- Enrollment
- 2,503
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Salt Lake City, UT
Backman School
Federal NCES profile for Backman School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 490087000474
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Backman School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 85% of Utah schools.
- #38 of 57
- schools in Salt Lake City · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.5:1
- small classes for Utah
- 80.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Backman School has class sizes smaller than 85% of Utah schools. Computed live against every Utah school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Backman School ranks #38 of 57 schools in Salt Lake City, UT.
School address
District: Salt Lake District · Utah
NCES ID 490087000474 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-19 students YoY
Backman School shrank from 364 students in 2022-23 to 345 in 2023-24 (-5.2%).
Teacher FTE added 24.3 → 26.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-19 students YoY 490087000474 · Salt Lake City, UT Other · SMALL · TRAD
396 enr · 16.5:1 · 80.8% lunch · RII 31
Nearest enrollment peer: West High (2,503 students)
Backman School shrank from 364 students in 2022-23 to 345 in 2023-24 (-5.2%). Teacher FTE added 24.3 → 26.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Utah schools → · Find another →
Backman School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- West High
West High
2,503 students
- Highland High
Highland High
1,973 students
- East High
East High
1,764 students
- Glendale Middl 678
Glendale Middle
678 students
- Mountain View 629
Mountain View School
629 students
- This school 396
Backman School
396 students
What this shows Backman School reports 396 students on the CCD universe file.
How Backman School compares
Backman School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Utah and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Utah | Utah avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.5:1 | ▼ 23% | 21.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 80.8% | ▲ 189% | 28.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 396 | top 69% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.5:1
Leaner classes than 34% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
396
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
80.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 189% above the Utah average of 28.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.5:1
students per teacher
- 23% below state mean
Top 15% in Utah - lower ratio than 85% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
42.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$13,808
per pupil, district-wide
- above Utah avg of $10,678
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 396 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 60.6%
White 14.4%
African American 11.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 4.3%
Two or More 3.8%
Asian 3.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 60.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.3, Backman School is more mixed than the Utah school average of 40.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Salt Lake District reports $13,808 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Backman School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Highland High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glendale Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mountain View School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Backman School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,973
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,764
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 678
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 629
- Students per teacher
- 26.2:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar other schools in Salt Lake City
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~396 students)
Frequently asked questions about Backman School
How many students attend Backman School?
Backman School has 396 students enrolled. It is a public school in Salt Lake City, UT. CCD year-over-year: 364 (2022-23) → 345 (2023-24), down 19.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Backman School?
The student-teacher ratio at Backman School is 16.5:1, which is 23% lower than the Utah average of 21.4:1 and 5% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Backman School?
80.8% of students at Backman School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Utah average of 28.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Backman School?
The largest demographic group at Backman School is Hispanic or Latino at 60.6% of enrollment, in Salt Lake City, UT. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Backman School?
Backman School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Backman School rank among schools in Salt Lake City?
By Resource Investment Index, Backman School ranks #38 of 57 schools in Salt Lake City, UT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Salt Lake City on the city page.
What other schools are in Salt Lake District?
Besides Backman School, Salt Lake District also operates West High (2,503 students), Highland High (1,973 students), and East High (1,764 students). See the Salt Lake District district page for the complete list.