Enrollment
14
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Russell, KY
Russell Independent Alternative School
Federal NCES profile for Russell Independent Alternative School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 210513002514
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Russell Independent Alternative School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. It is also one of the smallest schools in Kentucky.
- #4 of 4
- public schools in Russell · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14:1
- students per teacher
- 72.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Russell Independent Alternative School has class sizes near the Kentucky median. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Russell Independent Alternative School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Russell, KY.
School address
District: Russell Independent · Kentucky
NCES ID 210513002514 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
1.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
72.7%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Russell Independent Alternative School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Russell Independent Alternative School
Russell Independent Alternative School is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Russell, Kentucky, enrolling 14 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14:1 puts it in the smaller third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 72.7% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 96% of Kentucky schools, with 14 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 21 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #15.
Its student body is predominantly White (93% of enrollment) (diversity index 13/100).
Its district draws 16.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 3 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 14 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Russell's public schools, it stands alongside Russell Primary School (494 students): Russell Independent Alternative School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14:1 vs 14.1:1).
Russell Independent also operates Russell High School (615 students) and Russell Primary School (494 students) alongside Russell Independent Alternative 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 Russell Independent Alternative School compares
Russell Independent Alternative School on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14:1 | ▼ 8% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.7% | ▲ 23% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 14 | top 96% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14:1
Leaner classes than 57% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
14
Bigger than 2% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
72.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% above the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 36% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 64% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Funding equity
$12,697
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kentucky avg of $13,211
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that 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 + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 21.4 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
White 92.9%
African American 7.1%
Largest group: White at 92.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 13.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 13.2, Russell Independent Alternative School is less mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Russell Independent, which includes Russell Independent Alternative School.
$12,697
Per student
-4%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.1%
State 54.7%
Federal 16.2%
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 Russell Independent Alternative School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Russell High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Russell Primary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Russell Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Russell-Mcdowell Intermediate School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Russell Independent Alternative School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 615
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 494
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 488
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 442
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar other schools in Russell
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kentucky, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~14 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Russell Independent Alternative School's federal record.
- Compare Russell Independent Alternative School against another school. Compare schools
- Russell Independent'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 Russell Independent Alternative School
How many students attend Russell Independent Alternative School?
Russell Independent Alternative School has 14 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Russell, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Russell Independent Alternative School?
The student-teacher ratio at Russell Independent Alternative School is 14:1, which is 8% lower than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 11% 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 Russell Independent Alternative School?
72.7% of students at Russell Independent Alternative School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Russell Independent Alternative School?
The largest demographic group at Russell Independent Alternative School is White at 92.9% of enrollment, in Russell, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Russell Independent Alternative School?
Russell Independent Alternative School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Russell Independent Alternative School rank among public schools in Russell?
By Resource Investment Index, Russell Independent Alternative School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Russell, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Russell on the city page.
Is Russell Independent Alternative School a good school?
Russell Independent Alternative School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. It is also one of the smallest schools in Kentucky. 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 Russell Independent?
Besides Russell Independent Alternative School, Russell Independent also operates Russell High School (615 students), Russell Primary School (494 students), and Russell Middle School (488 students). See the Russell Independent 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.