- Enrollment
- 1,774
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lawrence, KS
Prairie Park Elem
Federal NCES profile for Prairie Park Elem, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 200840000793
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Prairie Park Elem earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kansas median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kansas schools.
- #8 of 12
- elementary schools in Lawrence · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.2:1
- students per teacher
- 46.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Prairie Park Elem has class sizes near the Kansas median. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Park Elem ranks #8 of 12 elementary schools in Lawrence, KS.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+8 students YoY
Prairie Park Elem held near 384 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+8 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 25.0 → 29.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+8 students YoY 200840000793 · Lawrence, KS Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
354 enr · 14.2:1 · 46.8% lunch · RII 36
Nearest enrollment peer: Lawrence Free State High (1,774 students)
Prairie Park Elem held near 384 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+8 headcount). Teacher FTE added 25.0 → 29.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Kansas schools → · Find another →
Prairie Park Elem in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Lawrence Free
Lawrence Free State High
1,774 students
- Lawrence High
Lawrence High
1,454 students
- Lawrence West 648
Lawrence West Middle School
648 students
- Lawrence South 641
Lawrence Southwest Middle School
641 students
- Langston Hughe 560
Langston Hughes Elem
560 students
- This school 354
Prairie Park Elem
354 students
What this shows Prairie Park Elem reports 354 students on the CCD universe file.
How Prairie Park Elem compares
Prairie Park Elem held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.8% | ▲ 10% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 354 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
354
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
46.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% above the Kansas average of 42.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 62% in Kansas - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
47.7%
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
$12,176
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kansas avg of $15,788
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 354 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: 0.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 55.4%
Two or More 20.6%
Hispanic or Latino 12.4%
African American 6.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 4.0%
Asian 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 55.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.9, Prairie Park Elem is more mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Lawrence reports $12,176 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Prairie Park Elem Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence Free State High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lawrence High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lawrence West Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lawrence Southwest Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Langston Hughes Elem | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Prairie Park Elem's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,454
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 648
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 641
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 560
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar elementary schools in Lawrence
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Langston Hughes Elem
Standard public school
560 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Sunflower Elementary
Standard public school
444 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Schwegler Elem
Standard public school
434 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
Deerfield Elem
Standard public school
433 students 16:1 students per teacher
Quail Run Elementary
Standard public school
421 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Sunset Hill Elem
Standard public school
398 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary 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 (~354 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.2:1)
Frequently asked questions about Prairie Park Elem
How many students attend Prairie Park Elem?
Prairie Park Elem has 354 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lawrence, KS. CCD year-over-year: 376 (2022-23) → 384 (2023-24), nearly flat (+8).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Prairie Park Elem?
The student-teacher ratio at Prairie Park Elem is 14.2:1, which is 3% higher than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 10% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Prairie Park Elem?
46.8% of students at Prairie Park Elem are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Prairie Park Elem?
The largest demographic group at Prairie Park Elem is White at 55.4% of enrollment, in Lawrence, KS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Prairie Park Elem?
Prairie Park Elem has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 Prairie Park Elem rank among elementary schools in Lawrence?
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Park Elem ranks #8 of 12 elementary schools in Lawrence, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Lawrence on the city page.
What other schools are in Lawrence?
Besides Prairie Park Elem, Lawrence also operates Lawrence Free State High (1,774 students), Lawrence High (1,454 students), and Lawrence West Middle School (648 students). See the Lawrence district page for the complete list.