Enrollment
427
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Louisville, KY
Wheatley Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Wheatley Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 210299000731
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 57
📋 Attendance 21
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Wheatley Elementary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Kentucky schools.
- #10 of 51
- elementary schools in Louisville · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.1:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 83.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Wheatley Elementary has class sizes larger than 77% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Wheatley Elementary ranks #10 of 51 elementary schools in Louisville, KY.
School address
District: Jefferson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210299000731 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.1:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
83.6%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Wheatley Elementary compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Wheatley Elementary
Wheatley Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Louisville, Kentucky, enrolling 427 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 83.6% of students qualify for free meals, 41% above the Kentucky average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 427 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kentucky median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 195 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #54.
Its student body is predominantly African American (86% of enrollment) (diversity index 26/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 214 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data 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): Wheatley Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.1:1 vs 17.3:1).
Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students) and Dupont Manual High (1,899 students) alongside Wheatley 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 Wheatley Elementary compares
Wheatley 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 | 17.1:1 | ▲ 13% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 83.6% | ▲ 41% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 427 | top 51% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.1:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
427
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
83.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% above the Kentucky average of 59.2%
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
17.1:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 77% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
31.6%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 214 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
15
in-school suspensions + 31 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.8 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 85.9%
Two or More 5.4%
White 4.4%
Hispanic or Latino 3.7%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 85.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 25.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 25.6, Wheatley Elementary is less 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 Wheatley 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 Wheatley 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| Marion C. Moore School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eastern High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pleasure Ridge Park High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Wheatley 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 (~427 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Wheatley Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Wheatley 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 Wheatley Elementary
How many students attend Wheatley Elementary?
Wheatley Elementary has 427 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Louisville, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Wheatley Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Wheatley Elementary is 17.1:1, which is 13% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 9% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Wheatley Elementary?
83.6% of students at Wheatley Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Wheatley Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Wheatley Elementary is African American at 85.9% of enrollment, in Louisville, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Wheatley Elementary?
Wheatley Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Wheatley Elementary rank among elementary schools in Louisville?
By Resource Investment Index, Wheatley Elementary ranks #10 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 Wheatley Elementary a good school?
Wheatley Elementary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of 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 Wheatley 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.