Enrollment
936
Louisiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Slidell, LA
W.L. Abney Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for W.L. Abney Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 220165001264
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 6
📋 Attendance 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
W.L. Abney Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of Louisiana schools.
- #5 of 5
- elementary schools in Slidell · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.7:1
- large classes for Louisiana
- 64.3%
- free-lunch eligible
W.L. Abney Elementary School has class sizes larger than 76% of Louisiana schools. Computed live against every Louisiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, W.L. Abney Elementary School ranks #5 of 5 elementary schools in Slidell, LA.
School address
District: St. Tammany Parish · Louisiana
NCES ID 220165001264 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
50.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.7:1
vs 16.8:1 Louisiana avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.3%
vs 62.5% Louisiana avg
+3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How W.L. Abney Elementary School compares with Louisiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at W.L. Abney Elementary School
W.L. Abney Elementary School is a higher-need, large elementary school in Slidell, Louisiana, enrolling 936 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Louisiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 64.3% lands close to the Louisiana typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Louisiana, bigger than 92% of state schools at 936 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,330 scored Louisiana schools.
Against 215 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #129.
Its student body is led by African American (67%) and White (17%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 468 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
17.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Slidell's elementary schools, it stands alongside Little Oak Middle School (847 students): W.L. Abney Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.7:1 vs 17.6:1).
St. Tammany Parish also operates Mandeville High School (2,006 students) and Slidell High School (1,654 students) alongside W.L. Abney 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 W.L. Abney Elementary School compares
W.L. Abney Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Louisiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Louisiana | Louisiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.7:1 | ▲ 11% | 16.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.3% | ▲ 3% | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 936 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.7:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
936
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% above the Louisiana average of 62.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.7:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 76% in Louisiana - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
17.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,024
per pupil, district-wide
- below Louisiana avg of $16,376
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 468 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
82
in-school suspensions + 53 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 14.4 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
African American 67.4%
White 17.1%
Hispanic or Latino 8.3%
Two or More 4.4%
Asian 2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: African American at 67.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.7, W.L. Abney Elementary School is more mixed than the Louisiana school average of 43.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for St. Tammany Parish, which includes W.L. Abney Elementary School.
$14,024
Per student
-14%
vs Louisiana
Avg $16,376
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.9%
State 38.3%
Federal 9.8%
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 W.L. Abney Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandeville High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Slidell High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Covington High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northshore High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Joseph B. Lancaster Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to W.L. Abney Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,006
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,654
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,600
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,518
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,480
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar elementary schools in Slidell
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Little Oak Middle School
Standard public school
847 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Honey Island Elementary School
Standard public school
607 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Clearwood Junior High School
Standard public school
539 students 15:1 students per teacher
Carolyn Park Middle School
Standard public school
233 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Louisiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~936 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on W.L. Abney Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare W.L. Abney Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- St. Tammany Parish'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 W.L. Abney Elementary School
How many students attend W.L. Abney Elementary School?
W.L. Abney Elementary School has 936 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Slidell, LA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at W.L. Abney Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at W.L. Abney Elementary School is 18.7:1, which is 11% higher than the Louisiana average of 16.8:1 and 19% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at W.L. Abney Elementary School?
64.3% of students at W.L. Abney Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Louisiana average of 62.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of W.L. Abney Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at W.L. Abney Elementary School is African American at 67.4% of enrollment, in Slidell, LA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for W.L. Abney Elementary School?
W.L. Abney Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 W.L. Abney Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Slidell?
By Resource Investment Index, W.L. Abney Elementary School ranks #5 of 5 elementary schools in Slidell, LA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Slidell on the city page.
Is W.L. Abney Elementary School a good school?
W.L. Abney Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of Louisiana 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 St. Tammany Parish?
Besides W.L. Abney Elementary School, St. Tammany Parish also operates Mandeville High School (2,006 students), Slidell High School (1,654 students), and Covington High School (1,600 students). See the St. Tammany Parish 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.