Velma Linford Elementary

Velma Linford Elementary operates as a medium-sized K-5 school in Laramie, Wyoming, overseen by Albany County School District #1. Current enrollment sits at 250 students spanning grades pre-K through 5.

Velma Linford Elementary is one of 18 schools operated by Albany County School District #1, a district that teaches 3,967 students overall.

Demographically, Velma Linford Elementary shows that 73% of the student body identifies as White. Other groups include 20% Hispanic, 5% multiracial. By comparison, Albany County as a whole is about 84% White, so the school skews visibly less White than its surroundings.

On the income-and-resources front, Velma Linford Elementary reports 22 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 11.4:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 10.6:1, putting Velma Linford Elementary higher than the state norm the norm. An estimated 57% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. That share is north of Albany County's rate of about 34%.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Velma Linford Elementary ranks in the top 10% of Wyoming public schools. The BeatsExpectations model, a per-state regression of composite proficiency on FRL share, predicts schools with this student profile to land around 47.9%; Velma Linford Elementary posts 64.5%, +16.6 points above that line.

Across the wider county, community-level numbers for Albany County indicate median household earnings sit near $61,917, roughly 55% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Velma Linford Elementary is one of 19 public schools in Albany County (combined enrollment of about 3,967 students).

The closest other public school is Laramie Montessori Charter School, roughly 1.8 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. On composite proficiency, Velma Linford Elementary comes 5th of 6 in the immediate cluster, behind the nearby-schools average of 66.5%.

The school occupies a town-center site.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count contracted 27%: 342 students in 2018 compared to 250 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share rose from 67% to 73%.

Inside the community feed, members of the Velma Linford Elementary community share and discuss classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.