Enrollment
238
Nebraska · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sidney, NE
West Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for West Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 317671000076
👥 S:T ratio 27
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 52
📋 Attendance 48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Elementary School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Nebraska schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Sidney · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 18.3:1
- large classes for Nebraska
- 40.2%
- free-lunch eligible
West Elementary School has class sizes larger than 92% of Nebraska schools. Computed live against every Nebraska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Sidney, NE.
School address
District: Sidney Public Schools · Nebraska
NCES ID 317671000076 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.3:1
vs 13.5:1 Nebraska avg
+36% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.2%
vs 30.9% Nebraska avg
+30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Elementary School compares with Nebraska and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Elementary School
West Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Sidney, Nebraska, enrolling 238 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.3:1 is larger than about 92% of Nebraska schools and 36% above the 13.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 40.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 238 students, its enrollment sits close to the Nebraska median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,003 scored Nebraska schools.
Against 168 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #107.
Its student body is predominantly White (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 24/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 238 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Sidney Public Schools spends $12,601 per pupil, 29% below the Nebraska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Sidney Public Schools also operates Sidney High School (329 students) and South Ward Elementary School (261 students) alongside West Elementary School.
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 Elementary School compares
West Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Nebraska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nebraska | Nebraska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.3:1 | ▲ 36% | 13.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.2% | ▲ 30% | 30.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 238 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.3:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
238
Bigger than 24% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% above the Nebraska average of 30.9%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.3:1
students per teacher
- 36% above state mean
Top 92% in Nebraska - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
21.0%
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
$12,601
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nebraska avg of $17,680
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 238 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.4 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 86.6%
Hispanic or Latino 9.2%
African American 1.7%
Asian 1.3%
Two or More 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 86.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 24.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 24.1, West Elementary School is less mixed than the Nebraska school average of 34.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sidney Public Schools, which includes West Elementary School.
$12,601
Per student
-29%
vs Nebraska
Avg $17,680
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 53.2%
State 35.4%
Federal 11.4%
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 Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sidney High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Ward Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Ward Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sidney Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 329
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 261
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 223
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 186
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 152
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Nebraska, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~238 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare West Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Sidney Public Schools'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 Elementary School
How many students attend West Elementary School?
West Elementary School has 238 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sidney, NE.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Elementary School is 18.3:1, which is 36% higher than the Nebraska average of 13.5:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Elementary School?
40.2% of students at West Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nebraska average of 30.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at West Elementary School is White at 86.6% of enrollment, in Sidney, NE.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Elementary School?
West Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher 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 Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Sidney?
By Resource Investment Index, West Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Sidney, NE. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Sidney on the city page.
Is West Elementary School a good school?
West Elementary School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Nebraska 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 Sidney Public Schools?
Besides West Elementary School, Sidney Public Schools also operates Sidney High School (329 students), South Ward Elementary School (261 students), and Central Elementary School (223 students). See the Sidney Public Schools 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.