Enrollment
419
Nevada · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sparks, NV
Virginia Palmer Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Virginia Palmer Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 320048000324
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 16
📋 Attendance 60
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Virginia Palmer Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% of Nevada schools.
- #12 of 16
- schools in Sparks · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.5:1
- small classes for Nevada
- 97.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Virginia Palmer Elementary has class sizes smaller than 73% of Nevada schools. Computed live against every Nevada school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Virginia Palmer Elementary ranks #12 of 16 schools in Sparks, NV.
School address
District: Washoe County School District · Nevada
NCES ID 320048000324 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 20.5:1 Nevada avg
-24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
97.0%
vs 76.8% Nevada avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Virginia Palmer Elementary compares with Nevada and U.S. medians
What stands out at Virginia Palmer Elementary
Virginia Palmer Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Sparks, Nevada, enrolling 419 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Nevada schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 97.0% lands close to the Nevada typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 419 students, its enrollment sits close to the Nevada median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 733 scored Nevada schools.
Against 192 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #38.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (72%) and White (21%) (diversity index 43/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 419 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
16.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
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): Virginia Palmer Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.5:1 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 Virginia Palmer 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 Virginia Palmer Elementary compares
Virginia Palmer 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 | 15.5:1 | ▼ 24% | 20.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 97.0% | ▲ 26% | 76.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 419 | top 61% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
419
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
97.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% above the Nevada average of 76.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 24% below state mean
Top 27% in Nevada - lower ratio than 73% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
16.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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 419 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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
Hispanic or Latino 72.3%
White 20.5%
Two or More 2.4%
African American 1.4%
Asian 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 72.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.4, Virginia Palmer Elementary is less mixed than the Nevada school average of 56.4.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Washoe County School District, which includes Virginia Palmer 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 Virginia Palmer Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Valleys High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spanish Springs High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Edward C. Reed High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Procter R. Hug High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Reno High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Virginia Palmer 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 (~419 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Virginia Palmer Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Virginia Palmer 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 Virginia Palmer Elementary
How many students attend Virginia Palmer Elementary?
Virginia Palmer Elementary has 419 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sparks, NV.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Virginia Palmer Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Virginia Palmer Elementary is 15.5:1, which is 24% lower than the Nevada average of 20.5:1 and 1% lower 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 Virginia Palmer Elementary?
97.0% of students at Virginia Palmer Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nevada average of 76.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Virginia Palmer Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Virginia Palmer Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 72.3% of enrollment, in Sparks, NV.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Virginia Palmer Elementary?
Virginia Palmer 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 Virginia Palmer Elementary rank among schools in Sparks?
By Resource Investment Index, Virginia Palmer Elementary ranks #12 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 Virginia Palmer Elementary a good school?
Virginia Palmer Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% of Nevada 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 Washoe County School District?
Besides Virginia Palmer 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.