Enrollment
476
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Louisville, KY
Rutherford Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Rutherford Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 210299000775
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 5
📋 Attendance 33
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rutherford Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Kentucky schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- #57 of 68
- schools in Louisville · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.4:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 71.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Rutherford Elementary has class sizes larger than 70% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Rutherford Elementary ranks #57 of 68 schools in Louisville, KY.
School address
District: Jefferson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210299000775 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.4:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
71.2%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Rutherford Elementary compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Rutherford Elementary
Rutherford Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Louisville, Kentucky, enrolling 476 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 71.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 476 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kentucky median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Among 440 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kentucky schools statewide, it ranks #341, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (42%) and Hispanic or Latino (33%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 476 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Jefferson County spends $17,376 per pupil, 32% above the Kentucky average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 22.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Louisville's public schools, it stands alongside Marion C. Moore School (1,892 students): Rutherford Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.4:1 vs 14.9:1).
Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students) and Dupont Manual High (1,899 students) alongside Rutherford 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 Rutherford Elementary compares
Rutherford Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.4:1 | ▲ 8% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.2% | ▲ 20% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 476 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.4:1
Leaner classes than 35% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
476
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
71.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% 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
16.4:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 70% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
26.9%
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
$17,376
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kentucky avg of $13,211
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 476 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.1 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
African American 42.4%
Hispanic or Latino 32.8%
White 12.6%
Asian 7.8%
Two or More 3.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.1%
Largest group: African American at 42.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.9, Rutherford Elementary is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jefferson County, which includes Rutherford Elementary.
$17,376
Per student
+32%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
+5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.8%
State 30.9%
Federal 22.3%
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 Rutherford Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dupont Manual High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Marion C. Moore School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eastern High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pleasure Ridge Park High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rutherford Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,148
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,899
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,892
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,790
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,777
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar other schools in Louisville
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Marion C. Moore School
Standard public school
1,892 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
The Academy @ Shawnee
Standard public school
1,051 students 26.3:1 students per teacher
Pathfinder School of Innovation
Alternative education program
918 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
J. Graham Brown School
Standard public school
800 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Tully Elementary
Standard public school
791 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Stopher Elementary
Standard public school
781 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
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 (~476 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Rutherford Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Rutherford Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Jefferson County'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 Rutherford Elementary
How many students attend Rutherford Elementary?
Rutherford Elementary has 476 students enrolled. It is a public school in Louisville, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rutherford Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Rutherford Elementary is 16.4:1, which is 8% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 4% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Rutherford Elementary?
71.2% of students at Rutherford Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rutherford Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Rutherford Elementary is African American at 42.4% of enrollment, in Louisville, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rutherford Elementary?
Rutherford Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical 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 Rutherford Elementary rank among schools in Louisville?
By Resource Investment Index, Rutherford Elementary ranks #57 of 68 schools in Louisville, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Louisville on the city page.
Is Rutherford Elementary a good school?
Rutherford Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Kentucky schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky 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 Jefferson County?
Besides Rutherford Elementary, Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students), Dupont Manual High (1,899 students), and Marion C. Moore School (1,892 students). See the Jefferson County 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.