Enrollment
409
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Cynthiana, KY
Southside Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Southside Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 210258000554
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southside Elementary School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Kentucky schools.
- #5 of 5
- schools in Cynthiana · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 19.5:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 49.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Southside Elementary School has class sizes larger than 92% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southside Elementary School ranks #5 of 5 schools in Cynthiana, KY.
School address
District: Harrison County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210258000554 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.5:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
49.3%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southside Elementary School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southside Elementary School
Southside Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Cynthiana, Kentucky, enrolling 409 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.5:1 is larger than about 92% of Kentucky schools and 28% above the 15.2:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 49.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 409 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kentucky median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 375 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #73.
Its student body is predominantly White (86% of enrollment) (diversity index 25/100).
15.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 23.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Cynthiana's public schools, it stands alongside Eastside Elementary School (399 students): Southside Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.5:1 vs 16:1).
Harrison County also operates Harrison County High School (881 students) and Harrison County Middle School (617 students) alongside Southside 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 Southside Elementary School compares
Southside 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 | 19.5:1 | ▲ 28% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 49.3% | ▼ 17% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 409 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.5:1
Leaner classes than 18% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
409
Bigger than 49% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
49.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% 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
19.5:1
students per teacher
- 28% above state mean
Top 92% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
15.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,818
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 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 86.1%
Two or More 6.8%
Hispanic or Latino 4.9%
African American 2.0%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 86.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 25.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 25.1, Southside Elementary School is less mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Harrison County, which includes Southside Elementary School.
$11,818
Per student
-11%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.4%
State 54.6%
Federal 23.0%
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 Southside Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Harrison County Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eastside Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Westside Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Northside Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southside Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 881
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 617
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 399
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
- Enrollment
- 360
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
- Enrollment
- 292
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
Similar other schools in Cynthiana
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Eastside Elementary School
Standard public school
399 students 16:1 students per teacher
Westside Elementary School
Standard public school
360 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Northside Elementary School
Standard public school
292 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Harrison County Learning Center
Alternative education program
24 students 8:1 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 (~409 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southside Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Southside Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Harrison 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 Southside Elementary School
How many students attend Southside Elementary School?
Southside Elementary School has 409 students enrolled. It is a public school in Cynthiana, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southside Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southside Elementary School is 19.5:1, which is 28% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 24% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southside Elementary School?
49.3% of students at Southside Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southside Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Southside Elementary School is White at 86.1% of enrollment, in Cynthiana, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southside Elementary School?
Southside Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Southside Elementary School rank among schools in Cynthiana?
By Resource Investment Index, Southside Elementary School ranks #5 of 5 schools in Cynthiana, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Cynthiana on the city page.
Is Southside Elementary School a good school?
Southside Elementary School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of 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 Harrison County?
Besides Southside Elementary School, Harrison County also operates Harrison County High School (881 students), Harrison County Middle School (617 students), and Eastside Elementary School (399 students). See the Harrison 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.