Enrollment
430
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hopkinsville, KY
Sinking Fork Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Sinking Fork Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 210115000232
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 14
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sinking Fork Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Kentucky schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- #5 of 10
- schools in Hopkinsville · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.9:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 65.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Sinking Fork Elementary School has class sizes larger than 84% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sinking Fork Elementary School ranks #5 of 10 schools in Hopkinsville, KY.
School address
District: Christian County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210115000232 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.0%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sinking Fork Elementary School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sinking Fork Elementary School
Sinking Fork Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, enrolling 430 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 65.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 430 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kentucky median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 487 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #214.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and African American (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 430 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 20.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Hopkinsville's public schools, it stands alongside Indian Hills Elementary School (674 students): Sinking Fork Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.9:1 vs 20.4:1).
Christian County also operates Christian County High School (1,153 students) and Hopkinsville High School (961 students) alongside Sinking Fork 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 Sinking Fork Elementary School compares
Sinking Fork Elementary 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 | 17.9:1 | ▲ 18% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.0% | ▲ 10% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 430 | top 51% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
430
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% 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
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 84% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
15.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,697
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 430 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
41
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.3 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
White 52.8%
African American 30.5%
Two or More 9.1%
Hispanic or Latino 7.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: White at 52.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.5, Sinking Fork Elementary School is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Christian County, which includes Sinking Fork Elementary School.
$11,697
Per student
-11%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.9%
State 56.5%
Federal 20.5%
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 Sinking Fork Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christian County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hopkinsville High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Christian County Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hopkinsville Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Indian Hills Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sinking Fork Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,153
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 961
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 845
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 741
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 674
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar other schools in Hopkinsville
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Indian Hills Elementary School
Standard public school
674 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Millbrooke Elementary School
Standard public school
610 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School
Standard public school
580 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Freedom Elementary School
Standard public school
504 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Christian County Public Schools Vla
Alternative education program
283 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Bluegrass Learning Academy
Alternative education program
130 students 32.5:1 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 (~430 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sinking Fork Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Sinking Fork Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Christian 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 Sinking Fork Elementary School
How many students attend Sinking Fork Elementary School?
Sinking Fork Elementary School has 430 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hopkinsville, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sinking Fork Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sinking Fork Elementary School is 17.9:1, which is 18% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 14% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sinking Fork Elementary School?
65.0% of students at Sinking Fork Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sinking Fork Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Sinking Fork Elementary School is White at 52.8% of enrollment, in Hopkinsville, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sinking Fork Elementary School?
Sinking Fork Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Sinking Fork Elementary School rank among schools in Hopkinsville?
By Resource Investment Index, Sinking Fork Elementary School ranks #5 of 10 schools in Hopkinsville, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hopkinsville on the city page.
Is Sinking Fork Elementary School a good school?
Sinking Fork Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% 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 Christian County?
Besides Sinking Fork Elementary School, Christian County also operates Christian County High School (1,153 students), Hopkinsville High School (961 students), and Christian County Middle School (845 students). See the Christian 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.