Ell-Saline Elementary

As a close-knit primary school in Salina, Kansas, Ell-Saline Elementary caters to 237 students from grades pre-K through 6, part of Ell-Saline. That puts it 24% leaner than the typical public school in Kansas, which averages around 313 students.

Across the 2 schools in Ell-Saline (441 students total), Ell-Saline Elementary accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On the student-mix side, Ell-Saline Elementary records that nearly all students (89%) are White. Other groups include 8% Hispanic, 2% multiracial.

In terms of school funding signals, The school currently runs with 20 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 11.6:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 13.2:1 average. About 44% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. Set against Saline County (around 58%), the school's rate is meaningfully below typical.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Ell-Saline Elementary tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 41.2% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 31.1%.

In the area at large, ACS estimates for Saline County put median household earnings sit near $65,422, roughly 29% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 9% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Ell-Saline Elementary is one of 17 public schools in Saline County (combined enrollment of about 7,580 students).

The closest other public school is Cottonwood Elementary School, roughly 3.6 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 6 other public schools cluster around Ell-Saline Elementary. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Ell-Saline Elementary ranks 4th on composite proficiency, higher than the local average of 29.2%.

The school occupies a small-town site.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count remained close to its prior level: 241 students in 2018 compared to 237 in 2025. The White share of enrollment ticked up from 84% to 89% over that span. Class-load math has tightened: from 13.6:1 in 2018 to 11.6:1 in 2025.

On the community side, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.