Enrollment
374
Ohio · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Salem, OH
West Branch Early Learning Center
Federal NCES profile for West Branch Early Learning Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 390483803233
👥 S:T ratio 29
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 25
📋 Attendance 52
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Branch Early Learning Center earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Ohio median.
- #1 of 4
- elementary schools in Salem · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.8:1
- students per teacher
- 31.6%
- free-lunch eligible
West Branch Early Learning Center has class sizes near the Ohio median. Computed live against every Ohio school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Branch Early Learning Center ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Salem, OH.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.8:1
vs 18.2:1 Ohio avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
31.6%
vs 31.6% Ohio avg
+0% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Branch Early Learning Center compares with Ohio and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Branch Early Learning Center
West Branch Early Learning Center is a mid-sized elementary school in Salem, Ohio, enrolling 374 students.
At 17.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Ohio median, within a few percentage points of the 18.2:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 31.6% lands close to the Ohio typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 374 students, its enrollment sits close to the Ohio median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,574 scored Ohio schools.
Among 673 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Ohio schools statewide, it ranks #505, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (92% of enrollment) (diversity index 15/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 374 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 15.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Salem's elementary schools, it stands alongside Buckeye Elementary School (418 students): West Branch Early Learning Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.8:1 vs 22:1).
West Branch Local also operates West Branch High School (634 students) and West Branch Middle School (627 students) alongside West Branch Early Learning Center.
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 West Branch Early Learning Center compares
West Branch Early Learning Center on the metrics families compare, against Ohio and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Ohio | Ohio avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.8:1 | ▼ 2% | 18.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 31.6% | ▼ 0% | 31.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 374 | top 53% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.8:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
374
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
31.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 0% above the Ohio average of 31.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.8:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 55% in Ohio - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
19.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,047
per pupil, district-wide
- below Ohio avg of $14,655
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 374 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 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 92.0%
Hispanic or Latino 3.2%
Two or More 3.2%
African American 0.8%
Asian 0.8%
Largest group: White at 92.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 15.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 15.1, West Branch Early Learning Center is less mixed than the Ohio school average of 35.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Branch Local, which includes West Branch Early Learning Center.
$12,047
Per student
-18%
vs Ohio
Avg $14,655
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.2%
State 53.2%
Federal 15.7%
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 West Branch Early Learning Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Branch High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Branch Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Branch Intermediate School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Branch Preschool | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Branch Digital Academy | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Branch Early Learning Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 634
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 627
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 252
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 90
- Students per teacher
- 30:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 10
- Students per teacher
- 5:1
- Resource Index
- 69/100
Similar elementary schools in Salem
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Ohio, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~374 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Branch Early Learning Center's federal record.
- Compare West Branch Early Learning Center against another school. Compare schools
- West Branch Local'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 West Branch Early Learning Center
How many students attend West Branch Early Learning Center?
West Branch Early Learning Center has 374 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Salem, OH.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Branch Early Learning Center?
The student-teacher ratio at West Branch Early Learning Center is 17.8:1, which is 2% lower than the Ohio average of 18.2:1 and 13% 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 West Branch Early Learning Center?
31.6% of students at West Branch Early Learning Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Ohio average of 31.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Branch Early Learning Center?
The largest demographic group at West Branch Early Learning Center is White at 92.0% of enrollment, in Salem, OH.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Branch Early Learning Center?
West Branch Early Learning Center has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 West Branch Early Learning Center rank among elementary schools in Salem?
By Resource Investment Index, West Branch Early Learning Center ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Salem, OH. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Salem on the city page.
Is West Branch Early Learning Center a good school?
West Branch Early Learning Center earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Ohio 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 West Branch Local?
Besides West Branch Early Learning Center, West Branch Local also operates West Branch High School (634 students), West Branch Middle School (627 students), and West Branch Intermediate School (252 students). See the West Branch Local 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.