Enrollment
675
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Independence, KY
White's Tower Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for White's Tower Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 61/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 210309000824
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 83
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
White's Tower Elementary School earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Kentucky schools.
- #1 of 4
- schools in Independence · Resource Index
- 61
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.3:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 37.4%
- free-lunch eligible
White's Tower Elementary School has class sizes larger than 79% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, White's Tower Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 schools in Independence, KY.
School address
District: Kenton County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210309000824 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.3:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
37.4%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How White's Tower Elementary School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at White's Tower Elementary School
White's Tower Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Independence, Kentucky, enrolling 675 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 37.4% free-meal eligibility runs 37% below the Kentucky average.
Enrollment of 675 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 93% of the 1,389 Kentucky schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 234 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kentucky schools statewide, it ranks #2, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 24/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.0% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Independence's public schools, it stands alongside Summit View Academy (1,324 students): White's Tower Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.3:1 vs 16:1).
Kenton County also operates Simon Kenton High School (1,893 students) and Dixie Heights High School (1,499 students) alongside White's Tower 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 White's Tower Elementary School compares
White's Tower Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.3:1 | ▲ 14% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.4% | ▼ 37% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 675 | top 18% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.3:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
675
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
37.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% 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
17.3:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 79% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
7.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$10,968
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kentucky avg of $13,211
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.4 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 87.0%
Two or More 7.7%
African American 2.4%
Hispanic or Latino 2.4%
Asian 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 87.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 23.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 23.6, White's Tower Elementary School is less mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Kenton County, which includes White's Tower Elementary School.
$10,968
Per student
-17%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.2%
State 46.0%
Federal 11.8%
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 White's Tower Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simon Kenton High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dixie Heights High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Summit View Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Scott High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Turkey Foot Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to White's Tower Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,893
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,499
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,324
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,017
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,006
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar other schools in Independence
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other 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 (~675 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on White's Tower Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare White's Tower Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Kenton 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 White's Tower Elementary School
How many students attend White's Tower Elementary School?
White's Tower Elementary School has 675 students enrolled. It is a public school in Independence, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at White's Tower Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at White's Tower Elementary School is 17.3:1, which is 14% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at White's Tower Elementary School?
37.4% of students at White's Tower Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of White's Tower Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at White's Tower Elementary School is White at 87.0% of enrollment, in Independence, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for White's Tower Elementary School?
White's Tower Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 61/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does White's Tower Elementary School rank among schools in Independence?
By Resource Investment Index, White's Tower Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 schools in Independence, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Independence on the city page.
Is White's Tower Elementary School a good school?
White's Tower Elementary School earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% 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 Kenton County?
Besides White's Tower Elementary School, Kenton County also operates Simon Kenton High School (1,893 students), Dixie Heights High School (1,499 students), and Summit View Academy (1,324 students). See the Kenton 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.