Enrollment
215
Nebraska · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbus, NE
West Park Elementary
Federal NCES profile for West Park Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 310534000170
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 57
📋 Attendance 62
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Park Elementary earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Nebraska schools.
- #2 of 7
- schools in Columbus · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.5:1
- large classes for Nebraska
- 38.5%
- free-lunch eligible
West Park Elementary has class sizes larger than 84% of Nebraska schools. Computed live against every Nebraska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Park Elementary ranks #2 of 7 schools in Columbus, NE.
School address
District: Columbus Public Schools · Nebraska
NCES ID 310534000170 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.5:1
vs 13.5:1 Nebraska avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.5%
vs 30.9% Nebraska avg
+25% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Park Elementary compares with Nebraska and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Park Elementary
West Park Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Columbus, Nebraska, enrolling 215 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Nebraska schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 38.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 215 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 167 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #71.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (55%) and White (41%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 215 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
15.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Columbus Public Schools spends $12,223 per pupil, 31% below the Nebraska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Columbus Public Schools also operates Columbus High School (1,337 students) and Columbus Middle School (1,166 students) alongside West Park 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 West Park Elementary compares
West Park Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Nebraska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nebraska | Nebraska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.5:1 | ▲ 22% | 13.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.5% | ▲ 25% | 30.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 215 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.5:1
Leaner classes than 34% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
215
Bigger than 21% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% above the Nebraska average of 30.9%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.5:1
students per teacher
- 22% above state mean
Top 84% in Nebraska - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
15.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,223
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 215 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 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
Hispanic or Latino 55.3%
White 40.9%
African American 1.9%
Two or More 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 55.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.6, West Park Elementary is more mixed than the Nebraska school average of 34.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Columbus Public Schools, which includes West Park Elementary.
$12,223
Per student
-31%
vs Nebraska
Avg $17,680
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.5%
State 38.1%
Federal 10.3%
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 West Park Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Columbus Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Centennial Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lost Creek Elementary Sch | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Park Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Park Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,337
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,166
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 353
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 318
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 304
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar other 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 (~215 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Park Elementary's federal record.
- Compare West Park Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Columbus 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 Park Elementary
How many students attend West Park Elementary?
West Park Elementary has 215 students enrolled. It is a public school in Columbus, NE.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Park Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at West Park Elementary is 16.5:1, which is 22% higher than the Nebraska average of 13.5:1 and 5% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Park Elementary?
38.5% of students at West Park Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nebraska average of 30.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Park Elementary?
The largest demographic group at West Park Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 55.3% of enrollment, in Columbus, NE. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Park Elementary?
West Park Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (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 Park Elementary rank among schools in Columbus?
By Resource Investment Index, West Park Elementary ranks #2 of 7 schools in Columbus, NE. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Columbus on the city page.
Is West Park Elementary a good school?
West Park Elementary earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% 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 Columbus Public Schools?
Besides West Park Elementary, Columbus Public Schools also operates Columbus High School (1,337 students), Columbus Middle School (1,166 students), and Centennial Elementary School (353 students). See the Columbus 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.