Enrollment
649
Nevada · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sparks, NV
Van Gorder Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Van Gorder Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 320048000523
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 80
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Van Gorder Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nevada median.
- #3 of 16
- schools in Sparks · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.5:1
- students per teacher
- 14.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Van Gorder Elementary has class sizes near the Nevada median. Computed live against every Nevada school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Van Gorder Elementary ranks #3 of 16 schools in Sparks, NV.
School address
District: Washoe County School District · Nevada
NCES ID 320048000523 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.5:1
vs 20.5:1 Nevada avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
14.6%
vs 76.8% Nevada avg
-81% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Van Gorder Elementary compares with Nevada and U.S. medians
What stands out at Van Gorder Elementary
Van Gorder Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Sparks, Nevada, enrolling 649 students.
At 18.5:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Nevada median, within a few percentage points of the 20.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 14.6% free-meal eligibility runs 81% below the Nevada average.
Enrollment of 649 puts it in the larger third of Nevada schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 733 scored Nevada schools.
Against 39 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #14.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and Hispanic or Latino (24%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 649 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 8.2% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Washoe County School District spends $10,957 per pupil, 33% below the Nevada average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Sparks's public schools, it stands alongside Hillside Elementary School (37 students): Van Gorder Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.5:1 vs 12.3:1).
Washoe County School District also operates North Valleys High School (2,307 students) and Spanish Springs High School (2,131 students) alongside Van Gorder Elementary.
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 Gorder Elementary compares
Van Gorder Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Nevada and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nevada | Nevada avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.5:1 | ▼ 10% | 20.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 14.6% | ▼ 81% | 76.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 649 | top 32% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.5:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
649
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
14.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 81% below the Nevada average of 76.8%
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
18.5:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 52% in Nevada - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
8.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$10,957
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nevada avg of $16,454
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 649 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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 61.8%
Hispanic or Latino 23.9%
Two or More 6.8%
African American 3.1%
Asian 3.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 61.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.4, Van Gorder Elementary is about as mixed as the Nevada school average of 56.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Washoe County School District, which includes Van Gorder Elementary.
$10,957
Per student
-33%
vs Nevada
Avg $16,454
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.8%
State 68.2%
Federal 12.0%
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 Van Gorder Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Valleys High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spanish Springs High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Edward C. Reed High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Procter R. Hug High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Reno High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Van Gorder Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,307
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,131
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 2,092
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,008
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,741
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar other schools in Sparks
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Nevada, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~649 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Van Gorder Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Van Gorder Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Washoe County School District'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 Gorder Elementary
How many students attend Van Gorder Elementary?
Van Gorder Elementary has 649 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sparks, NV.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Van Gorder Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Van Gorder Elementary is 18.5:1, which is 10% lower than the Nevada average of 20.5:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Van Gorder Elementary?
14.6% of students at Van Gorder Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nevada average of 76.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Van Gorder Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Van Gorder Elementary is White at 61.8% of enrollment, in Sparks, NV. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Van Gorder Elementary?
Van Gorder Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Van Gorder Elementary rank among schools in Sparks?
By Resource Investment Index, Van Gorder Elementary ranks #3 of 16 schools in Sparks, NV. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Sparks on the city page.
Is Van Gorder Elementary a good school?
Van Gorder Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nevada median. 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 Washoe County School District?
Besides Van Gorder Elementary, Washoe County School District also operates North Valleys High School (2,307 students), Spanish Springs High School (2,131 students), and Edward C. Reed High School (2,092 students). See the Washoe County School District 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.