Enrollment
563
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Topeka, KS
Ross Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Ross Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 201226001447
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 24
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ross Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kansas median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kansas schools.
- #21 of 21
- schools in Topeka · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.4:1
- students per teacher
- 83.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Ross Elementary has class sizes near the Kansas median. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ross Elementary ranks #21 of 21 schools in Topeka, KS.
School address
District: Topeka Public Schools · Kansas
NCES ID 201226001447 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.4:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
83.2%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
+95% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ross Elementary compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ross Elementary
Ross Elementary is a high-poverty, large combined-grade school in Topeka, Kansas, enrolling 563 students.
At 13.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Kansas median, within a few percentage points of the 13.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 83.2% of students qualify for free meals, 95% above the Kansas average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 563 puts it in the larger third of Kansas schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 1,346 Kansas schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 80 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kansas schools statewide, it ranks #70, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (42%) and African American (21%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 563 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 148 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 563 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Topeka's public schools, it stands alongside Jardine Elementary (729 students): Ross Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.4:1 vs 13.5:1).
Topeka Public Schools also operates Topeka High (1,578 students) and Topeka West High (971 students) alongside Ross Elementary.
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 Ross Elementary compares
Ross Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.4:1 | ▼ 3% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 83.2% | ▲ 95% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 563 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
563
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
83.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 95% above the Kansas average of 42.7%
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
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 52% in Kansas - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
30.4%
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
$16,138
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kansas avg of $15,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 563 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
64
in-school suspensions + 84 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 26.3 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 41.6%
African American 20.8%
Two or More 17.8%
White 17.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 41.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.2, Ross Elementary is more mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Topeka Public Schools, which includes Ross Elementary.
$16,138
Per student
+4%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 13.8%
State 72.4%
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 Ross Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Topeka West High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Highland Park High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jardine Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jardine Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ross Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,578
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 971
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 835
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 729
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 508
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar other schools in Topeka
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Jardine Elementary
Standard public school
729 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Farley Elementary
Standard public school
596 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Logan Elementary
Standard public school
558 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Wanamaker Elem
Standard public school
475 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Williams Science and Fine Arts Magnet School
Standard public school
447 students 11.5:1 students per teacher
Shawnee Heights Elem
Standard public school
429 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~563 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ross Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Ross Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Topeka Public Schools'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 Ross Elementary
How many students attend Ross Elementary?
Ross Elementary has 563 students enrolled. It is a public school in Topeka, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ross Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Ross Elementary is 13.4:1, which is 3% lower than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 15% 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 Ross Elementary?
83.2% of students at Ross Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ross Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Ross Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 41.6% of enrollment, in Topeka, KS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ross Elementary?
Ross Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower 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 Ross Elementary rank among schools in Topeka?
By Resource Investment Index, Ross Elementary ranks #21 of 21 schools in Topeka, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Topeka on the city page.
Is Ross Elementary a good school?
Ross Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kansas median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kansas schools. 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 Topeka Public Schools?
Besides Ross Elementary, Topeka Public Schools also operates Topeka High (1,578 students), Topeka West High (971 students), and Highland Park High (835 students). See the Topeka Public Schools 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.