Enrollment
510
Ohio · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbus, OH
Prairie Norton Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Prairie Norton Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 390448001672
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Prairie Norton Elementary School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Ohio median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Ohio schools.
- #53 of 88
- schools in Columbus · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.9:1
- students per teacher
- 57.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Prairie Norton Elementary School has class sizes near the Ohio median. Computed live against every Ohio school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Norton Elementary School ranks #53 of 88 schools in Columbus, OH.
School address
District: South-Western City · Ohio
NCES ID 390448001672 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.9:1
vs 18.2:1 Ohio avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.1%
vs 31.6% Ohio avg
+81% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Prairie Norton Elementary School compares with Ohio and U.S. medians
What stands out at Prairie Norton Elementary School
Prairie Norton Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Columbus, Ohio, enrolling 510 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Ohio schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 57.1% of students qualify for free meals, 81% above the Ohio average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 510 puts it in the larger third of Ohio schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,574 scored Ohio schools.
Against 250 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #154.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (39%) and White (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 73/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Columbus's public schools, it stands alongside Kipp Columbus (1,945 students): Prairie Norton Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.9:1 vs 17.4:1).
South-Western City also operates Grove City High School (1,881 students) and Westland High School (1,853 students) alongside Prairie Norton 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 Prairie Norton Elementary School compares
Prairie Norton Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Ohio and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Ohio | Ohio avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.9:1 | ▲ 4% | 18.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.1% | ▲ 81% | 31.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 510 | top 31% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.9:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
510
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 81% above the Ohio average of 31.6%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.9:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 65% in Ohio - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
47.8%
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
$13,569
per pupil, district-wide
- below Ohio avg of $14,655
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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: 2.5 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
Hispanic or Latino 38.8%
White 28.2%
African American 18.2%
Two or More 10.0%
Asian 4.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 38.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.5, Prairie Norton Elementary School is more mixed than the Ohio school average of 35.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South-Western City, which includes Prairie Norton Elementary School.
$13,569
Per student
-7%
vs Ohio
Avg $14,655
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.8%
State 47.4%
Federal 13.8%
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 Prairie Norton Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grove City High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westland High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central Crossing High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Franklin Heights High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Buckeye Woods Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Prairie Norton Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,881
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,853
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,674
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 1,398
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 742
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar other schools in Columbus
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Kipp Columbus
Standard public school
1,945 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Great River Connections Academy
Standard public school
1,608 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
South High School
Standard public school
873 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Metro Early College High School
Standard public school
869 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Columbus Preparatory Academy
Standard public school
797 students 17:1 students per teacher
Linden-Mckinley Stem Academy
Standard public school
795 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Ohio, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~510 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Prairie Norton Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Prairie Norton Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- South-Western City'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 Prairie Norton Elementary School
How many students attend Prairie Norton Elementary School?
Prairie Norton Elementary School has 510 students enrolled. It is a public school in Columbus, OH.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Prairie Norton Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Prairie Norton Elementary School is 18.9:1, which is 4% higher than the Ohio average of 18.2:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Prairie Norton Elementary School?
57.1% of students at Prairie Norton Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Ohio average of 31.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Prairie Norton Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Prairie Norton Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 38.8% of enrollment, in Columbus, OH. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Prairie Norton Elementary School?
Prairie Norton Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Prairie Norton Elementary School rank among schools in Columbus?
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Norton Elementary School ranks #53 of 88 schools in Columbus, OH. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Columbus on the city page.
Is Prairie Norton Elementary School a good school?
Prairie Norton Elementary School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Ohio median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Ohio 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 South-Western City?
Besides Prairie Norton Elementary School, South-Western City also operates Grove City High School (1,881 students), Westland High School (1,853 students), and Central Crossing High School (1,674 students). See the South-Western City 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.