Enrollment
371
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Salem, VA
South Salem Elementary
Federal NCES profile for South Salem Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510346002048
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 67
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Salem Elementary earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% of Virginia schools.
- #3 of 6
- schools in Salem · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.4:1
- small classes for Virginia
- 36.1%
- free-lunch eligible
South Salem Elementary has class sizes smaller than 73% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Salem Elementary ranks #3 of 6 schools in Salem, VA.
School address
District: Salem City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510346002048 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.4:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.1%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Salem Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Salem Elementary
South Salem Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Salem, Virginia, enrolling 371 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 36.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 371 puts it in the smaller third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 132 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #36.
Its student body is led by White (76%) and Hispanic or Latino (10%) (diversity index 40/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 297 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
13.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Salem's public schools, it stands alongside G.W. Carver Elementary (404 students): South Salem Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.4:1 vs 12.6:1).
Salem City Public Schools also operates Salem High (1,202 students) and Andrew Lewis Middle (839 students) alongside South Salem 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 Salem Elementary compares
South Salem Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.4:1 | ▼ 11% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.1% | ▼ 37% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 371 | top 78% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.4:1
Leaner classes than 72% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
371
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% below the Virginia average of 57.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.4:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 27% in Virginia - lower ratio than 73% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
13.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$13,711
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.3 FTE
Per 297 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
13
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.7 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
White 76.0%
Hispanic or Latino 9.7%
African American 8.1%
Two or More 4.0%
Asian 2.2%
Largest group: White at 76.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.4, South Salem Elementary is less mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Salem City Public Schools, which includes South Salem Elementary.
$13,711
Per student
-6%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.9%
State 41.4%
Federal 13.7%
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 Salem Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salem High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Andrew Lewis Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| G.W. Carver Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Salem Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Salem Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Salem Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,202
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 839
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 404
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 378
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 375
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
Similar other schools in Salem
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
G.W. Carver Elementary
Standard public school
404 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
East Salem Elementary
Standard public school
378 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Glenvar Elementary
Standard public school
372 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Fort Lewis Elementary
Standard public school
250 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Mason's Cove Elementary
Standard public school
204 students 10.7:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~371 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Salem Elementary's federal record.
- Compare South Salem Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Salem City Public Schools'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 Salem Elementary
How many students attend South Salem Elementary?
South Salem Elementary has 371 students enrolled. It is a public school in Salem, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Salem Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at South Salem Elementary is 12.4:1, which is 11% lower than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 21% 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 Salem Elementary?
36.1% of students at South Salem Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Salem Elementary?
The largest demographic group at South Salem Elementary is White at 76.0% of enrollment, in Salem, VA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Salem Elementary?
South Salem Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (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 South Salem Elementary rank among schools in Salem?
By Resource Investment Index, South Salem Elementary ranks #3 of 6 schools in Salem, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Salem on the city page.
Is South Salem Elementary a good school?
South Salem Elementary earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% of Virginia 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 Salem City Public Schools?
Besides South Salem Elementary, Salem City Public Schools also operates Salem High (1,202 students), Andrew Lewis Middle (839 students), and G.W. Carver Elementary (404 students). See the Salem City Public Schools 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.