Enrollment
448
Wyoming · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Casper, WY
Verda James Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Verda James Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 560451000389
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 47
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Verda James Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Wyoming schools.
- #9 of 12
- elementary schools in Casper · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.9:1
- large classes for Wyoming
- 14.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Verda James Elementary has class sizes larger than 98% of Wyoming schools. Computed live against every Wyoming school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Verda James Elementary ranks #9 of 12 elementary schools in Casper, WY.
School address
District: Natrona County School District #1 · Wyoming
NCES ID 560451000389 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 11.4:1 Wyoming avg
+57% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
14.4%
vs 27.4% Wyoming avg
-47% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Verda James Elementary compares with Wyoming and U.S. medians
What stands out at Verda James Elementary
Verda James Elementary is a lower-poverty, large elementary school in Casper, Wyoming, enrolling 448 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.9:1 is larger than about 98% of Wyoming schools and 57% above the 11.4:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 14.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 448 puts it in the larger third of Wyoming schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 347 scored Wyoming schools.
Against 71 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #50.
Its student body is predominantly White (81% of enrollment) (diversity index 33/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 560 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Natrona County School District #1 spends $16,139 per pupil, 28% below the Wyoming average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Casper's elementary schools, it stands alongside Summit Elementary School (437 students): Verda James Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.9:1 vs 16.2:1).
Natrona County School District #1 also operates Kelly Walsh High School (2,002 students) and Natrona County High School (1,703 students) alongside Verda James 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 Verda James Elementary compares
Verda James Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Wyoming and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wyoming | Wyoming avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.9:1 | ▲ 57% | 11.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 14.4% | ▼ 47% | 27.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 448 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
448
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
14.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% below the Wyoming average of 27.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 57% above state mean
Top 98% in Wyoming - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
21.2%
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
$16,139
per pupil, district-wide
- below Wyoming avg of $22,313
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.8 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
38
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.4 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 80.6%
Hispanic or Latino 11.2%
Two or More 6.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
African American 0.4%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: White at 80.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 33.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 33.4, Verda James Elementary is about as mixed as the Wyoming school average of 33.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Natrona County School District #1, which includes Verda James Elementary.
$16,139
Per student
-28%
vs Wyoming
Avg $22,313
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.6%
State 64.3%
Federal 15.1%
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 Verda James Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kelly Walsh High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Natrona County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| C Y Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Centennial Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Dean Morgan Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Verda James Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,002
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,703
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 766
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 755
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 613
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Casper
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Summit Elementary School
Standard public school
437 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Paradise Valley Elementary
Standard public school
359 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Ft. Caspar Academy
Standard public school
356 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
Park Elementary
Standard public school
344 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Southridge Elementary
Standard public school
322 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Manor Heights Elementary
Standard public school
299 students 9.6:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Wyoming, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~448 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Verda James Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Verda James Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Natrona County School District #1'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 Verda James Elementary
How many students attend Verda James Elementary?
Verda James Elementary has 448 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Casper, WY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Verda James Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Verda James Elementary is 17.9:1, which is 57% higher than the Wyoming average of 11.4:1 and 14% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Verda James Elementary?
14.4% of students at Verda James Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wyoming average of 27.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Verda James Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Verda James Elementary is White at 80.6% of enrollment, in Casper, WY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Verda James Elementary?
Verda James Elementary 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 Verda James Elementary rank among elementary schools in Casper?
By Resource Investment Index, Verda James Elementary ranks #9 of 12 elementary schools in Casper, WY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Casper on the city page.
Is Verda James Elementary a good school?
Verda James Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Wyoming 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 Natrona County School District #1?
Besides Verda James Elementary, Natrona County School District #1 also operates Kelly Walsh High School (2,002 students), Natrona County High School (1,703 students), and C Y Middle School (766 students). See the Natrona County School District #1 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.