Enrollment
554
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Herndon, KY
South Christian Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for South Christian Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 210115000233
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 32
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Christian Elementary School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.2:1
- students per teacher
- 54.7%
- free-lunch eligible
- 554
- students enrolled
South Christian Elementary School has class sizes near the Kentucky median. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Christian County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210115000233 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
54.7%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Christian Elementary School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Christian Elementary School
South Christian Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Herndon, Kentucky, enrolling 554 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 54.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 554 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 497 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #111.
Its student body is led by White (50%) and African American (21%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 277 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 20.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 136 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 554 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Christian County also operates Christian County High School (1,153 students) and Hopkinsville High School (961 students) alongside South Christian 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 South Christian Elementary School compares
South Christian 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 | 14.2:1 | ▼ 7% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 54.7% | ▼ 8% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 554 | top 31% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
554
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
54.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% below the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 38% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 62% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
27.1%
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
$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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 277 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
101
in-school suspensions + 35 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 18.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 24.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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 49.5%
African American 20.9%
Hispanic or Latino 16.8%
Two or More 9.4%
Asian 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
Largest group: White at 49.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.4, South Christian 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 South Christian 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 South Christian Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christian County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hopkinsville High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Christian County Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hopkinsville Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Indian Hills Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Christian 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 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 (~554 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Christian Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare South Christian 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 South Christian Elementary School
How many students attend South Christian Elementary School?
South Christian Elementary School has 554 students enrolled. It is a public school in Herndon, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Christian Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Christian Elementary School is 14.2:1, which is 7% lower than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 10% 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 South Christian Elementary School?
54.7% of students at South Christian Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Christian Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at South Christian Elementary School is White at 49.5% of enrollment, in Herndon, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Christian Elementary School?
South Christian Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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).
Is South Christian Elementary School a good school?
South Christian Elementary School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. 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 South Christian 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.