Enrollment
542
Idaho · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Buhl, ID
Popplewell Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Popplewell Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 18/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 160048000101
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Popplewell Elementary School earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Idaho schools.
- #4 of 4
- public schools in Buhl · Resource Index
- 18
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.7:1
- large classes for Idaho
- 40.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Popplewell Elementary School has class sizes larger than 70% of Idaho schools. Computed live against every Idaho school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Popplewell Elementary School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Buhl, ID.
School address
District: Buhl Joint District · Idaho
NCES ID 160048000101 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.7:1
vs 17.1:1 Idaho avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.8%
vs 29.3% Idaho avg
+39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Popplewell Elementary School compares with Idaho and U.S. medians
What stands out at Popplewell Elementary School
Popplewell Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Buhl, Idaho, enrolling 542 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Idaho schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 40.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 542 puts it in the larger third of Idaho schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 775 Idaho schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 137 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Idaho schools statewide, it ranks #127, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and Hispanic or Latino (36%) (diversity index 48/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 542 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
The surrounding Buhl Joint District spends $9,496 per pupil, 20% below the Idaho average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 26.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Buhl Joint District also operates Buhl High School (347 students) and Buhl Middle School (298 students) alongside Popplewell 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 Popplewell Elementary School compares
Popplewell Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Idaho and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Idaho | Idaho avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.7:1 | ▲ 9% | 17.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.8% | ▲ 39% | 29.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 542 | top 20% | - | - |
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.
542
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% above the Idaho average of 29.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.7:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 70% in Idaho - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$9,496
per pupil, district-wide
- below Idaho avg of $11,939
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 542 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 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 62.9%
Hispanic or Latino 35.8%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Two or More 0.2%
Largest group: White at 62.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.6, Popplewell Elementary School is more mixed than the Idaho school average of 36.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Buhl Joint District, which includes Popplewell Elementary School.
$9,496
Per student
-20%
vs Idaho
Avg $11,939
-43%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 9.1%
State 64.6%
Federal 26.3%
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 Popplewell Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buhl High School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Buhl Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Wakapa Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Popplewell Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 347
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 298
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 11
- Students per teacher
- 5.5:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Idaho, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~542 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Popplewell Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Popplewell Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Buhl Joint 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 Popplewell Elementary School
How many students attend Popplewell Elementary School?
Popplewell Elementary School has 542 students enrolled. It is a public school in Buhl, ID.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Popplewell Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Popplewell Elementary School is 18.7:1, which is 9% higher than the Idaho average of 17.1:1 and 19% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Popplewell Elementary School?
40.8% of students at Popplewell Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Idaho average of 29.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Popplewell Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Popplewell Elementary School is White at 62.9% of enrollment, in Buhl, ID.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Popplewell Elementary School?
Popplewell Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 18/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Popplewell Elementary School rank among public schools in Buhl?
By Resource Investment Index, Popplewell Elementary School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Buhl, ID. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Buhl on the city page.
Is Popplewell Elementary School a good school?
Popplewell Elementary School earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Idaho 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 Buhl Joint District?
Besides Popplewell Elementary School, Buhl Joint District also operates Buhl High School (347 students), Buhl Middle School (298 students), and Wakapa Academy (11 students). See the Buhl Joint 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.