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Salina spends $18,628 per pupil, 20% above the Kansas average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Salina's public schools, it stands alongside Stewart Elem (406 students): Meadowlark Ridge Elem is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.4:1 vs 14:1).
Salina also operates Salina High South (1,046 students) and Salina High Central (934 students) alongside Meadowlark Ridge 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 Meadowlark Ridge Elem compares
Meadowlark Ridge 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 | 14.4:1 | ▲ 4% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.6% | ▼ 28% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 431 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
431
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% below the Kansas average of 42.7%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 65% in Kansas - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$18,628
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kansas avg of $15,487
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 431 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.0 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 69.8%
Hispanic or Latino 14.6%
Two or More 10.7%
African American 3.0%
Asian 1.9%
Largest group: White at 69.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.9, Meadowlark Ridge Elem is more mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Salina, which includes Meadowlark Ridge Elem.
$18,628
Per student
+20%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
+12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.2%
State 52.9%
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 Meadowlark Ridge Elem Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salina High South | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Salina High Central | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Salina South Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lakewood Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Stewart Elem | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Meadowlark Ridge Elem's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,046
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 934
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 782
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 647
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 406
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar other schools in Salina
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Stewart Elem
Standard public school
406 students 14:1 students per teacher
Heusner Elem
Standard public school
392 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Coronado Elem
Standard public school
389 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
Sunset Elem
Standard public school
380 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Schilling Elem
Standard public school
376 students 10.7:1 students per teacher
Cottonwood Elementary School
Standard public school
326 students 10.2:1 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 (~431 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Meadowlark Ridge Elem's federal record.
- Compare Meadowlark Ridge Elem against another school. Compare schools
- Salina'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 Meadowlark Ridge Elem
How many students attend Meadowlark Ridge Elem?
Meadowlark Ridge Elem has 431 students enrolled. It is a public school in Salina, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Meadowlark Ridge Elem?
The student-teacher ratio at Meadowlark Ridge Elem is 14.4:1, which is 4% higher than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Meadowlark Ridge Elem?
30.6% of students at Meadowlark Ridge Elem are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Meadowlark Ridge Elem?
The largest demographic group at Meadowlark Ridge Elem is White at 69.8% of enrollment, in Salina, KS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Meadowlark Ridge Elem?
Meadowlark Ridge Elem has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Meadowlark Ridge Elem rank among schools in Salina?
By Resource Investment Index, Meadowlark Ridge Elem ranks #4 of 10 schools in Salina, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Salina on the city page.
Is Meadowlark Ridge Elem a good school?
Meadowlark Ridge Elem earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kansas median. 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 Salina?
Besides Meadowlark Ridge Elem, Salina also operates Salina High South (1,046 students), Salina High Central (934 students), and Salina South Middle (782 students). See the Salina 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.