Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 17 schools in district

Velma Linford Elementary

120 South Johnson, Laramie, WY 82070Albany County School District #1 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
258
Students
Total enrolled
$22,548
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 57% vs nat'l
9.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 39% vs nat'l
54/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 258 students in grades PK–05 in Laramie, Wyoming.
57% above average funding
District spends $22,548 per pupil, 57% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 54th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Velma Linford Elementary is a mid-sized elementary in Laramie, Wyoming, serving grades PK–05 with 258 students. The district invests $22,548 per student — 57% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 9.3:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 44% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Velma Linford Elementary

258
Total Students
9.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
44%
Free Lunch
28
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 Distribution159 male · 99 female
62%
38%
Male 62%Female 38%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility44%
National avg 52% · 113 students
Student Composition
64%
28%
White64%
Hispanic / Latino28%
Black2%
Multiracial5%
Native American2%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 560073000014

Academic Outcomes at Velma Linford Elementary

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
54
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 54th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 90th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 82070

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$22,548Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$22,548
State avg
$24,788
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$9,921
Student Support$4,284
Administration$2,706
Operations$3,382
Other$2,255
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $22,548 spent per student, an estimated $9,989 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
64%
26%
State government
64.4%
Local (property tax)
25.9%
Federal programs
9.7%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $22,548/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 9.3:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • 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
Slade ElementaryIndian Paintbrush ElementarySnowy Range AcademyUW Laboratory School
+7 more
↓
Middle
Laramie Middle SchoolRock River Junior High School
↓
High School
Laramie High SchoolWhiting High SchoolRock River High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyAlbany County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictAlbany County School District #1 →
Phone: (307)721-4439
NCES ID: 560073000014
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Laramie 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 Albany County School District #1
High
Laramie High School
1,095 students · 09–12
● 54 opp16% FRL
Mid
Laramie Middle School
676 students · 06–08
● 54 opp25% FRL
Elem
Slade Elementary
355 students · PK–05
● 54 opp29% FRL
Elem
Indian Paintbrush Elementary
275 students · KG–05
● 54 opp15% FRL
Elem
Snowy Range Academy
246 students · KG–08
● 54 opp19% FRL
Elem
UW Laboratory School
244 students · KG–08
16% FRL
Elem
Spring Creek Elementary
232 students · KG–05
● 54 opp30% FRL
Elem
Beitel Elementary
215 students · KG–05
● 54 opp27% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
120 South Johnson, Laramie, WY 82070
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.