Wheeler Elementary

Summary:

Wheeler Elementary is a public elementary school in Louisville, Kentucky, serving 613 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Jefferson County school district, which is ranked 141 out of 159 districts in the state.

Wheeler Elementary consistently ranks among the top 20-25% of elementary schools in Kentucky, with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's proficiency rates in core subjects are significantly higher than the district and state averages, and its performance is particularly strong in certain student subgroups, such as African American and Hispanic students. Jeffersontown Elementary, a nearby school, had a 3rd-grade mathematics proficiency rate of only 24% in the 2023-2024 school year, compared to Wheeler Elementary's 60%.

Wheeler Elementary has a diverse student population and a relatively low student-teacher ratio, as well as higher per-student spending than the district average. While the school's overall performance is strong, there are some areas, such as the performance of special education and low socioeconomic status students, where the school could potentially improve. Nevertheless, Wheeler Elementary's consistent academic achievement, effective resource allocation, and success in supporting diverse student populations make it a standout school in the Jefferson County district and a model for other schools to emulate.


Detail:

Public K-5

 5700 Cynthia Drive
       Louisville, KY  40291-1187


(502) 485-8349

District: Jefferson County

SchoolDigger Rank:
191st of 685 Kentucky Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,261 Help


Students who attend Wheeler Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Ramsey Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  16.0 Help
Number of students:  615

Racial breakdown:

White:
44.1%
African American:
27.0%
Asian:
9.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  43.1% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Wheeler Elementary ranks better than 72.1% of elementary schools in Kentucky. It also ranks 10th among 87 ranked elementary schools in the Jefferson County School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 67.43. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (44.1%), African American (27%), Asian (9.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 43.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Wheeler Elementary is 16. 63 elementary schools in the Jefferson County School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Wheeler Elementary employs 38.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Wheeler Elementary is $17,261. 81 elementary schools in the Jefferson County School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Wheeler Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Wheeler Elementary 191st of 685 Kentucky public elementary schools. (See Wheeler Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Jefferson County:

SchoolDigger ranks Jefferson County 141st of 159 Kentucky school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Wheeler Elementary.

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Rank History for Wheeler Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Wheeler Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2007 70.06 170th 638 73.4%
2008 71.77 162nd 651 75.1%
2009 44.05 404th 658 38.6%
2010 50.88 363rd 683 46.9%
2011 35.74 491st 688 28.6%
2012 73.22 138th 713 80.6%
2013 77.44 96th 719 86.6%
2014 76.37 106th 705 85.0%
2015 79.31 94th 698 86.5%
2016 84.36 56th 690 91.9%
2017 83.04 68th 694 90.2%
2018 84.91 55th 691 92.0%
2019 80.56 81st 700 88.4%
2021 47.30 256th 517 50.5%
2022 73.65 122nd 684 82.2%
2023 73.36 129th 687 81.2%
2024 67.43 191st 685 72.1%
See the entire list of Kentucky Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Wheeler Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.86 10th 59 83.1%
2023 44.81 24th 43 44.2%
2024 56.86 20th 53 62.3%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Wheeler Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 90.25 2nd 40 95.0%
2023 69.45 11th 65 83.1%
2024 64.90 18th 64 71.9%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Wheeler Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 82.40 63rd 661 90.5%
2023 23.85 218th 257 15.2%
2024 18.30 257th 279 7.9%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Wheeler Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 84.86 41st 631 93.5%
2019 72.17 118th 664 82.2%
2022 65.56 144th 667 78.4%
2023 52.25 287th 670 57.2%
2024 62.85 193rd 665 71.0%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Wheeler Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.32 53rd 663 92.0%
2019 82.25 61st 671 90.9%
2021 49.47 163rd 312 47.8%
2022 71.03 129th 641 79.9%
2023 74.64 103rd 639 83.9%
2024 68.98 158th 644 75.5%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Wheeler Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.70 317th 445 28.8%
2019 26.18 367th 474 22.6%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Wheeler Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.48 73rd 665 89.0%
2019 76.01 112th 676 83.4%
2021 34.54 241st 325 25.8%
2022 68.26 146th 657 77.8%
2023 66.78 163rd 652 75.0%
2024 61.96 210th 652 67.8%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Wheeler Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 6.84 23rd 23 0.0%
2024 57.60 10th 25 60.0%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Wheeler Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 88.86 10th 184 94.6%
2019 86.38 14th 185 92.4%
2022 69.55 20th 118 83.1%
2023 78.70 10th 129 92.2%
2024 64.18 36th 140 74.3%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Wheeler Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 79.52 17th 153 88.9%
2023 69.13 25th 120 79.2%
2024 57.98 48th 135 64.4%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Wheeler Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.06 36th 593 93.9%
2019 85.88 46th 592 92.2%
2021 49.59 166th 337 50.7%
2022 79.68 83rd 656 87.3%
2023 87.33 47th 658 92.9%
2024 79.15 96th 659 85.4%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Kentucky Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Wheeler Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Kentucky Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.5)
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50%

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Reviews:
by a parent
Monday, April 15, 2013

Open Quote We have enjoyed our experiences with Wheeler Elementary. We loved Kids Garden (yea Ms. Davidson and Mrs. Heard!) as well as the combined classroom track available which had kids of different ages working at or above their grade level (K&1, 2nd&3rd, 4th&5th). While there were times we wish homework was more stringent, we saw how different teachers were able to use different methods to work with individual students.

From K-5th we only had one issue and the teachers worked diligently to find a solution and make sure it didnt get out of hand.

Keep up the good work Wheeler Wildcats! Close Quote


by a parent
Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Open Quote Two of my children have gone there and my third is about to start. Most of the classroom teachers are great. Others I think could have pushed my children a little harder. All of the special area teachers are wonderful and really care about he kids.
I have problems with the principal and the counselor. The children who are trouble makers, who pick on the other kids, who don't do what they are supposed to and who don't respect their teachers get treated great while the kids who are respectful and courteous, who do what they are supposed to do get nothing. The principal and counselor will walk the hall with the disruptive kids and give them suckers to help calm them down. They get to play basketball in the gym while the other students who don't cause problems are doing work in the classroom. They have been given pizza parties for doing certain things that they should have been doing all along. The principal doesn't seem to care what happens to the other kids. She has told the teachers that if something happens in the classroom to handle it in the classroom.

So in conclusion: the school and teachers are great. The principal and the counselor, not so much. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Wheeler Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 348 120 2 4 1 n/a n/a 0 475
1989 363 109 3 5 1 n/a n/a 0 481
1990 374 109 1 2 0 n/a n/a 0 486
1991 387 121 1 1 1 n/a n/a 0 511
1992 431 101 1 5 0 n/a n/a 21 559
1993 445 85 1 2 0 n/a n/a 0 533
1994 468 102 1 1 0 n/a n/a 0 572
1995 444 145 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 589
1996 444 145 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 589
1997 465 162 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 627
1998 480 156 3 0 0 n/a n/a 8 647
1999 458 168 3 3 1 n/a n/a 7 640
2000 451 137 3 8 1 n/a n/a 15 615
2001 461 144 3 11 2 n/a n/a 0 621
2002 475 132 11 13 0 n/a n/a 0 631
2003 475 132 11 13 0 n/a n/a 0 631
2004 498 147 9 9 3 n/a n/a 0 666
2005 490 158 8 7 0 n/a n/a 0 663
2006 466 188 6 4 1 n/a n/a 0 665
2007 448 186 9 7 1 n/a n/a 25 676
2008 394 152 14 17 2 n/a n/a 19 598
2009 356 151 13 25 2 n/a n/a 67 614
2010 374 150 8 30 0 n/a n/a 41 603
2011 395 154 10 28 1 0 17 0 605
2012 391 144 10 39 2 0 27 0 613
2013 397 145 10 40 5 1 35 0 633
2014 420 142 11 62 3 1 43 0 682
2015 435 138 11 47 3 1 44 0 679
2016 421 145 17 45 3 0 48 0 679
2017 417 132 21 50 3 0 42 0 665
2018 425 119 24 42 2 1 41 0 654
2019 410 123 28 39 1 1 40 0 642
2020 403 134 33 42 1 2 51 0 666
2021 392 109 43 47 1 2 54 0 648
2022 346 126 47 41 0 3 50 0 613
2023 311 145 58 40 1 3 55 0 613
2024 271 166 59 58 1 3 57 0 615

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Wheeler Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 475 23.3 20.3 n/a
1989 481 25.5 18.8 n/a
1990 486 25.6 18.9 n/a
1991 511 28.3 18.0 n/a
1992 559 29.3 19.0 n/a
1993 533 30.4 17.5 n/a
1994 572 35.8 16.0 n/a
1995 589 35.0 16.8 n/a
1996 589 35.0 16.8 n/a
1997 627 35.0 17.9 28.4
1998 647 34.1 19.0 27.1
1999 640 26.8 23.9 30.3
2000 615 24.1 25.5 32.2
2001 621 n/a 0.0 30.9
2002 631 34.0 18.6 46.6
2003 631 34.0 18.6 46.6
2004 666 35.0 19.0 n/a
2005 663 34.0 19.5 n/a
2006 665 37.0 18.0 33.8
2007 676 36.0 18.8 34.9
2008 598 33.0 18.1 39.4
2009 614 31.0 19.8 41.7
2010 603 54.0 11.1 45.9
2011 605 30.0 20.1 46.4
2012 613 29.0 21.1 41.6
2013 633 31.0 20.4 40
2014 682 30.7 22.1 39.6
2015 679 35.0 19.4 43.4
2016 679 35.0 19.4 46.5
2017 665 36.3 18.3 31.3
2018 654 36.7 17.8 35.2
2019 642 34.5 18.5 30.5
2020 666 35.6 18.7 27.8
2021 648 34.6 18.7 37.5
2022 613 36.2 16.8 41.3
2023 613 35.7 17.1 37
2024 615 38.2 16.0 43.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Wheeler Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 475 23.3 20.3 n/a
1989 481 25.5 18.8 n/a
1990 486 25.6 18.9 n/a
1991 511 28.3 18.0 n/a
1992 559 29.3 19.0 n/a
1993 533 30.4 17.5 n/a
1994 572 35.8 16.0 n/a
1995 589 35.0 16.8 n/a
1996 589 35.0 16.8 n/a
1997 627 35.0 17.9 28.4
1998 647 34.1 19.0 27.1
1999 640 26.8 23.9 30.3
2000 615 24.1 25.5 32.2
2001 621 n/a 0.0 30.9
2002 631 34.0 18.6 46.6
2003 631 34.0 18.6 46.6
2004 666 35.0 19.0 n/a
2005 663 34.0 19.5 n/a
2006 665 37.0 18.0 33.8
2007 676 36.0 18.8 34.9
2008 598 33.0 18.1 39.4
2009 614 31.0 19.8 41.7
2010 603 54.0 11.1 45.9
2011 605 30.0 20.1 46.4
2012 613 29.0 21.1 41.6
2013 633 31.0 20.4 40
2014 682 30.7 22.1 39.6
2015 679 35.0 19.4 43.4
2016 679 35.0 19.4 46.5
2017 665 36.3 18.3 31.3
2018 654 36.7 17.8 35.2
2019 642 34.5 18.5 30.5
2020 666 35.6 18.7 27.8
2021 648 34.6 18.7 37.5
2022 613 36.2 16.8 41.3
2023 613 35.7 17.1 37
2024 615 38.2 16.0 43.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Wheeler Elementary

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018 $438 (3.2%) $397 (2.9%) $835 (6.1%) $10,521 (77.4%) $1,480 (10.9%) $12,001 (88.3%) $13,591
2019 $492 (3.7%) $357 (2.7%) $849 (6.3%) $10,494 (78.4%) $1,377 (10.3%) $11,871 (88.7%) $13,388
2020 $552 (4.0%) $378 (2.7%) $930 (6.8%) $10,852 (78.9%) $1,285 (9.3%) $12,137 (88.3%) $13,752
2021 $752 (5.4%) $656 (4.7%) $1,408 (10.1%) $10,772 (77.3%) $1,145 (8.2%) $11,917 (85.6%) $13,929
2022 $2,207 (12.8%) $1,193 (6.9%) $3,400 (19.7%) $11,367 (65.9%) $1,353 (7.8%) $12,720 (73.7%) $17,261

Data source: Kentucky Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Wheeler Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 81st of 700 Elementary schoolsRanks 129th of 687 Elementary schools
 7.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students642613
 4.5%
African American123145
 17.9%
American Indian11
Asian2858
 107.1%
Hispanic3940
 2.6%
Pacific Islander13
 200%
White410311
 24.1%
Two or More Races4055
 37.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients30.5%37%
 6.5%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Wheeler Elementary

Students at Wheeler Elementary are 44% White, 27% African American, 10% Asian, 9% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races.

In the 2023-24 school year, 615 students attended Wheeler Elementary.

Students who attend Wheeler Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Ramsey Middle

Wheeler Elementary ranks 191st of 685 Kentucky elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.


Rate Wheeler Elementary!



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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Kentucky Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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