Enrollment
300
Louisiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lake Charles, LA
T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School
Federal NCES profile for T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 220033000224
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Louisiana schools.
- #4 of 4
- elementary schools in Lake Charles · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.8:1
- large classes for Louisiana
- 18.3%
- free-lunch eligible
T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School has class sizes larger than 77% of Louisiana schools. Computed live against every Louisiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School ranks #4 of 4 elementary schools in Lake Charles, LA.
School address
District: Calcasieu Parish · Louisiana
NCES ID 220033000224 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.8:1
vs 16.8:1 Louisiana avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.3%
vs 62.5% Louisiana avg
-71% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School compares with Louisiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School
T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Lake Charles, Louisiana, enrolling 300 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Louisiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 18.3% free-meal eligibility runs 71% below the Louisiana average.
Enrollment of 300 puts it in the smaller third of Louisiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,330 scored Louisiana schools.
Among 20 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Louisiana schools statewide, it ranks #16, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and African American (14%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 300 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
The surrounding Calcasieu Parish spends $20,543 per pupil, 25% above the Louisiana average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Lake Charles's elementary schools, it stands alongside Combre-Fondel Elementary School (426 students): T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.8:1 vs 17.8:1).
Calcasieu Parish also operates Sulphur High School (1,911 students) and Alfred M. Barbe High School (1,908 students) alongside T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet 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 T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School compares
T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School on the metrics families compare, against Louisiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Louisiana | Louisiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.8:1 | ▲ 12% | 16.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.3% | ▼ 71% | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 300 | top 73% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.8:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
300
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 71% below the Louisiana average of 62.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.8:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 77% in Louisiana - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$20,543
per pupil, district-wide
- above Louisiana avg of $16,376
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 300 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 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 67.0%
African American 14.0%
Asian 7.3%
Two or More 6.0%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 67.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.0, T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School is more mixed than the Louisiana school average of 43.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Calcasieu Parish, which includes T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School.
$20,543
Per student
+25%
vs Louisiana
Avg $16,376
+24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.6%
State 27.7%
Federal 17.7%
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 T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sulphur High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Alfred M. Barbe High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sam Houston High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| S. J. Welsh Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Iowa High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,911
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,908
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,141
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,011
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 1,007
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Lake Charles
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Louisiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~300 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School's federal record.
- Compare T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School against another school. Compare schools
- Calcasieu Parish'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 T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School
How many students attend T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School?
T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School has 300 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lake Charles, LA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School?
The student-teacher ratio at T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School is 18.8:1, which is 12% higher than the Louisiana average of 16.8:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School?
18.3% of students at T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Louisiana average of 62.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School?
The largest demographic group at T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School is White at 67.0% of enrollment, in Lake Charles, LA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School?
T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School rank among elementary schools in Lake Charles?
By Resource Investment Index, T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School ranks #4 of 4 elementary schools in Lake Charles, LA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Lake Charles on the city page.
Is T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School a good school?
T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Louisiana 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 Calcasieu Parish?
Besides T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School, Calcasieu Parish also operates Sulphur High School (1,911 students), Alfred M. Barbe High School (1,908 students), and Sam Houston High School (1,141 students). See the Calcasieu Parish 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.