Enrollment
398
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lawrence, KS
Sunset Hill Elem
Federal NCES profile for Sunset Hill Elem, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 200840001373
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 24
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sunset Hill Elem earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Kansas schools.
- #8 of 12
- elementary schools in Lawrence · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.1:1
- large classes for Kansas
- 36.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Sunset Hill Elem has class sizes larger than 93% of Kansas schools. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sunset Hill Elem ranks #8 of 12 elementary schools in Lawrence, KS.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.1:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
+31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.2%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
-15% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sunset Hill Elem compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sunset Hill Elem
Sunset Hill Elem is a mid-sized elementary school in Lawrence, Kansas, enrolling 398 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.1:1 is larger than about 93% of Kansas schools and 31% above the 13.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 36.2% lands close to the Kansas typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 398 puts it in the larger third of Kansas schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,346 scored Kansas schools.
Among 292 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kansas schools statewide, it ranks #265, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and Two or More (20%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 398 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Lawrence spends $12,091 per pupil, 22% below the Kansas average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Lawrence's elementary schools, it stands alongside Langston Hughes Elem (560 students): Sunset Hill Elem is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.1:1 vs 23.3:1).
Lawrence also operates Lawrence Free State High (1,774 students) and Lawrence High (1,454 students) alongside Sunset Hill Elem.
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 Sunset Hill Elem compares
Sunset Hill Elem on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.1:1 | ▲ 31% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.2% | ▼ 15% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 398 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
398
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 15% below the Kansas average of 42.7%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 31% above state mean
Top 93% in Kansas - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
30.4%
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
$12,091
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kansas avg of $15,487
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 398 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 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 60.1%
Two or More 20.4%
Hispanic or Latino 13.3%
African American 4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.8%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 60.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.7, Sunset Hill Elem is more mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lawrence, which includes Sunset Hill Elem.
$12,091
Per student
-22%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.8%
State 59.4%
Federal 6.8%
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 Sunset Hill Elem Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence Free State High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lawrence High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lawrence West Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lawrence Southwest Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Langston Hughes Elem | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sunset Hill Elem's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,774
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,454
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 648
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 641
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 560
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar elementary schools in Lawrence
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Langston Hughes Elem
Standard public school
560 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Sunflower Elementary
Standard public school
444 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Schwegler Elem
Standard public school
434 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
Deerfield Elem
Standard public school
433 students 16:1 students per teacher
Quail Run Elementary
Standard public school
421 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Hillcrest Elem
Standard public school
393 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~398 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sunset Hill Elem's federal record.
- Compare Sunset Hill Elem against another school. Compare schools
- Lawrence'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 Sunset Hill Elem
How many students attend Sunset Hill Elem?
Sunset Hill Elem has 398 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lawrence, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sunset Hill Elem?
The student-teacher ratio at Sunset Hill Elem is 18.1:1, which is 31% higher than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sunset Hill Elem?
36.2% of students at Sunset Hill Elem are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sunset Hill Elem?
The largest demographic group at Sunset Hill Elem is White at 60.1% of enrollment, in Lawrence, KS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sunset Hill Elem?
Sunset Hill Elem has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 Sunset Hill Elem rank among elementary schools in Lawrence?
By Resource Investment Index, Sunset Hill Elem ranks #8 of 12 elementary schools in Lawrence, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Lawrence on the city page.
Is Sunset Hill Elem a good school?
Sunset Hill Elem earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Kansas 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 Lawrence?
Besides Sunset Hill Elem, Lawrence also operates Lawrence Free State High (1,774 students), Lawrence High (1,454 students), and Lawrence West Middle School (648 students). See the Lawrence 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.