Enrollment
626
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Louisville, KY
Wheeler Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Wheeler Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 210299000699
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 79
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Wheeler Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Kentucky schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- #13 of 51
- elementary schools in Louisville · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.9:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 33.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Wheeler Elementary has class sizes larger than 84% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Wheeler Elementary ranks #13 of 51 elementary schools in Louisville, KY.
School address
District: Jefferson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210299000699 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.0%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-44% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Wheeler Elementary compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Wheeler Elementary
Wheeler Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Louisville, Kentucky, enrolling 626 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 33.0% free-meal eligibility runs 44% below the Kentucky average.
Enrollment of 626 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 183 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #101.
Its student body is led by White (42%) and African American (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 626 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 8.5% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
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): Wheeler Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.9:1 vs 17.3:1).
Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students) and Dupont Manual High (1,899 students) alongside Wheeler 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 Wheeler Elementary compares
Wheeler 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 | 17.9:1 | ▲ 18% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.0% | ▼ 44% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 626 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
626
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% below the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 84% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
8.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 626 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 42.0%
African American 27.6%
Hispanic or Latino 12.5%
Asian 10.4%
Two or More 7.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 42.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.6, Wheeler Elementary is more 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 Wheeler 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 Wheeler Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dupont Manual High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Marion C. Moore School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eastern High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pleasure Ridge Park High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Wheeler 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
Audubon Traditional Elementary
Standard public school
610 students 20.3:1 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 (~626 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Wheeler Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Wheeler 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 Wheeler Elementary
How many students attend Wheeler Elementary?
Wheeler Elementary has 626 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Louisville, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Wheeler Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Wheeler Elementary is 17.9:1, which is 18% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 14% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Wheeler Elementary?
33.0% of students at Wheeler Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Wheeler Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Wheeler Elementary is White at 42.0% of enrollment, in Louisville, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Wheeler Elementary?
Wheeler Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Wheeler Elementary rank among elementary schools in Louisville?
By Resource Investment Index, Wheeler Elementary ranks #13 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 Wheeler Elementary a good school?
Wheeler Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Kentucky schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Wheeler 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.