- Enrollment
- 1,566
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Cheyenne, WY
Prairie Wind Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Prairie Wind Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 560198000563
👥 S:T ratio 56
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Prairie Wind Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wyoming median.
- #8 of 17
- elementary schools in Cheyenne · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.1:1
- students per teacher
- 8.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Prairie Wind Elementary has class sizes near the Wyoming median. Computed live against every Wyoming school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Wind Elementary ranks #8 of 17 elementary schools in Cheyenne, WY.
School address
District: Laramie County School District #1 · Wyoming
NCES ID 560198000563 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-26 students YoY
Prairie Wind Elementary shrank from 469 students in 2022-23 to 443 in 2023-24 (-5.5%).
Teacher FTE added 27.1 → 31.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-26 students YoY 560198000563 · Cheyenne, WY Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
299 enr · 11.1:1 · 8.5% lunch · RII 34
Nearest enrollment peer: East High School (1,566 students)
Prairie Wind Elementary shrank from 469 students in 2022-23 to 443 in 2023-24 (-5.5%). Teacher FTE added 27.1 → 31.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Wyoming schools → · Find another →
Prairie Wind Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- East High Scho
East High School
1,566 students
- Central High S
Central High School
1,270 students
- South High Sch
South High School
1,112 students
- Carey Junior H
Carey Junior High School
800 students
- Mccormick Juni 622
Mccormick Junior High School
622 students
- This school 299
Prairie Wind Elementary
299 students
What this shows Prairie Wind Elementary reports 299 students on the CCD universe file.
How Prairie Wind Elementary compares
Prairie Wind Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Wyoming and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wyoming | Wyoming avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.1:1 | ▼ 3% | 11.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 8.5% | ▼ 69% | 27.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 299 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.1:1
Leaner classes than 82% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
299
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
8.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 69% below the Wyoming average of 27.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
11.1:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 48% in Wyoming - lower ratio than 52% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
33.4%
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
$18,376
per pupil, district-wide
- below Wyoming avg of $23,707
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 82.9%
Hispanic or Latino 11.7%
Two or More 4.0%
African American 0.7%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 82.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 29.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 29.7, Prairie Wind Elementary is less mixed than the Wyoming school average of 33.2.
Programs
District finance for Laramie County School District #1 reports $18,376 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Prairie Wind Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carey Junior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mccormick Junior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Prairie Wind Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,270
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,112
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 800
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 622
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar elementary schools in Cheyenne
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Meadowlark Elementary
Standard public school
453 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Saddle Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
333 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Freedom Elementary
Standard public school
323 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
Sunrise Elementary
Standard public school
315 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Dildine Elementary
Standard public school
298 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Henderson Elementary
Standard public school
244 students 12.2:1 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 (~299 students)
Frequently asked questions about Prairie Wind Elementary
How many students attend Prairie Wind Elementary?
Prairie Wind Elementary has 299 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Cheyenne, WY. CCD year-over-year: 469 (2022-23) → 443 (2023-24), down 26.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Prairie Wind Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Prairie Wind Elementary is 11.1:1, which is 3% lower than the Wyoming average of 11.4:1 and 29% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Prairie Wind Elementary?
8.5% of students at Prairie Wind Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wyoming average of 27.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Prairie Wind Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Prairie Wind Elementary is White at 82.9% of enrollment, in Cheyenne, WY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Prairie Wind Elementary?
Prairie Wind Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Prairie Wind Elementary rank among elementary schools in Cheyenne?
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Wind Elementary ranks #8 of 17 elementary schools in Cheyenne, WY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Cheyenne on the city page.
What other schools are in Laramie County School District #1?
Besides Prairie Wind Elementary, Laramie County School District #1 also operates East High School (1,566 students), Central High School (1,270 students), and South High School (1,112 students). See the Laramie County School District #1 district page for the complete list.