Enrollment
647
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Spotsylvania, VA
Wilderness Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Wilderness Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510364001870
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 62
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Wilderness Elementary earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Virginia schools.
- #5 of 8
- schools in Spotsylvania · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.4:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 64.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Wilderness Elementary has class sizes larger than 74% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Wilderness Elementary ranks #5 of 8 schools in Spotsylvania, VA.
School address
District: Spotsylvania County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510364001870 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.9%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Wilderness Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Wilderness Elementary
Wilderness Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Spotsylvania, Virginia, enrolling 647 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 64.9% lands close to the Virginia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 647 students, its enrollment sits close to the Virginia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Among 232 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #186, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (43%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%) (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 647 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Spotsylvania's public schools, it stands alongside Courthouse Road Elementary (762 students): Wilderness Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.4:1 vs 15.2:1).
Spotsylvania County Public Schools also operates Riverbend High (1,913 students) and Massaponax High (1,692 students) alongside Wilderness 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 Wilderness Elementary compares
Wilderness Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.4:1 | ▲ 11% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.9% | ▲ 13% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 647 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
647
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% above the Virginia average of 57.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 74% in Virginia - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
15.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,318
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 647 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.7 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
White 43.4%
Hispanic or Latino 26.3%
African American 16.4%
Two or More 11.3%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 43.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.2, Wilderness Elementary is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Spotsylvania County Public Schools, which includes Wilderness Elementary.
$13,318
Per student
-9%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.0%
State 41.8%
Federal 11.2%
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 Wilderness Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverbend High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Massaponax High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Courtland High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spotsylvania High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chancellor High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Wilderness Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,913
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,692
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,497
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,394
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,321
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Spotsylvania
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Courthouse Road Elementary
Standard public school
762 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Riverview Elementary
Standard public school
691 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Brock Road Elementary
Standard public school
651 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Spotsylvania Elementary
Standard public school
623 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Courtland Elementary
Standard public school
548 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Livingston Elementary
Standard public school
479 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~647 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Wilderness Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Wilderness Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Spotsylvania County 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 Wilderness Elementary
How many students attend Wilderness Elementary?
Wilderness Elementary has 647 students enrolled. It is a public school in Spotsylvania, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Wilderness Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Wilderness Elementary is 15.4:1, which is 11% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 2% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Wilderness Elementary?
64.9% of students at Wilderness Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Wilderness Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Wilderness Elementary is White at 43.4% of enrollment, in Spotsylvania, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Wilderness Elementary?
Wilderness Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Wilderness Elementary rank among schools in Spotsylvania?
By Resource Investment Index, Wilderness Elementary ranks #5 of 8 schools in Spotsylvania, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Spotsylvania on the city page.
Is Wilderness Elementary a good school?
Wilderness Elementary earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Virginia 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 Spotsylvania County Public Schools?
Besides Wilderness Elementary, Spotsylvania County Public Schools also operates Riverbend High (1,913 students), Massaponax High (1,692 students), and Courtland High (1,497 students). See the Spotsylvania County 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.