Enrollment
501
Nebraska · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hastings, NE
Morton Early Learning Center
Federal NCES profile for Morton Early Learning Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 0/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 317158002433
👥 S:T ratio 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Morton Early Learning Center earns 0/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Nebraska schools.
- #8 of 8
- schools in Hastings · Resource Index
- 0
- Resource Index · Lower
- 38.5:1
- large classes for Nebraska
- 20.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Morton Early Learning Center has class sizes larger than 99% of Nebraska schools. Computed live against every Nebraska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Morton Early Learning Center ranks #8 of 8 schools in Hastings, NE.
School address
District: Hastings Public Schools · Nebraska
NCES ID 317158002433 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
38.5:1
vs 13.5:1 Nebraska avg
+185% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.1%
vs 30.9% Nebraska avg
-35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Morton Early Learning Center compares with Nebraska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Morton Early Learning Center
Morton Early Learning Center is a large combined-grade school in Hastings, Nebraska, enrolling 501 students.
Class loads run heavy: 38.5:1 is larger than about 99% of Nebraska schools and 185% above the 13.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 20.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 501 puts it in the larger third of Nebraska schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 100% of the 1,003 Nebraska schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 153 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Nebraska schools statewide, it ranks #153, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 28/100).
The surrounding Hastings Public Schools spends $12,975 per pupil, 27% below the Nebraska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Hastings Public Schools also operates Hastings Senior High School (991 students) and Hastings Middle School (757 students) alongside Morton Early Learning Center.
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 Morton Early Learning Center compares
Morton Early Learning Center on the metrics families compare, against Nebraska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nebraska | Nebraska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 38.5:1 | ▲ 185% | 13.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.1% | ▼ 35% | 30.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 501 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
38.5:1
Leaner classes than 1% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
501
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
20.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% below the Nebraska average of 30.9%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
38.5:1
students per teacher
- 185% above state mean
Top 99% in Nebraska - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$12,975
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nebraska avg of $17,680
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
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 84.2%
Hispanic or Latino 12.2%
Two or More 2.6%
Asian 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 84.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 27.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 27.5, Morton Early Learning Center is less mixed than the Nebraska school average of 34.9.
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hastings Public Schools, which includes Morton Early Learning Center.
$12,975
Per student
-27%
vs Nebraska
Avg $17,680
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.4%
State 50.3%
Federal 13.3%
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 Morton Early Learning Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hastings Senior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hastings Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hawthorne Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Raymond a Watson Elem School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Longfellow Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Morton Early Learning Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 991
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 757
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 343
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 336
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 305
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Nebraska, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~501 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Morton Early Learning Center's federal record.
- Compare Morton Early Learning Center against another school. Compare schools
- Hastings 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 Morton Early Learning Center
How many students attend Morton Early Learning Center?
Morton Early Learning Center has 501 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hastings, NE.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Morton Early Learning Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Morton Early Learning Center is 38.5:1, which is 185% higher than the Nebraska average of 13.5:1 and 145% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Morton Early Learning Center?
20.1% of students at Morton Early Learning Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nebraska average of 30.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Morton Early Learning Center?
The largest demographic group at Morton Early Learning Center is White at 84.2% of enrollment, in Hastings, NE.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Morton Early Learning Center?
Morton Early Learning Center has a Resource Investment Index of 0/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 1 factor: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Morton Early Learning Center rank among schools in Hastings?
By Resource Investment Index, Morton Early Learning Center ranks #8 of 8 schools in Hastings, NE. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hastings on the city page.
Is Morton Early Learning Center a good school?
Morton Early Learning Center earns 0/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Nebraska 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 Hastings Public Schools?
Besides Morton Early Learning Center, Hastings Public Schools also operates Hastings Senior High School (991 students), Hastings Middle School (757 students), and Hawthorne Elementary School (343 students). See the Hastings 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.