Enrollment
454
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Louisville, KY
Watterson Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Watterson Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 210299000666
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Watterson Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- #31 of 51
- elementary schools in Louisville · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.2:1
- students per teacher
- 68.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Watterson Elementary has class sizes near the Kentucky median. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Watterson Elementary ranks #31 of 51 elementary schools in Louisville, KY.
School address
District: Jefferson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210299000666 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.0%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+15% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Watterson Elementary compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Watterson Elementary
Watterson Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Louisville, Kentucky, enrolling 454 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 68.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 454 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kentucky median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 474 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #277.
Its student body is led by African American (40%) and White (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 454 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Jefferson County spends $17,376 per pupil, 32% above the Kentucky average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 22.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Louisville's elementary schools, it stands alongside Fern Creek Elementary (744 students): Watterson Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.2:1 vs 17.3:1).
Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students) and Dupont Manual High (1,899 students) alongside Watterson 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 Watterson Elementary compares
Watterson Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.2:1 | ▼ 7% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.0% | ▲ 15% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 454 | top 46% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
454
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 15% above the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 38% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 62% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
24.7%
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
$17,376
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kentucky avg of $13,211
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 454 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
28
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.8 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
African American 39.9%
White 29.1%
Hispanic or Latino 19.4%
Two or More 6.4%
Asian 5.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 39.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.2, Watterson Elementary is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jefferson County, which includes Watterson Elementary.
$17,376
Per student
+32%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
+5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.8%
State 30.9%
Federal 22.3%
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 Watterson Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dupont Manual High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Marion C. Moore School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eastern High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pleasure Ridge Park High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Watterson Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,148
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,899
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,892
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,790
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,777
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar elementary schools in Louisville
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Fern Creek Elementary
Standard public school
744 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Bowen Elementary
Standard public school
729 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Norton Elementary
Standard public school
716 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Goldsmith Elementary
Standard public school
651 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Indian Trail Elementary
Standard public school
649 students 18:1 students per teacher
Wheeler Elementary
Standard public school
626 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kentucky, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~454 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Watterson Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Watterson Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Jefferson County'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 Watterson Elementary
How many students attend Watterson Elementary?
Watterson Elementary has 454 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Louisville, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Watterson Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Watterson Elementary is 14.2:1, which is 7% lower than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 10% 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 Watterson Elementary?
68.0% of students at Watterson Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Watterson Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Watterson Elementary is African American at 39.9% of enrollment, in Louisville, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Watterson Elementary?
Watterson Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Watterson Elementary rank among elementary schools in Louisville?
By Resource Investment Index, Watterson Elementary ranks #31 of 51 elementary schools in Louisville, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Louisville on the city page.
Is Watterson Elementary a good school?
Watterson Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky 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 Jefferson County?
Besides Watterson Elementary, Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students), Dupont Manual High (1,899 students), and Marion C. Moore School (1,892 students). See the Jefferson County 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.