Enrollment
617
New York · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Buffalo, NY
Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts
Federal NCES profile for Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 360585000297
👥 S:T ratio 66
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 59
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of New York schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New York schools.
- #13 of 49
- schools in Buffalo · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 8.5:1
- small classes for New York
- 65.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts has class sizes smaller than 87% of New York schools. Computed live against every New York school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts ranks #13 of 49 schools in Buffalo, NY.
School address
District: Buffalo City School District · New York
NCES ID 360585000297 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
73.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8.5:1
vs 11.8:1 New York avg
-28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.5%
vs 56.2% New York avg
+17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts compares with New York and U.S. medians
What stands out at Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts
Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Buffalo, New York, enrolling 617 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8.5:1, Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts is leaner than roughly 87% of New York schools and 28% under the state's 11.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 65.5% lands close to the New York typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 617 puts it in the larger third of New York schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 4,801 scored New York schools.
Against 653 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #121.
Its student body is led by African American (46%) and White (21%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 206 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 73.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 26.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 216 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 617 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Buffalo City School District also operates Hutchinson Central Technical High School (1,140 students) and City Honors School (1,088 students) alongside Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts compares
Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts on the metrics families compare, against New York and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New York | New York avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 8.5:1 | ▼ 28% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.5% | ▲ 17% | 56.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 617 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.5:1
Leaner classes than 94% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
617
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% above the New York average of 56.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
8.5:1
students per teacher
- 28% below state mean
Top 13% in New York - lower ratio than 87% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
73.4%
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
$24,652
per pupil, district-wide
- below New York avg of $26,410
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 206 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
157
in-school suspensions + 59 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 25.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 35.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 46.3%
White 21.0%
Hispanic or Latino 20.5%
Two or More 9.4%
Asian 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 46.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.0, Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts is more mixed than the New York school average of 45.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 3
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Buffalo City School District, which includes Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts.
$24,652
Per student
-7%
vs New York
Avg $26,410
+49%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 10.8%
State 62.7%
Federal 26.5%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hutchinson Central Technical High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| City Honors School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| International School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Frederick Olmsted #156 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mckinley Vocational High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,140
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,088
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 933
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 928
- Students per teacher
- 11.5:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 862
- Students per teacher
- 9:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New York, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~617 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts's federal record.
- Compare Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts against another school. Compare schools
- Buffalo City School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts
How many students attend Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts?
Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts has 617 students enrolled. It is a public school in Buffalo, NY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts?
The student-teacher ratio at Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts is 8.5:1, which is 28% lower than the New York average of 11.8:1 and 46% lower 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 Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts?
65.5% of students at Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New York average of 56.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts?
The largest demographic group at Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts is African American at 46.3% of enrollment, in Buffalo, NY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts?
Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts rank among schools in Buffalo?
By Resource Investment Index, Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts ranks #13 of 49 schools in Buffalo, NY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Buffalo on the city page.
Is Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts a good school?
Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of New York schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New York schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Buffalo City School District?
Besides Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts, Buffalo City School District also operates Hutchinson Central Technical High School (1,140 students), City Honors School (1,088 students), and International School (933 students). See the Buffalo City School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.