Enrollment
559
Arkansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Mountain Home, AR
Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 050004300740
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 21
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Arkansas schools.
- #6 of 6
- public schools in Mountain Home · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.9:1
- large classes for Arkansas
- 38.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary has class sizes larger than 80% of Arkansas schools. Computed live against every Arkansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary ranks #6 of 6 public schools in Mountain Home, AR.
School address
District: Mountain Home School District · Arkansas
NCES ID 050004300740 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 13.6:1 Arkansas avg
+24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.4%
vs 59.2% Arkansas avg
-35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary compares with Arkansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary
Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Mountain Home, Arkansas, enrolling 559 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Arkansas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 38.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 559 puts it in the larger third of Arkansas schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 1,066 Arkansas schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 258 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arkansas schools statewide, it ranks #254, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (89% of enrollment) (diversity index 21/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 559 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Mountain Home School District also operates Mtn Home High Career Academics (1,523 students) and Hackler Intermediate School (837 students) alongside Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary.
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 Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary compares
Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Arkansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arkansas | Arkansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.9:1 | ▲ 24% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.4% | ▼ 35% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 559 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
559
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% below the Arkansas average of 59.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 24% above state mean
Top 80% in Arkansas - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
31.5%
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
$10,521
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arkansas avg of $12,251
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 559 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
21
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.7 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 88.7%
Hispanic or Latino 4.8%
Two or More 3.6%
Asian 2.1%
African American 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 88.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 20.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 20.9, Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary is less mixed than the Arkansas school average of 40.4.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mountain Home School District, which includes Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary.
$10,521
Per student
-14%
vs Arkansas
Avg $12,251
-37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.9%
State 34.8%
Federal 19.4%
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 Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mtn Home High Career Academics | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hackler Intermediate School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pinkston Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mountain Home Kindergarten | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Guy Berry College and Career Academy | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,523
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 837
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 546
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 300
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 52
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Arkansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~559 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Mountain Home School District'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 Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary
How many students attend Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary?
Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary has 559 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Mountain Home, AR.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary is 16.9:1, which is 24% higher than the Arkansas average of 13.6:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary?
38.4% of students at Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arkansas average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary is White at 88.7% of enrollment, in Mountain Home, AR.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary?
Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (lower 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 Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary rank among public schools in Mountain Home?
By Resource Investment Index, Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary ranks #6 of 6 public schools in Mountain Home, AR. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Mountain Home on the city page.
Is Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary a good school?
Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Arkansas 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 Mountain Home School District?
Besides Nelson Wilks Herron Elementary, Mountain Home School District also operates Mtn Home High Career Academics (1,523 students), Hackler Intermediate School (837 students), and Pinkston Middle School (546 students). See the Mountain Home School District 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.