Enrollment
290
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Louisville, KY
Shelby Academy
Federal NCES profile for Shelby Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 210299000780
👥 S:T ratio 60
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 71
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Shelby Academy earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 90% of Kentucky schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- #5 of 51
- elementary schools in Louisville · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10:1
- small classes for Kentucky
- 73.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Shelby Academy has class sizes smaller than 90% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Shelby Academy ranks #5 of 51 elementary schools in Louisville, KY.
School address
District: Jefferson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210299000780 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
-34% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
73.5%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Shelby Academy compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Shelby Academy
Shelby Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Louisville, Kentucky, enrolling 290 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10:1, Shelby Academy is leaner than roughly 90% of Kentucky schools and 34% under the state's 15.2:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 73.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 290 puts it in the smaller third of Kentucky schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 249 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #55.
Its student body is led by African American (60%) and White (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 145 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 50.3% 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 elementary schools, it stands alongside Fern Creek Elementary (744 students): Shelby Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10:1 vs 17.3:1).
Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students) and Dupont Manual High (1,899 students) alongside Shelby Academy.
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 Shelby Academy compares
Shelby Academy on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10:1 | ▼ 34% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 73.5% | ▲ 24% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 290 | top 71% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10:1
Leaner classes than 89% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
290
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
73.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% 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
10:1
students per teacher
- 34% below state mean
Top 10% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 90% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
50.3%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 145 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
15
in-school suspensions + 28 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 14.8 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 60.3%
White 24.1%
Hispanic or Latino 7.2%
Two or More 7.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 60.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.8, Shelby Academy 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 Shelby Academy.
$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 Shelby Academy 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 | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eastern High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pleasure Ridge Park High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Shelby Academy'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 elementary schools in Louisville
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Fern Creek Elementary
Standard public school
744 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Bowen Elementary
Standard public school
729 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Norton Elementary
Standard public school
716 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Goldsmith Elementary
Standard public school
651 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Indian Trail Elementary
Standard public school
649 students 18:1 students per teacher
Wheeler Elementary
Standard public school
626 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~290 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Shelby Academy's federal record.
- Compare Shelby Academy 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 Shelby Academy
How many students attend Shelby Academy?
Shelby Academy has 290 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Louisville, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Shelby Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Shelby Academy is 10:1, which is 34% lower than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 36% 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 Shelby Academy?
73.5% of students at Shelby Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Shelby Academy?
The largest demographic group at Shelby Academy is African American at 60.3% of enrollment, in Louisville, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Shelby Academy?
Shelby Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (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 Shelby Academy rank among elementary schools in Louisville?
By Resource Investment Index, Shelby Academy ranks #5 of 51 elementary 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 elementary schools in Louisville on the city page.
Is Shelby Academy a good school?
Shelby Academy earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 90% 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 Shelby Academy, 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.