Enrollment
396
Ohio · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Shaker Heights, OH
Mercer Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Mercer Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 390447501613
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 50
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mercer Elementary School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Ohio median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Ohio schools.
- #2 of 6
- elementary schools in Shaker Heights · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18:1
- students per teacher
- 24.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Mercer Elementary School has class sizes near the Ohio median. Computed live against every Ohio school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mercer Elementary School ranks #2 of 6 elementary schools in Shaker Heights, OH.
School address
District: Shaker Heights City · Ohio
NCES ID 390447501613 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18:1
vs 18.2:1 Ohio avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.8%
vs 31.6% Ohio avg
-22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mercer Elementary School compares with Ohio and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mercer Elementary School
Mercer Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Shaker Heights, Ohio, enrolling 396 students.
At 18:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Ohio median, within a few percentage points of the 18.2:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 24.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 396 students, its enrollment sits close to the Ohio median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,574 scored Ohio schools.
Among 702 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Ohio schools statewide, it ranks #500, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and African American (40%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 61/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Shaker Heights City spends $22,244 per pupil, 52% above the Ohio average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Shaker Heights's elementary schools, it stands alongside Shaker Hts Middle School (939 students): Mercer Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18:1 vs 18.8:1).
Shaker Heights City also operates Shaker Hts High School (1,418 students) and Shaker Hts Middle School (939 students) alongside Mercer 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 Mercer Elementary School compares
Mercer Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Ohio and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Ohio | Ohio avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18:1 | ▼ 1% | 18.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.8% | ▼ 22% | 31.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 396 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
396
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% below the Ohio average of 31.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 57% in Ohio - lower ratio than 43% 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
$22,244
per pupil, district-wide
- above Ohio avg of $14,655
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.5 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 46.5%
African American 40.2%
Two or More 8.3%
Hispanic or Latino 3.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 46.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.4, Mercer Elementary School is more mixed than the Ohio school average of 35.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Shaker Heights City, which includes Mercer Elementary School.
$22,244
Per student
+52%
vs Ohio
Avg $14,655
+34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 69.4%
State 22.6%
Federal 8.1%
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 Mercer Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shaker Hts High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Shaker Hts Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Woodbury Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lomond Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Onaway Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mercer Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,418
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 939
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 621
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 467
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 462
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar elementary schools in Shaker Heights
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Shaker Hts Middle School
Standard public school
939 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Woodbury Elementary School
Standard public school
621 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Lomond Elementary School
Standard public school
467 students 21.2:1 students per teacher
Fernway Elementary School
Standard public school
326 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
Boulevard Elementary School
Standard public school
299 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Ohio, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~396 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mercer Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Mercer Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Shaker Heights City'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 Mercer Elementary School
How many students attend Mercer Elementary School?
Mercer Elementary School has 396 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Shaker Heights, OH.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mercer Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mercer Elementary School is 18:1, which is 1% lower than the Ohio average of 18.2:1 and 15% higher 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 Mercer Elementary School?
24.8% of students at Mercer Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Ohio average of 31.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mercer Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Mercer Elementary School is White at 46.5% of enrollment, in Shaker Heights, OH. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mercer Elementary School?
Mercer Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Mercer Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Shaker Heights?
By Resource Investment Index, Mercer Elementary School ranks #2 of 6 elementary schools in Shaker Heights, OH. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Shaker Heights on the city page.
Is Mercer Elementary School a good school?
Mercer Elementary School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Ohio median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Ohio 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 Shaker Heights City?
Besides Mercer Elementary School, Shaker Heights City also operates Shaker Hts High School (1,418 students), Shaker Hts Middle School (939 students), and Woodbury Elementary School (621 students). See the Shaker Heights City 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.