Enrollment
352
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Somerset, KY
Northern Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Northern Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 210495001238
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 30
📋 Attendance 68
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northern Elementary School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% of Kentucky schools.
- #1 of 5
- schools in Somerset · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.6:1
- small classes for Kentucky
- 61.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Northern Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 79% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northern Elementary School ranks #1 of 5 schools in Somerset, KY.
School address
District: Pulaski County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210495001238 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.6:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
61.7%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northern Elementary School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northern Elementary School
Northern Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Somerset, Kentucky, enrolling 352 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 61.7% lands close to the Kentucky typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 352 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kentucky median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 399 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #45.
Its student body is predominantly White (85% of enrollment) (diversity index 27/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 352 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
12.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 17.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Somerset's public schools, it stands alongside Hopkins Elementary School (750 students): Northern Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.6:1 vs 18.3:1).
Pulaski County also operates Southwestern High School (1,213 students) and Pulaski County High School (1,113 students) alongside Northern 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 Northern Elementary School compares
Northern Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.6:1 | ▼ 17% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 61.7% | ▲ 4% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 352 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.6:1
Leaner classes than 70% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
352
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
61.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% above the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.6:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 21% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 79% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
12.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$11,722
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kentucky avg of $13,211
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 352 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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 84.7%
Hispanic or Latino 10.5%
Two or More 3.1%
Asian 0.9%
African American 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 84.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 27.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 27.0, Northern Elementary School is less mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pulaski County, which includes Northern Elementary School.
$11,722
Per student
-11%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.0%
State 56.3%
Federal 17.7%
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 Northern Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pulaski County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southern Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northern Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southern Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northern Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,213
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,113
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 871
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 797
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 611
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools in Somerset
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Hopkins Elementary School
Standard public school
750 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Shopville Elementary School
Standard public school
385 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Memorial Education Center
Standard public school
231 students
Eagle Academy
Alternative education program
38 students 38:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kentucky, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~352 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northern Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Northern Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Pulaski County'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 Northern Elementary School
How many students attend Northern Elementary School?
Northern Elementary School has 352 students enrolled. It is a public school in Somerset, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northern Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Northern Elementary School is 12.6:1, which is 17% lower than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 20% lower 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 Northern Elementary School?
61.7% of students at Northern Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northern Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Northern Elementary School is White at 84.7% of enrollment, in Somerset, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northern Elementary School?
Northern Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher 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 Northern Elementary School rank among schools in Somerset?
By Resource Investment Index, Northern Elementary School ranks #1 of 5 schools in Somerset, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Somerset on the city page.
Is Northern Elementary School a good school?
Northern Elementary School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% of Kentucky 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 Pulaski County?
Besides Northern Elementary School, Pulaski County also operates Southwestern High School (1,213 students), Pulaski County High School (1,113 students), and Southern Middle School (871 students). See the Pulaski County 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.