Enrollment
312
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Emporia, KS
Walnut Elem
Federal NCES profile for Walnut Elem, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 200594000223
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 38
📋 Attendance 6
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Walnut Elem earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Kansas schools.
- #4 of 6
- schools in Emporia · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.9:1
- large classes for Kansas
- 46.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Walnut Elem has class sizes larger than 72% of Kansas schools. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Walnut Elem ranks #4 of 6 schools in Emporia, KS.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.9%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
+10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Walnut Elem compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Walnut Elem
Walnut Elem is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Emporia, Kansas, enrolling 312 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Kansas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 46.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 312 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kansas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,346 scored Kansas schools.
Among 289 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kansas schools statewide, it ranks #246, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (55%) and Hispanic or Latino (36%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 312 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Emporia's public schools, it stands alongside Village Elem (401 students): Walnut Elem is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.9:1 vs 15.4:1).
Emporia also operates Emporia High (1,494 students) and Emporia Middle School (843 students) alongside Walnut Elem.
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 Walnut Elem compares
Walnut Elem on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.9:1 | ▲ 8% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.9% | ▲ 10% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 312 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
312
Bigger than 34% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% above the Kansas average of 42.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 72% in Kansas - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
37.8%
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
$15,415
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kansas avg of $15,487
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 312 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
16
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.7 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 55.4%
Hispanic or Latino 36.2%
Two or More 4.5%
African American 3.8%
Largest group: White at 55.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.9, Walnut Elem is more mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Emporia, which includes Walnut Elem.
$15,415
Per student
0%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.0%
State 64.8%
Federal 9.2%
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 Walnut Elem Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emporia High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Emporia Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Village Elem | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Riverside Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Timmerman Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Walnut Elem's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,494
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 843
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 401
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 385
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 370
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
Similar other schools in Emporia
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Village Elem
Standard public school
401 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Riverside Elementary
Standard public school
385 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Timmerman Elementary
Standard public school
370 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
W a White Elem
Standard public school
248 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Logan Ave Elem
Standard public school
208 students 10.9:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~312 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Walnut Elem's federal record.
- Compare Walnut Elem against another school. Compare schools
- Emporia'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 Walnut Elem
How many students attend Walnut Elem?
Walnut Elem has 312 students enrolled. It is a public school in Emporia, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Walnut Elem?
The student-teacher ratio at Walnut Elem is 14.9:1, which is 8% higher than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 5% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Walnut Elem?
46.9% of students at Walnut Elem are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Walnut Elem?
The largest demographic group at Walnut Elem is White at 55.4% of enrollment, in Emporia, KS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Walnut Elem?
Walnut Elem has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Walnut Elem rank among schools in Emporia?
By Resource Investment Index, Walnut Elem ranks #4 of 6 schools in Emporia, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Emporia on the city page.
Is Walnut Elem a good school?
Walnut Elem earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Kansas 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 Emporia?
Besides Walnut Elem, Emporia also operates Emporia High (1,494 students), Emporia Middle School (843 students), and Village Elem (401 students). See the Emporia 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.