Enrollment
149
Oregon · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Salem, OR
Valley Inquiry Charter School
Federal NCES profile for Valley Inquiry Charter School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 411082001683Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 1
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 23
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Valley Inquiry Charter School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Oregon schools.
- #17 of 38
- elementary schools in Salem · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.8:1
- large classes for Oregon
- 59.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Valley Inquiry Charter School has class sizes larger than 94% of Oregon schools. Computed live against every Oregon school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Valley Inquiry Charter School ranks #17 of 38 elementary schools in Salem, OR.
School address
District: Salem-Keizer Sd 24j · Oregon
NCES ID 411082001683 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
6.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.8:1
vs 17.6:1 Oregon avg
+41% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.1%
vs 52.8% Oregon avg
+12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Valley Inquiry Charter School compares with Oregon and U.S. medians
What stands out at Valley Inquiry Charter School
Valley Inquiry Charter School is a higher-need, small charter elementary school in Salem, Oregon, enrolling 149 students.
Class loads run heavy: 24.8:1 is larger than about 94% of Oregon schools and 41% above the 17.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 59.1% lands close to the Oregon typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 149 puts it in the smaller third of Oregon schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,273 scored Oregon schools.
Against 63 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #45.
Its student body is led by White (48%) and Hispanic or Latino (35%) (diversity index 63/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Salem's elementary schools, it stands alongside Auburn Elementary School (592 students): Valley Inquiry Charter School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24.8:1 vs 19.1:1).
Salem-Keizer Sd 24j also operates Mckay High School (2,380 students) and South Salem High School (2,195 students) alongside Valley Inquiry Charter 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 Valley Inquiry Charter School compares
Valley Inquiry Charter School on the metrics families compare, against Oregon and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Oregon | Oregon avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24.8:1 | ▲ 41% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.1% | ▲ 12% | 52.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 149 | top 85% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.8:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
149
Bigger than 15% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% above the Oregon average of 52.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
24.8:1
students per teacher
- 41% above state mean
Top 94% in Oregon - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
30.9%
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
$15,528
per pupil, district-wide
- below Oregon avg of $18,086
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints 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 + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 48.3%
Hispanic or Latino 34.9%
Two or More 12.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.0%
African American 1.3%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: White at 48.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.8, Valley Inquiry Charter School is more mixed than the Oregon school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Salem-Keizer Sd 24j, which includes Valley Inquiry Charter School.
$15,528
Per student
-14%
vs Oregon
Avg $18,086
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.2%
State 61.3%
Federal 11.5%
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 Valley Inquiry Charter School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mckay High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Salem High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Salem High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mcnary High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sprague High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Valley Inquiry Charter School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,380
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 2,195
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 2,107
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,995
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,712
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar elementary schools in Salem
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Auburn Elementary School
Standard public school
592 students 19.1:1 students per teacher
Eyre Elementary School
Standard public school
538 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Harritt Elementary School
Standard public school
498 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Swegle Elementary School
Standard public school
496 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Pringle Elementary School
Standard public school
488 students 21.2:1 students per teacher
Kalapuya Elementary School
Standard public school
483 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Oregon, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~149 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Valley Inquiry Charter School's federal record.
- Compare Valley Inquiry Charter School against another school. Compare schools
- Salem-Keizer Sd 24j'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 Valley Inquiry Charter School
How many students attend Valley Inquiry Charter School?
Valley Inquiry Charter School has 149 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Salem, OR.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Valley Inquiry Charter School?
The student-teacher ratio at Valley Inquiry Charter School is 24.8:1, which is 41% higher than the Oregon average of 17.6:1 and 58% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Valley Inquiry Charter School?
59.1% of students at Valley Inquiry Charter School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Oregon average of 52.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Valley Inquiry Charter School?
The largest demographic group at Valley Inquiry Charter School is White at 48.3% of enrollment, in Salem, OR. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Valley Inquiry Charter School?
Valley Inquiry Charter School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower 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 Valley Inquiry Charter School rank among elementary schools in Salem?
By Resource Investment Index, Valley Inquiry Charter School ranks #17 of 38 elementary schools in Salem, OR. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Salem on the city page.
Is Valley Inquiry Charter School a good school?
Valley Inquiry Charter School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Oregon 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-Keizer Sd 24j?
Besides Valley Inquiry Charter School, Salem-Keizer Sd 24j also operates Mckay High School (2,380 students), South Salem High School (2,195 students), and North Salem High School (2,107 students). See the Salem-Keizer Sd 24j 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.