Enrollment
448
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hutchinson, KS
Plum Creek Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Plum Creek Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 200420002075
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 10
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Plum Creek Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Kansas schools.
- #8 of 9
- schools in Hutchinson · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.7:1
- large classes for Kansas
- 26.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Plum Creek Elementary has class sizes larger than 94% of Kansas schools. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Plum Creek Elementary ranks #8 of 9 schools in Hutchinson, KS.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.7:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
+36% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
26.1%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
-39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Plum Creek Elementary compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Plum Creek Elementary
Plum Creek Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Hutchinson, Kansas, enrolling 448 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.7:1 is larger than about 94% of Kansas schools and 36% above the 13.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 26.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 448 puts it in the larger third of Kansas schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 1,346 Kansas schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 239 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kansas schools statewide, it ranks #238, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (85% of enrollment) (diversity index 27/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 448 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
17.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Buhler spends $11,029 per pupil, 29% below the Kansas average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Hutchinson's public schools, it stands alongside Union Valley Elem (435 students): Plum Creek Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.7:1 vs 18.1:1).
Buhler also operates Buhler High (674 students) and Prairie Hills Middle (532 students) alongside Plum Creek 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 Plum Creek Elementary compares
Plum Creek Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.7:1 | ▲ 36% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 26.1% | ▼ 39% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 448 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.7:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
448
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
26.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% below the Kansas average of 42.7%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.7:1
students per teacher
- 36% above state mean
Top 94% in Kansas - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
17.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,029
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kansas avg of $15,487
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 448 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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 85.0%
Hispanic or Latino 10.9%
African American 2.0%
Two or More 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Asian 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 85.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 26.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 26.5, Plum Creek Elementary is less mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Buhler, which includes Plum Creek Elementary.
$11,029
Per student
-29%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.5%
State 66.6%
Federal 6.9%
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 Plum Creek Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buhler High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Prairie Hills Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Union Valley Elem | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Buhler Grade School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ad Astra Virtual Academy | Smaller | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Plum Creek Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 674
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 532
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 435
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 241
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 171
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar other schools in Hutchinson
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Union Valley Elem
Standard public school
435 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Morgan Elementary
Standard public school
388 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Mccandless Elementary
Standard public school
346 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Wiley Elementary
Standard public school
322 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Graber Elementary
Standard public school
311 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Hutchinson Virtual School
Standard public school
300 students
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~448 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Plum Creek Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Plum Creek Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Buhler'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 Plum Creek Elementary
How many students attend Plum Creek Elementary?
Plum Creek Elementary has 448 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hutchinson, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Plum Creek Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Plum Creek Elementary is 18.7:1, which is 36% higher than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 19% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Plum Creek Elementary?
26.1% of students at Plum Creek Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Plum Creek Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Plum Creek Elementary is White at 85.0% of enrollment, in Hutchinson, KS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Plum Creek Elementary?
Plum Creek Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (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 Plum Creek Elementary rank among schools in Hutchinson?
By Resource Investment Index, Plum Creek Elementary ranks #8 of 9 schools in Hutchinson, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hutchinson on the city page.
Is Plum Creek Elementary a good school?
Plum Creek Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Kansas 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 Buhler?
Besides Plum Creek Elementary, Buhler also operates Buhler High (674 students), Prairie Hills Middle (532 students), and Union Valley Elem (435 students). See the Buhler 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.