Enrollment
550
Ohio · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Pataskala, OH
South Elementary
Federal NCES profile for South Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 390480003076
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 76% of Ohio schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Ohio schools.
- #2 of 5
- elementary schools in Pataskala · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.5:1
- small classes for Ohio
- 42.9%
- free-lunch eligible
South Elementary has class sizes smaller than 76% of Ohio schools. Computed live against every Ohio school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Elementary ranks #2 of 5 elementary schools in Pataskala, OH.
School address
District: Licking Heights Local · Ohio
NCES ID 390480003076 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.5:1
vs 18.2:1 Ohio avg
-20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.9%
vs 31.6% Ohio avg
+36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Elementary compares with Ohio and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Elementary
South Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Pataskala, Ohio, enrolling 550 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Ohio schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 42.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 550 puts it in the larger third of Ohio schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,574 scored Ohio schools.
Against 551 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #230.
Its student body is led by Asian (30%) and African American (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 550 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Licking Heights Local spends $10,512 per pupil, 28% below the Ohio average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Pataskala's elementary schools, it stands alongside Licking Heights Central Intermediate School (836 students): South Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.5:1 vs 19.4:1).
Licking Heights Local also operates Licking Heights High School (1,428 students) and Licking Heights Central Intermediate School (836 students) alongside South 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 South Elementary compares
South Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Ohio and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Ohio | Ohio avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.5:1 | ▼ 20% | 18.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.9% | ▲ 36% | 31.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 550 | top 26% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.5:1
Leaner classes than 52% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
550
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% above the Ohio average of 31.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.5:1
students per teacher
- 20% below state mean
Top 24% in Ohio - lower ratio than 76% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
24.0%
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
$10,512
per pupil, district-wide
- below Ohio avg of $14,655
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 550 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.7 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
Asian 30.0%
African American 28.4%
White 27.3%
Hispanic or Latino 7.8%
Two or More 6.5%
Largest group: Asian at 30.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.5, South Elementary is more mixed than the Ohio school average of 35.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Licking Heights Local, which includes South Elementary.
$10,512
Per student
-28%
vs Ohio
Avg $14,655
-37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.8%
State 32.0%
Federal 10.2%
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 South Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licking Heights High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Licking Heights Central Intermediate School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Licking Heights Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Licking Heights North Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,428
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 836
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 820
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 745
- Students per teacher
- 41.4:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 682
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar elementary schools in Pataskala
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Licking Heights Central Intermediate School
Standard public school
836 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
Watkins Intermediate School
Standard public school
801 students 25:1 students per teacher
Licking Heights North Elementary School
Standard public school
745 students 41.4:1 students per teacher
Pataskala Elementary School
Standard public school
457 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Ohio, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~550 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Elementary's federal record.
- Compare South Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Licking Heights Local'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 Elementary
How many students attend South Elementary?
South Elementary has 550 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Pataskala, OH.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at South Elementary is 14.5:1, which is 20% lower than the Ohio average of 18.2:1 and 8% 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 Elementary?
42.9% of students at South Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Ohio average of 31.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Elementary?
The largest demographic group at South Elementary is Asian at 30.0% of enrollment, in Pataskala, OH. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Elementary?
South Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 South Elementary rank among elementary schools in Pataskala?
By Resource Investment Index, South Elementary ranks #2 of 5 elementary schools in Pataskala, OH. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Pataskala on the city page.
Is South Elementary a good school?
South Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 76% of Ohio schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Ohio 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 Licking Heights Local?
Besides South Elementary, Licking Heights Local also operates Licking Heights High School (1,428 students), Licking Heights Central Intermediate School (836 students), and Licking Heights Middle School (820 students). See the Licking Heights Local 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.