Enrollment
286
Nebraska · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Omaha, NE
Willa Cather Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Willa Cather Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 317374001242
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 63
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Willa Cather Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nebraska median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Nebraska schools.
- #43 of 116
- schools in Omaha · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.4:1
- students per teacher
- 18.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Willa Cather Elementary School has class sizes near the Nebraska median. Computed live against every Nebraska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Willa Cather Elementary School ranks #43 of 116 schools in Omaha, NE.
School address
District: Millard Public Schools · Nebraska
NCES ID 317374001242 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.4:1
vs 13.5:1 Nebraska avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.2%
vs 30.9% Nebraska avg
-41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Willa Cather Elementary School compares with Nebraska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Willa Cather Elementary School
Willa Cather Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Omaha, Nebraska, enrolling 286 students.
At 12.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Nebraska median, within a few percentage points of the 13.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 18.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 286 students, its enrollment sits close to the Nebraska median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,003 scored Nebraska schools.
Among 178 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Nebraska schools statewide, it ranks #139, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and Asian (33%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 572 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
14.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Millard Public Schools spends $11,075 per pupil, 37% below the Nebraska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Millard Public Schools also operates Millard North High School (2,572 students) and Millard South High School (2,526 students) alongside Willa Cather 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 Willa Cather Elementary School compares
Willa Cather Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Nebraska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nebraska | Nebraska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.4:1 | ▼ 8% | 13.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.2% | ▼ 41% | 30.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 286 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.4:1
Leaner classes than 72% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
286
Bigger than 30% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% below the Nebraska average of 30.9%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.4:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 44% in Nebraska - lower ratio than 56% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
14.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$11,075
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.3 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 49.0%
Asian 32.5%
Hispanic or Latino 8.0%
Two or More 5.6%
African American 3.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.4%
Largest group: White at 49.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.3, Willa Cather Elementary School is more mixed than the Nebraska school average of 34.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Millard Public Schools, which includes Willa Cather Elementary School.
$11,075
Per student
-37%
vs Nebraska
Avg $17,680
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 58.7%
State 31.6%
Federal 9.7%
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 Willa Cather Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Millard North High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Millard South High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Millard West High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Beadle Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kiewit Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Willa Cather Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,572
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,526
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 2,344
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,011
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 967
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
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 (~286 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Willa Cather Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Willa Cather Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Millard 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 Willa Cather Elementary School
How many students attend Willa Cather Elementary School?
Willa Cather Elementary School has 286 students enrolled. It is a public school in Omaha, NE.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Willa Cather Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Willa Cather Elementary School is 12.4:1, which is 8% lower than the Nebraska average of 13.5:1 and 21% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Willa Cather Elementary School?
18.2% of students at Willa Cather Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nebraska average of 30.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Willa Cather Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Willa Cather Elementary School is White at 49.0% of enrollment, in Omaha, NE. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Willa Cather Elementary School?
Willa Cather Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Willa Cather Elementary School rank among schools in Omaha?
By Resource Investment Index, Willa Cather Elementary School ranks #43 of 116 schools in Omaha, NE. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Omaha on the city page.
Is Willa Cather Elementary School a good school?
Willa Cather Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nebraska median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Millard Public Schools?
Besides Willa Cather Elementary School, Millard Public Schools also operates Millard North High School (2,572 students), Millard South High School (2,526 students), and Millard West High School (2,344 students). See the Millard 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.