Enrollment
323
Missouri · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Vandalia, MO
Van-Far Elem.
Federal NCES profile for Van-Far Elem., including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 293078002125
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 68
📋 Attendance 60
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Van-Far Elem. earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Missouri schools.
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14:1
- large classes for Missouri
- 47.5%
- free-lunch eligible
- 323
- students enrolled
Van-Far Elem. has class sizes larger than 70% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Van-Far R-I · Missouri
NCES ID 293078002125 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14:1
vs 12.8:1 Missouri avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
47.5%
vs 46.1% Missouri avg
+3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Van-Far Elem. compares with Missouri and U.S. medians
What stands out at Van-Far Elem.
Van-Far Elem. is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Vandalia, Missouri, enrolling 323 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14:1 puts it in the larger third of Missouri schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 47.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 323 students, its enrollment sits close to the Missouri median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,313 scored Missouri schools.
Against 434 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #168.
Its student body is predominantly White (82% of enrollment) (diversity index 31/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 162 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
16.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 16.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 118 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 323 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Its district, Van-Far R-I, also runs Van-Far Jr./Sr. High (248 students).
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 Van-Far Elem. compares
Van-Far Elem. on the metrics families compare, against Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14:1 | ▲ 9% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 47.5% | ▲ 3% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 323 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14:1
Leaner classes than 57% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
323
Bigger than 36% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
47.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% above the Missouri average of 46.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 70% in Missouri - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
16.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$10,795
per pupil, district-wide
- below Missouri avg of $12,931
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 162 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
71
in-school suspensions + 47 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 22.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 36.5 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 82.0%
Two or More 10.2%
African American 4.3%
Hispanic or Latino 3.4%
Largest group: White at 82.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 31.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 31.4, Van-Far Elem. is about as mixed as the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Van-Far R-I, which includes Van-Far Elem..
$10,795
Per student
-17%
vs Missouri
Avg $12,931
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 53.3%
State 29.8%
Federal 16.9%
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 Van-Far Elem. Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Van-Far Jr./Sr. High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Van-Far Elem.'s own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 248
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Missouri, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~323 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Van-Far Elem.'s federal record.
- Compare Van-Far Elem. against another school. Compare schools
- Van-Far R-I'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 Van-Far Elem.
How many students attend Van-Far Elem.?
Van-Far Elem. has 323 students enrolled. It is a public school in Vandalia, MO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Van-Far Elem.?
The student-teacher ratio at Van-Far Elem. is 14:1, which is 9% higher than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 11% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Van-Far Elem.?
47.5% of students at Van-Far Elem. are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Van-Far Elem.?
The largest demographic group at Van-Far Elem. is White at 82.0% of enrollment, in Vandalia, MO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Van-Far Elem.?
Van-Far Elem. has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (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).
Is Van-Far Elem. a good school?
Van-Far Elem. earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Missouri 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 Van-Far R-I?
Besides Van-Far Elem., Van-Far R-I also operates Van-Far Jr./Sr. High (248 students). See the Van-Far R-I 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.