Enrollment
771
New York · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Buffalo, NY
West Hertel Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for West Hertel Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 20/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 360585000382
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Hertel Elementary School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New York median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New York schools.
- #47 of 49
- schools in Buffalo · Resource Index
- 20
- Resource Index · Lower
- 12.2:1
- students per teacher
- 92.4%
- free-lunch eligible
West Hertel Elementary School has class sizes near the New York median. Computed live against every New York school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Hertel Elementary School ranks #47 of 49 schools in Buffalo, NY.
School address
District: Buffalo City School District · New York
NCES ID 360585000382 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
63.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.2:1
vs 11.8:1 New York avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
92.4%
vs 56.2% New York avg
+64% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Hertel Elementary School compares with New York and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Hertel Elementary School
West Hertel Elementary School is a high-poverty, large combined-grade school in Buffalo, New York, enrolling 771 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 12.2:1 puts it in the larger third of New York schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 92.4% of students qualify for free meals, 64% above the New York average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 771 puts it in the larger third of New York schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 4,801 New York schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 432 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New York schools statewide, it ranks #358, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (45%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 771 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 72.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 26.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Buffalo City School District also operates Hutchinson Central Technical High School (1,140 students) and City Honors School (1,088 students) alongside West Hertel 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 Hertel Elementary School compares
West Hertel Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against New York and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New York | New York avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 92.4% | ▲ 64% | 56.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 771 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.2:1
Leaner classes than 74% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
771
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
92.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 64% above the New York average of 56.2%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 62% in New York - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
72.2%
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
$24,652
per pupil, district-wide
- below New York avg of $26,410
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 771 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 59 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.7 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
African American 45.1%
Hispanic or Latino 20.4%
Asian 19.5%
White 11.2%
Two or More 3.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 45.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.3, West Hertel Elementary School is more mixed than the New York school average of 45.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Buffalo City School District, which includes West Hertel Elementary School.
$24,652
Per student
-7%
vs New York
Avg $26,410
+49%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 10.8%
State 62.7%
Federal 26.5%
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 Hertel Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hutchinson Central Technical High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| City Honors School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| International School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Frederick Olmsted #156 | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mckinley Vocational High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Hertel Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,140
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,088
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 933
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 928
- Students per teacher
- 11.5:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 862
- Students per teacher
- 9:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New York, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~771 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Hertel Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare West Hertel Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Buffalo City 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 West Hertel Elementary School
How many students attend West Hertel Elementary School?
West Hertel Elementary School has 771 students enrolled. It is a public school in Buffalo, NY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Hertel Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Hertel Elementary School is 12.2:1, which is 3% higher than the New York average of 11.8:1 and 22% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Hertel Elementary School?
92.4% of students at West Hertel Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New York average of 56.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Hertel Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at West Hertel Elementary School is African American at 45.1% of enrollment, in Buffalo, NY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Hertel Elementary School?
West Hertel Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 20/100 (lower 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 Hertel Elementary School rank among schools in Buffalo?
By Resource Investment Index, West Hertel Elementary School ranks #47 of 49 schools in Buffalo, NY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Buffalo on the city page.
Is West Hertel Elementary School a good school?
West Hertel Elementary School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New York median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New York 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 Buffalo City School District?
Besides West Hertel Elementary School, Buffalo City School District also operates Hutchinson Central Technical High School (1,140 students), City Honors School (1,088 students), and International School (933 students). See the Buffalo City 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.