- Enrollment
- 505
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · South Hadley, MA
Plains Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Plains Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 251092001753
👥 S:T ratio 58
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 46
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Plains Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of Massachusetts schools.
- #2 of 5
- public schools in South Hadley · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.4:1
- small classes for Massachusetts
- 271
- students enrolled
Plains Elementary has class sizes smaller than 75% of Massachusetts schools. Computed live against every Massachusetts school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Plains Elementary ranks #2 of 5 public schools in South Hadley, MA.
School address
District: South Hadley · Massachusetts
NCES ID 251092001753 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-42 students YoY
Plains Elementary shrank from 307 students in 2022-23 to 265 in 2023-24 (-13.7%).
Teacher FTE lost 26.5 → 24.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-42 students YoY 251092001753 · South Hadley, MA Other · SMALL · TRAD
271 enr · 10.4:1 · RII 42
Nearest enrollment peer: Michael E. Smith Middle School (505 students)
Plains Elementary shrank from 307 students in 2022-23 to 265 in 2023-24 (-13.7%). Teacher FTE lost 26.5 → 24.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Massachusetts schools → · Find another →
Plains Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Michael E. Smi
Michael E. Smith Middle School
505 students
- South Hadley H
South Hadley High
479 students
- Mosier
Mosier
365 students
- This school
Plains Elementary
271 students
What this shows Plains Elementary reports 271 students on the CCD universe file.
How Plains Elementary compares
Plains Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Massachusetts and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Massachusetts | Massachusetts avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.4:1 | ▼ 15% | 12.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 271 | top 77% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.4:1
Leaner classes than 87% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
271
Bigger than 28% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
10.4:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 25% in Massachusetts - lower ratio than 75% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
26.6%
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
$19,400
per pupil, district-wide
- below Massachusetts avg of $23,695
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 271 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 68.3%
Hispanic or Latino 22.5%
Two or More 5.2%
African American 2.2%
Asian 1.8%
Largest group: White at 68.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.9, Plains Elementary is about as mixed as the Massachusetts school average of 47.3.
Programs
District finance for South Hadley reports $19,400 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Plains Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael E. Smith Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Hadley High | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mosier | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Plains Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 479
- Students per teacher
- 8.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 365
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools in South Hadley
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Nationwide other 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 (~271 students)
Frequently asked questions about Plains Elementary
How many students attend Plains Elementary?
Plains Elementary has 271 students enrolled. It is a public school in South Hadley, MA. CCD year-over-year: 307 (2022-23) → 265 (2023-24), down 42.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Plains Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Plains Elementary is 10.4:1, which is 15% lower than the Massachusetts average of 12.3:1 and 34% 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 Plains Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Plains Elementary is White at 68.3% of enrollment, in South Hadley, MA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Plains Elementary?
Plains Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical 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 Plains Elementary rank among public schools in South Hadley?
By Resource Investment Index, Plains Elementary ranks #2 of 5 public schools in South Hadley, MA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in South Hadley on the city page.
What other schools are in South Hadley?
Besides Plains Elementary, South Hadley also operates Michael E. Smith Middle School (505 students), South Hadley High (479 students), and Mosier (365 students). See the South Hadley district page for the complete list.