Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 11 schools in district

James A. Cawood Elementary

279 Ball Park Rd, Harlan, KY 40831Harlan County →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–08Non-Charter
307
Students
Total enrolled
$15,949
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 11% vs nat'l
11.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 24% vs nat'l
41/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 19% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 307 students in grades PK–08 in Harlan, Kentucky.
11% above average funding
District spends $15,949 per pupil, 11% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 41th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

James A. Cawood Elementary is a mid-sized elementary in Harlan, Kentucky, serving grades PK–08 with 307 students. The district invests $15,949 per student — 11% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 85% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at James A. Cawood Elementary

307
Total Students
11.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
85%
Free Lunch
26
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution166 male · 141 female
54%
46%
Male 54%Female 46%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility85%
National avg 52% · 262 students
Student Composition
97%
White97%
Hispanic / Latino2%
Black1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 210254000541

Academic Outcomes at James A. Cawood Elementary

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
41
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 41th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 33th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 40831

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$15,949Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$15,949
State avg
$16,719
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,018
Student Support$3,030
Administration$1,914
Operations$2,392
Other$1,595
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $15,949 spent per student, an estimated $7,065 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
60%
State government
60.1%
Local (property tax)
12.7%
Federal programs
27.2%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 85% 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
Cumberland Elementary SchoolWallins Elementary SchoolRosspoint Elementary SchoolEvarts Elementary School
+3 more
↓
High School
Harlan County High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 08
Location—
CountyHarlan County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictHarlan County →
Phone: (606)573-5029
NCES ID: 210254000541
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Harlan seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Harlan County
High
Harlan County High School
997 students · 09–12
● 34 opp80% FRL
Elem
Cumberland Elementary School
449 students · PK–08
● 37 opp84% FRL
Elem
Wallins Elementary School
386 students · PK–08
● 36 opp83% FRL
Elem
Rosspoint Elementary School
354 students · KG–08
● 34 opp82% FRL
Elem
Evarts Elementary School
340 students · PK–08
● 36 opp88% FRL
Elem
Black Mountain Elementary School
280 students · PK–08
● 36 opp89% FRL
Elem
Cawood Elementary School
205 students · PK–08
● 41 opp90% FRL
Elem
Green Hills Elementary School
124 students · PK–08
● 40 opp75% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
279 Ball Park Rd, Harlan, KY 40831
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.