Enrollment
92
Louisiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lake Charles, LA
Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 220033001506
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 82
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 89% of Louisiana schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Louisiana.
- #1 of 4
- elementary schools in Lake Charles · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.5:1
- small classes for Louisiana
- 90.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 89% of Louisiana schools. Computed live against every Louisiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Lake Charles, LA.
School address
District: Calcasieu Parish · Louisiana
NCES ID 220033001506 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
8.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.5:1
vs 16.8:1 Louisiana avg
-32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
90.8%
vs 62.5% Louisiana avg
+45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School compares with Louisiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School
Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School is a high-poverty, small elementary school in Lake Charles, Louisiana, enrolling 92 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.5:1, Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School is leaner than roughly 89% of Louisiana schools and 32% under the state's 16.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 90.8% of students qualify for free meals, 45% above the Louisiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 97% of Louisiana schools, with 92 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,330 scored Louisiana schools.
Against 25 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #11.
Its student body is predominantly African American (96% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 8/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 92 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Calcasieu Parish spends $20,543 per pupil, 25% above the Louisiana average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Lake Charles's elementary schools, it stands alongside Combre-Fondel Elementary School (426 students): Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.5:1 vs 17.8:1).
Calcasieu Parish also operates Sulphur High School (1,911 students) and Alfred M. Barbe High School (1,908 students) alongside Ralph F. Wilson 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 Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School compares
Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Louisiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Louisiana | Louisiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.5:1 | ▼ 32% | 16.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 90.8% | ▲ 45% | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 92 | top 97% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.5:1
Leaner classes than 79% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
92
Bigger than 9% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
90.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% above the Louisiana average of 62.5%
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
11.5:1
students per teacher
- 32% below state mean
Top 11% in Louisiana - lower ratio than 89% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
25.0%
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
$20,543
per pupil, district-wide
- above Louisiana avg of $16,376
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 92 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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
African American 95.7%
Two or More 3.3%
Hispanic or Latino 1.1%
Largest group: African American at 95.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 8.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 8.3, Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School is less mixed than the Louisiana school average of 43.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Calcasieu Parish, which includes Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School.
$20,543
Per student
+25%
vs Louisiana
Avg $16,376
+24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.6%
State 27.7%
Federal 17.7%
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 Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sulphur High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Alfred M. Barbe High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sam Houston High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| S. J. Welsh Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Iowa High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,911
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,908
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,141
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,011
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 1,007
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Lake Charles
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Louisiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~92 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Calcasieu Parish'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 Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School
How many students attend Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School?
Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School has 92 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lake Charles, LA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School is 11.5:1, which is 32% lower than the Louisiana average of 16.8:1 and 27% 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 Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School?
90.8% of students at Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Louisiana average of 62.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School is African American at 95.7% of enrollment, in Lake Charles, LA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School?
Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher 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 Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Lake Charles?
By Resource Investment Index, Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Lake Charles, LA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Lake Charles on the city page.
Is Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School a good school?
Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 89% of Louisiana schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Louisiana. 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 Calcasieu Parish?
Besides Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School, Calcasieu Parish also operates Sulphur High School (1,911 students), Alfred M. Barbe High School (1,908 students), and Sam Houston High School (1,141 students). See the Calcasieu Parish 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.