Enrollment
338
Louisiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Ponchatoula, LA
Perrin Early Learning Center
Federal NCES profile for Perrin Early Learning Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 220168001841
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 32
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Perrin Early Learning Center earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Louisiana median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Louisiana schools.
- #6 of 7
- public schools in Ponchatoula · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.9:1
- students per teacher
- 67.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Perrin Early Learning Center has class sizes near the Louisiana median. Computed live against every Louisiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Perrin Early Learning Center ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Ponchatoula, LA.
School address
District: Tangipahoa Parish · Louisiana
NCES ID 220168001841 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 16.8:1 Louisiana avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.3%
vs 62.5% Louisiana avg
+8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Perrin Early Learning Center compares with Louisiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Perrin Early Learning Center
Perrin Early Learning Center is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, enrolling 338 students.
At 16.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Louisiana median, within a few percentage points of the 16.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 67.3% lands close to the Louisiana typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 338 puts it in the smaller third of Louisiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 1,330 Louisiana schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 329 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Louisiana schools statewide, it ranks #323, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (41%) and White (34%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 338 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Tangipahoa Parish spends $12,458 per pupil, 24% below the Louisiana average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 20.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Ponchatoula's public schools, it stands alongside Champ Cooper Elementary School (1,163 students): Perrin Early Learning Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.9:1 vs 23.3:1).
Tangipahoa Parish also operates Ponchatoula High School (2,067 students) and Hammond High Magnet School (1,606 students) alongside Perrin 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 Perrin Early Learning Center compares
Perrin Early Learning Center on the metrics families compare, against Louisiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Louisiana | Louisiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.9:1 | ▲ 1% | 16.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.3% | ▲ 8% | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 338 | top 67% | - | - |
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.
338
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% above the Louisiana average of 62.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 56% in Louisiana - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
39.9%
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
$12,458
per pupil, district-wide
- below Louisiana avg of $16,376
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 338 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.8 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
African American 41.1%
White 33.7%
Hispanic or Latino 18.0%
Two or More 5.9%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 41.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.2, Perrin Early Learning Center is more mixed than the Louisiana school average of 43.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tangipahoa Parish, which includes Perrin Early Learning Center.
$12,458
Per student
-24%
vs Louisiana
Avg $16,376
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.2%
State 40.7%
Federal 20.1%
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 Perrin Early Learning Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ponchatoula High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hammond High Magnet School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hammond Eastside Magnet | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Champ Cooper Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hammond Westside Montessori | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Perrin Early Learning Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,067
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,606
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,340
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,163
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,022
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar other schools in Ponchatoula
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Louisiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~338 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Perrin Early Learning Center's federal record.
- Compare Perrin Early Learning Center against another school. Compare schools
- Tangipahoa Parish'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 Perrin Early Learning Center
How many students attend Perrin Early Learning Center?
Perrin Early Learning Center has 338 students enrolled. It is a public school in Ponchatoula, LA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Perrin Early Learning Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Perrin Early Learning Center is 16.9:1, which is 1% higher than the Louisiana average of 16.8:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Perrin Early Learning Center?
67.3% of students at Perrin Early Learning Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Louisiana average of 62.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Perrin Early Learning Center?
The largest demographic group at Perrin Early Learning Center is African American at 41.1% of enrollment, in Ponchatoula, LA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Perrin Early Learning Center?
Perrin Early Learning Center has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (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 Perrin Early Learning Center rank among public schools in Ponchatoula?
By Resource Investment Index, Perrin Early Learning Center ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Ponchatoula, LA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Ponchatoula on the city page.
Is Perrin Early Learning Center a good school?
Perrin Early Learning Center earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Louisiana median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Louisiana 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 Tangipahoa Parish?
Besides Perrin Early Learning Center, Tangipahoa Parish also operates Ponchatoula High School (2,067 students), Hammond High Magnet School (1,606 students), and Hammond Eastside Magnet (1,340 students). See the Tangipahoa Parish 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.