- Enrollment
- 925
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Princeton, WV
Mercer Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Mercer Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 540084000695
👥 S:T ratio 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 66
📋 Attendance 12
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mercer Elementary earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% of West Virginia schools.
- #1 of 5
- elementary schools in Princeton · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.2:1
- small classes for West Virginia
- 258
- students enrolled
Mercer Elementary has class sizes smaller than 73% of West Virginia schools. Computed live against every West Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mercer Elementary ranks #1 of 5 elementary schools in Princeton, WV.
School address
District: Mercer County Schools · West Virginia
NCES ID 540084000695 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-30 students YoY
Mercer Elementary shrank from 288 students in 2022-23 to 258 in 2023-24 (-10.4%).
Teacher FTE lost 23.5 → 21.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-30 students YoY 540084000695 · Princeton, WV Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
258 enr · 11.2:1 · RII 51
Nearest enrollment peer: Princeton Senior High School (925 students)
Mercer Elementary shrank from 288 students in 2022-23 to 258 in 2023-24 (-10.4%). Teacher FTE lost 23.5 → 21.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · West Virginia schools → · Find another →
Mercer Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Princeton Seni
Princeton Senior High School
925 students
- Pikeview High
Pikeview High School
629 students
- Bluefield High
Bluefield High School
618 students
- Glenwood Schoo
Glenwood School (K-8)
614 students
- Pikeview Middl
Pikeview Middle School
502 students
- This school 258
Mercer Elementary
258 students
What this shows Mercer Elementary reports 258 students on the CCD universe file.
How Mercer Elementary compares
Mercer Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs West Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs West Virginia | West Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.2:1 | ▼ 15% | 13.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 258 | top 61% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.2:1
Leaner classes than 82% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
258
Bigger than 26% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
11.2:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 27% in West Virginia - lower ratio than 73% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
35.3%
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
$13,583
per pupil, district-wide
- below West Virginia avg of $15,158
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 172 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 79.5%
Two or More 12.4%
African American 7.0%
Hispanic or Latino 1.2%
Largest group: White at 79.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.8, Mercer Elementary is more mixed than the West Virginia school average of 17.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Mercer County Schools reports $13,583 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Mercer Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Princeton Senior High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pikeview High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bluefield High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glenwood School (K-8) | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pikeview Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mercer Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 629
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 618
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 614
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 502
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
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 (~258 students)
Frequently asked questions about Mercer Elementary
How many students attend Mercer Elementary?
Mercer Elementary has 258 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Princeton, WV. CCD year-over-year: 288 (2022-23) → 258 (2023-24), down 30.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mercer Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Mercer Elementary is 11.2:1, which is 15% lower than the West Virginia average of 13.1:1 and 29% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mercer Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Mercer Elementary is White at 79.5% of enrollment, in Princeton, WV.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mercer Elementary?
Mercer Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher 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 Mercer Elementary rank among elementary schools in Princeton?
By Resource Investment Index, Mercer Elementary ranks #1 of 5 elementary schools in Princeton, WV. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Princeton on the city page.
What other schools are in Mercer County Schools?
Besides Mercer Elementary, Mercer County Schools also operates Princeton Senior High School (925 students), Pikeview High School (629 students), and Bluefield High School (618 students). See the Mercer County Schools district page for the complete list.