Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 58 schools in district

Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School

1400 Opelousas Street, Lake Charles, LA 70601Calcasieu Parish →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 03–05Non-Charter
87
Students
Total enrolled
$22,016
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 53% vs nat'l
9.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 37% vs nat'l
30/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 40% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 87 students in grades 03–05 in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
53% above average funding
District spends $22,016 per pupil, 53% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 30th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School is a small elementary in Lake Charles, Louisiana, serving grades 03–05 with 87 students. The district invests $22,016 per student — 53% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 9.7:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 93% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 30/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School

87
Total Students
9.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
93%
Free Lunch
9
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (03–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution53 male · 34 female
61%
39%
Male 61%Female 39%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility93%
National avg 52% · 81 students
Student Composition
85%
White5%
Hispanic / Latino3%
Black85%
Multiracial7%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 220033001506

Academic Outcomes at Ralph F. Wilson Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
30
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 30th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 2th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 70601

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$22,016Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$22,016
State avg
$18,624
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$9,687
Student Support$4,183
Administration$2,642
Operations$3,302
Other$2,202
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $22,016 spent per student, an estimated $9,753 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
28%
55%
State government
27.7%
Local (property tax)
54.6%
Federal programs
17.6%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $22,016/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 9.7:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (30/100) — national median is 50
  • 93% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Moss Bluff Elementary SchoolA. A. Nelson Elementary SchoolGillis Elementary SchoolPrien Lake Elementary School
+12 more
↓
Middle
S. J. Welsh Middle SchoolMoss Bluff Middle SchoolW. W. Lewis Middle SchoolF. K. White Middle School
+2 more
↓
High School
Sulphur High SchoolAlfred M. Barbe High SchoolSam Houston High SchoolIowa High School
+3 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
Grades03 – 05
Location—
CountyCalcasieu Parish
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictCalcasieu Parish →
Phone: (337)217-4750
NCES ID: 220033001506
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Lake Charles seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Calcasieu Parish
High
Sulphur High School
2,043 students · 09–12
47% FRL
High
Alfred M. Barbe High School
1,991 students · 09–12
41% FRL
High
Sam Houston High School
1,216 students · 09–12
37% FRL
Mid
S. J. Welsh Middle School
1,107 students · 06–08
49% FRL
High
Iowa High School
1,096 students · 06–12
● 43 opp56% FRL
Elem
Moss Bluff Elementary School
973 students · PK–05
47% FRL
High
LaGrange High School
907 students · 09–12
76% FRL
Mid
Moss Bluff Middle School
883 students · 06–08
41% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1400 Opelousas Street, Lake Charles, LA 70601
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.