Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 45 schools in district

J. Wallace James Elementary School

1500 W. Willow St., Scott, LA 70583Lafayette Parish →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
939
Students
Total enrolled
$13,877
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
~avg
16.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 6% vs nat'l
39/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 22% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 939 students in grades PK–05 in Scott, Louisiana.
Near-average funding
District spends $13,877 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 39th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

J. Wallace James Elementary School is a large elementary in Scott, Louisiana, serving grades PK–05 with 939 students. The district invests $13,877 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 16.4:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 64% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. A neighborhood opportunity score of 39/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at J. Wallace James Elementary School

939
Total Students
16.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
64%
Free Lunch
57
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution455 male · 484 female
48%
52%
Male 48%Female 52%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility64%
National avg 52% · 600 students
Student Composition
48%
45%
Asian1%
White48%
Hispanic / Latino3%
Black45%
Multiracial2%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 220087001546

Academic Outcomes at J. Wallace James Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
39
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 39th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 24th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 70583

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$13,877Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$13,877
State avg
$18,624
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,106
Student Support$2,637
Administration$1,665
Operations$2,082
Other$1,388
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $13,877 spent per student, an estimated $6,148 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
33%
51%
State government
32.8%
Local (property tax)
51.5%
Federal programs
15.7%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Milton Elementary SchoolWoodvale Elementary SchoolGreen T. Lindon Elementary SchoolMartial Billeaud Elementary School
+12 more
↓
Middle
L.J. Alleman Middle SchoolPaul Breaux Middle SchoolCarencro Middle SchoolYoungsville Middle School
+2 more
↓
High School
Southside High SchoolLafayette High SchoolAcadiana High SchoolDavid Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy
+3 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyLafayette Parish
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictLafayette Parish →
Phone: (337)521-7700
NCES ID: 220087001546
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Scott seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Lafayette Parish
High
Southside High School
1,910 students · 09–12
39% FRL
High
Lafayette High School
1,852 students · 09–12
● 46 opp52% FRL
High
Acadiana High School
1,813 students · 09–12
● 46 opp56% FRL
High
David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy
1,388 students · 06–12
51% FRL
Elem
Milton Elementary School
1,332 students · PK–08
39% FRL
High
O. Comeaux High School
1,098 students · 09–12
56% FRL
High
Carencro High School
1,096 students · 09–12
● 41 opp69% FRL
Mid
L.J. Alleman Middle School
952 students · 06–08
54% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1500 W. Willow St., Scott, LA 70583
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.