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Digest of Education Statistics
2021 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 214.40. Public elementary and secondary school enrollment, number of schools, and other selected characteristics, by locale: Fall 2015 through fall 2019
Enrollment, number of schools, and other characteristics Total City Suburban Town Rural Locale
unknown
Total Large1 Mid-
size2
Small3 Total Large4 Mid-
size5
Small6 Total Fringe7 Dis-
tant8
Re-
mote9
Total Fringe10 Distant11 Remote12
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

Fall 2015
                                   
Enrollment (in thousands) 50,112 15,276 8,276 3,368 3,632 19,903 17,095 1,819 989 5,630 1,422 2,670 1,538 9,303 5,434 2,855 1,014 3
Percentage distribution of enrollment,
    by race/ethnicity
100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
White 48.9 29.1 20.2 32.6 46.0 49.7 47.8 59.9 63.6 63.6 67.1 64.8 58.3 70.8 65.9 79.3 73.1 48.7
Black 15.4 23.4 25.7 24.2 17.4 13.7 14.4 10.2 8.4 10.0 7.0 11.5 10.1 9.4 11.0 7.3 6.6 11.5
Hispanic 25.9 36.0 42.4 32.4 24.8 25.9 26.7 21.5 20.3 19.4 19.5 17.8 22.1 13.2 16.4 8.4 9.7 30.1
Asian 5.0 6.8 7.6 5.6 6.4 6.3 6.8 3.0 3.2 1.3 1.5 1.0 1.6 1.5 2.3 0.5 0.5 5.5
Pacific Islander 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.2 0.4 0.4 0.1 0.9 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.2
American Indian/Alaska Native 1.0 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.8 0.4 0.4 0.6 0.7 2.1 1.1 1.5 4.0 2.1 1.1 2.0 7.5 0.3
Two or more races 3.4 3.6 3.0 4.2 4.3 3.6 3.5 4.4 3.6 3.2 3.3 3.2 3.0 2.8 3.1 2.4 2.3 3.6

Number of English learner (EL) students
    (in thousands)13
4,795 2,217 1,402 452 363 1,941 1,754 119 68 365 81 164 120 272 173 64 36 #
EL students as a percent of enrollment13 9.5 14.0 16.3 12.4 10.0 9.1 9.5 6.5 6.7 6.5 6.2 6.1 7.4 3.6 4.5 2.4 3.7 0.9

Schools
98,277 26,636 14,214 5,828 6,594 31,081 25,963 3,209 1,909 13,307 2,922 6,279 4,106 27,146 10,546 10,262 6,338 107
Average school size14 526 591 595 598 575 657 675 582 538 445 500 447 401 354 535 285 165 26
Pupil/teacher ratio15 16.2 16.8 17.1 16.8 16.3 16.5 16.5 16.4 16.8 15.8 16.3 15.7 15.4 14.9 15.9 14.3 12.5 11.8

Enrollment (percentage distribution)
100.0 30.5 16.5 6.7 7.2 39.7 34.1 3.6 2.0 11.2 2.8 5.3 3.1 18.6 10.8 5.7 2.0 #
Schools (percentage distribution) 100.0 27.1 14.5 5.9 6.7 31.6 26.4 3.3 1.9 13.5 3.0 6.4 4.2 27.6 10.7 10.4 6.4 0.1

Fall 2016
                                   
Enrollment (in thousands) 50,283 15,316 8,356 3,386 3,573 19,918 17,107 1,822 989 5,560 1,415 2,631 1,513 9,489 5,635 2,845 1,010
Percentage distribution of enrollment,
    by race/ethnicity
100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
White 48.2 28.7 20.1 32.2 45.3 48.7 46.9 58.9 62.8 63.1 66.4 64.2 58.0 69.9 64.9 78.9 72.8
Black 15.3 23.2 25.3 23.9 17.4 13.6 14.3 10.3 8.3 9.9 7.0 11.3 10.0 9.4 11.0 7.2 6.4
Hispanic 26.4 36.4 42.5 33.3 25.0 26.5 27.3 22.1 20.8 19.8 19.9 18.3 22.2 13.8 17.2 8.7 9.8
Asian 5.1 6.9 7.8 5.2 6.4 6.4 7.0 3.1 3.3 1.3 1.5 1.0 1.6 1.6 2.4 0.5 0.5
Pacific Islander 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.4 0.4 0.1 0.9 0.2 0.3 0.1 0.3
American Indian/Alaska Native 1.0 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.8 0.4 0.4 0.6 0.6 2.1 1.1 1.6 4.1 2.0 1.0 2.0 7.7
Two or more races 3.6 3.8 3.2 4.4 4.6 3.9 3.8 4.7 3.9 3.4 3.6 3.4 3.2 3.0 3.3 2.6 2.5

Number of English learner (EL) students
    (in thousands)13
4,857 2,238 1,420 459 360 1,974 1,795 111 68 358 80 160 118 286 187 64 35
EL students as a percent of enrollment13 9.6 14.0 16.2 12.4 10.1 9.3 9.7 6.3 6.9 6.5 6.4 6.0 7.4 3.8 4.7 2.4 3.6

Number of students with disabilities (in
    thousands)13
6,756 2,127 1,183 465 479 2,793 2,417 242 135 773 171 380 222 1,063 549 374 141
Students with disabilities as a percent of
    enrollment13
13.4 13.3 13.5 12.6 13.4 13.1 13.0 13.6 13.6 14.0 13.6 14.3 13.9 13.9 13.8 13.9 14.6

Schools
98,169 26,658 14,315 5,865 6,478 31,068 25,950 3,218 1,900 13,148 2,912 6,205 4,031 27,295 10,791 10,193 6,311
Average school size14 528 591 596 597 574 656 674 580 538 444 500 446 399 358 541 285 165
Pupil/teacher ratio15 16.2 16.8 16.9 16.8 16.3 16.5 16.5 16.3 17.0 15.8 16.3 15.7 15.5 15.0 15.9 14.3 12.6

Enrollment (percentage distribution)
100.0 30.5 16.6 6.7 7.1 39.6 34.0 3.6 2.0 11.1 2.8 5.2 3.0 18.9 11.2 5.7 2.0
Schools (percentage distribution) 100.0 27.2 14.6 6.0 6.6 31.6 26.4 3.3 1.9 13.4 3.0 6.3 4.1 27.8 11.0 10.4 6.4

Fall 2017
                                   
Enrollment (in thousands) 50,345 15,283 8,386 3,313 3,584 19,939 17,123 1,826 990 5,522 1,409 2,614 1,500 9,601 5,755 2,841 1,005
Percentage distribution of enrollment,
    by race/ethnicity
100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
White 47.6 28.4 20.1 31.7 44.6 47.9 46.0 58.0 62.0 62.6 65.8 63.7 57.6 69.2 64.0 78.5 72.6
Black 15.2 22.9 24.9 24.0 17.3 13.7 14.3 10.4 8.4 9.7 6.9 11.2 9.9 9.3 11.0 7.1 6.3
Hispanic 26.7 36.6 42.6 33.4 25.4 27.0 27.8 22.5 21.2 20.2 20.4 18.8 22.6 14.3 17.7 9.0 10.0
Asian 5.2 7.0 7.8 5.3 6.5 6.6 7.2 3.1 3.4 1.3 1.5 1.0 1.5 1.7 2.5 0.5 0.5
Pacific Islander 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.9 0.2 0.3 0.1 0.3
American Indian/Alaska Native 1.0 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.8 0.4 0.4 0.6 0.6 2.1 1.0 1.5 4.0 2.0 1.0 2.0 7.7
Two or more races 3.9 4.0 3.4 4.6 4.9 4.1 4.0 4.9 4.1 3.6 3.8 3.6 3.5 3.2 3.6 2.8 2.6

Number of English learner (EL) students
    (in thousands)13
4,953 2,275 1,451 456 367 2,015 1,831 116 68 360 80 163 117 303 196 68 39
EL students as a percent of enrollment13 10.1 14.7 17.1 13.1 10.5 9.6 10.0 6.6 7.1 6.8 6.6 6.4 7.6 4.1 5.1 2.6 4.2

Number of students with disabilities (in
    thousands)13
6,953 2,195 1,227 468 499 2,870 2,481 252 137 789 173 390 226 1,100 564 389 147
Students with disabilities as a percent of
    enrollment13
13.8 13.8 14.0 13.1 13.9 13.4 13.3 13.9 14.0 14.4 13.9 14.7 14.2 14.4 14.2 14.4 15.0

Schools
98,480 26,781 14,564 5,731 6,486 31,217 26,112 3,208 1,897 13,098 2,890 6,198 4,010 27,384 10,943 10,175 6,266
Average school size14 528 589 588 599 580 657 674 586 543 445 502 445 400 362 546 286 165
Pupil/teacher ratio15 16.1 16.7 16.8 16.9 16.2 16.3 16.3 16.3 16.9 15.7 16.2 15.7 15.4 15.0 15.9 14.3 12.7

Enrollment (percentage distribution)
100.0 30.4 16.7 6.6 7.1 39.6 34.0 3.6 2.0 11.0 2.8 5.2 3.0 19.1 11.4 5.6 2.0
Schools (percentage distribution) 100.0 27.2 14.8 5.8 6.6 31.7 26.5 3.3 1.9 13.3 2.9 6.3 4.1 27.8 11.1 10.3 6.4

Fall 2018
                                   
Enrollment (in thousands) 50,339 15,246 8,349 3,325 3,573 19,915 17,099 1,828 988 5,495 1,410 2,594 1,492 9,683 5,871 2,817 996
Percentage distribution of enrollment,
    by race/ethnicity
100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
White 47.1 28.0 19.9 31.2 43.9 47.1 45.2 56.9 61.2 62.1 65.1 63.2 57.4 68.6 63.2 78.3 72.7
Black 15.1 22.7 24.8 23.9 17.0 13.7 14.3 10.5 8.4 9.6 6.9 11.0 9.7 9.3 10.9 7.0 6.1
Hispanic 27.1 36.9 42.8 33.8 26.1 27.5 28.3 23.3 21.6 20.6 20.9 19.2 22.8 14.8 18.2 9.2 10.2
Asian 5.3 7.0 7.9 5.3 6.6 6.7 7.3 3.1 3.4 1.3 1.5 1.1 1.5 1.8 2.7 0.5 0.5
Pacific Islander 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.9 0.2 0.3 0.1 0.3
American Indian/Alaska Native 1.0 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.8 0.4 0.4 0.6 0.6 2.0 1.0 1.5 3.9 1.9 1.0 1.9 7.6
Two or more races 4.0 4.2 3.5 4.7 5.2 4.3 4.2 5.1 4.5 3.9 4.1 3.9 3.8 3.4 3.8 3.0 2.7

Number of English learner (EL) students
    (in thousands)13
5,024 2,293 1,466 457 371 2,055 1,856 131 68 362 82 164 116 314 205 71 38
EL students as a percent of enrollment13 10.2 14.9 17.5 13.0 10.6 9.8 10.2 7.0 7.1 6.9 6.7 6.5 7.6 4.2 5.2 2.8 4.1

Number of students with disabilities (in
    thousands)13
7,125 2,246 1,249 486 512 2,944 2,531 274 140 807 178 397 232 1,128 585 392 150
Students with disabilities as a percent of
    enrollment13
14.1 14.1 14.4 13.5 14.2 13.7 13.6 14.2 14.3 14.7 14.2 15.1 14.7 14.7 14.5 14.8 15.3

Schools
98,755 26,930 14,636 5,794 6,500 31,209 26,103 3,208 1,898 13,127 2,906 6,227 3,994 27,489 11,108 10,144 6,237
Average school size14 527 585 583 596 579 656 673 588 541 443 501 442 399 364 549 285 165
Pupil/teacher ratio15 16.1 16.6 16.5 17.0 16.3 16.5 16.4 16.4 17.1 15.8 16.2 15.7 15.4 15.0 16.0 14.2 12.6

Enrollment (percentage distribution)
100.0 30.3 16.6 6.6 7.1 39.6 34.0 3.6 2.0 10.9 2.8 5.2 3.0 19.2 11.7 5.6 2.0
Schools (percentage distribution) 100.0 27.3 14.8 5.9 6.6 31.6 26.4 3.2 1.9 13.3 2.9 6.3 4.0 27.8 11.2 10.3 6.3

Fall 2019
                                   
Enrollment (in thousands) 50,445 15,427 8,509 3,255 3,663 19,732 16,926 1,823 984 5,470 1,401 2,579 1,491 9,816 6,024 2,799 993
Percentage distribution of enrollment,
    by race/ethnicity
100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
White 46.5 27.9 20.1 30.8 43.3 46.2 44.4 55.5 60.4 61.5 64.3 62.7 56.9 67.8 62.2 78.0 72.5
Black 15.0 22.2 24.0 23.9 16.7 13.7 14.3 10.7 8.7 9.5 6.9 10.8 9.5 9.2 10.8 6.8 5.9
Hispanic 27.6 37.3 43.1 33.7 27.1 28.0 28.8 24.2 22.0 21.2 21.5 19.7 23.4 15.3 18.8 9.6 10.4
Asian 5.3 7.0 7.9 5.7 6.2 6.8 7.4 3.3 3.3 1.3 1.5 1.0 1.5 1.9 2.8 0.5 0.5
Pacific Islander 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.9 0.2 0.3 0.1 0.3
American Indian/Alaska Native 0.9 0.7 0.7 0.5 0.7 0.4 0.4 0.6 0.6 2.0 1.0 1.4 3.9 1.9 0.9 1.9 7.5
Two or more races 4.3 4.4 3.8 4.9 5.5 4.6 4.4 5.4 4.7 4.2 4.4 4.2 4.0 3.7 4.1 3.2 2.9

Number of English learner (EL) students
    (in thousands)13
5,121 2,362 1,533 442 386 2,066 1,857 136 73 365 82 166 117 327 215 73 39
EL students as a percent of enrollment13 10.4 14.8 17.2 13.1 10.6 10.0 10.5 7.1 7.6 7.0 6.8 6.6 7.7 4.4 5.4 2.9 4.2

Number of students with disabilities (in
    thousands)13
7,267 2,330 1,329 466 535 2,970 2,541 286 143 817 181 401 235 1,149 601 397 151
Students with disabilities as a percent of
    enrollment13
14.3 14.2 14.4 13.4 14.3 14.1 14.0 14.6 14.5 15.1 14.5 15.4 15.0 15.0 14.7 15.1 15.6

Schools
98,469 27,051 14,833 5,655 6,563 30,918 25,852 3,185 1,881 12,967 2,884 6,141 3,942 27,533 11,275 10,071 6,187
Average school size14 529 588 586 597 585 654 671 588 544 444 502 444 402 368 555 285 165
Pupil/teacher ratio15,16 15.9 16.4 16.4 16.8 16.2 16.2 16.2 16.3 16.9 15.6 16.1 15.6 15.4 14.9 15.9 14.0 12.5

Enrollment (percentage distribution)
100.0 30.6 16.9 6.5 7.3 39.1 33.6 3.6 2.0 10.8 2.8 5.1 3.0 19.5 11.9 5.5 2.0
Schools (percentage distribution) 100.0 27.5 15.1 5.7 6.7 31.4 26.3 3.2 1.9 13.2 2.9 6.2 4.0 28.0 11.5 10.2 6.3
†Not applicable.
#Rounds to zero.
1 Located inside an urbanized area and inside a principal city with a population of 250,000 or more.
2 Located inside an urbanized area and inside a principal city with a population of at least 100,000, but less than 250,000.
3 Located inside an urbanized area and inside a principal city with a population less than 100,000.
4 Located inside an urbanized area and outside a principal city with a population of 250,000 or more.
5 Located inside an urbanized area and outside a principal city with a population of at least 100,000, but less than 250,000.
6 Located inside an urbanized area and outside a principal city with a population less than 100,000.
7 Located inside an urban cluster that is 10 miles or less from an urbanized area.
8 Located inside an urban cluster that is more than 10 but less than or equal to 35 miles from an urbanized area.
9 Located inside an urban cluster that is more than 35 miles from an urbanized area.
10 Located outside any urbanized area or urban cluster, but 5 miles or less from an urbanized area or 2.5 miles or less from an urban cluster.
11 Located outside any urbanized area or urban cluster and more than 5 miles but less than or equal to 25 miles from an urbanized area, or more than 2.5 miles but less than or equal to 10 miles from an urban cluster.
12 Located outside any urbanized area or urban cluster, more than 25 miles from an urbanized area, and more than 10 miles from an urban cluster.
13 Data are based on locales of school districts rather than locales of schools as in the rest of the table. Data exclude EL students who are enrolled in prekindergarten.
14 Average for schools reporting enrollment. Enrollment data were available for 95,230 out of 98,176 schools in 2014-15; 95,240 out of 98,277 schools in 2015-16; 95,306 out of 98,169 schools in 2016-17; 95,265 out of 98,480 schools in 2017-18; 94,265 out of 98,755 schools in 2018-19; and 95,373 out of 98,469 schools in 2019-20.
15 Ratio for schools reporting both full-time-equivalent teachers and fall enrollment data.
16 Includes imputations for teacher data for California.
NOTE: Data in this table represent the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Enrollment and ratios are based on data reported by schools and may differ from data reported in other tables that reflect aggregate totals reported by states.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey," 2015-16 through 2019-20; CCD, "Local Education Agency Universe Survey," 2015-16 through 2019-20; EDFacts file 141, Data Group 678, extracted December 10, 2021, from the EDFacts Data Warehouse (internal U.S. Department of Education source); Education Demographic and Geographic Estimates (EDGE), “Public School File,” 2015-16 through 2019-20; and EDGE, "Public District File," 2015-16 through 2019-20. (This table was prepared December 2021.)

2021 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest