- Enrollment
- 3,412
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Pearland, TX
Challenger El
Federal NCES profile for Challenger El, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 483444003114
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Challenger El earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Texas schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Texas schools.
- #6 of 16
- schools in Pearland · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.2:1
- large classes for Texas
- 30.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Challenger El has class sizes larger than 73% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Challenger El ranks #6 of 16 schools in Pearland, TX.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+35 students YoY
Challenger El grew from 570 students in 2022-23 to 605 in 2023-24 (+6.1%).
Teacher FTE added 38.1 → 38.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+35 students YoY 483444003114 · Pearland, TX Other · MID · TRAD
614 enr · 16.2:1 · 30.9% lunch · RII 44
Nearest enrollment peer: Pearland H S (3,412 students)
Challenger El grew from 570 students in 2022-23 to 605 in 2023-24 (+6.1%). Teacher FTE added 38.1 → 38.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Texas schools → · Find another →
Challenger El in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Pearland H S
Pearland H S
3,412 students
- Glenda Dawson
Glenda Dawson H S
2,569 students
- Robert Turner 1,128
Robert Turner College and Career H S
1,128 students
- Pearland J H W 941
Pearland J H West
941 students
- Leon H Sablatu 878
Leon H Sablatura Middle
878 students
- This school 614
Challenger El
614 students
What this shows Challenger El reports 614 students on the CCD universe file.
How Challenger El compares
Challenger El is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.2:1 | ▲ 10% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.9% | ▼ 50% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 614 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
614
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
30.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% below the Texas average of 61.9%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 73% in Texas - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
12.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$9,797
per pupil, district-wide
- below Texas avg of $14,348
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 614 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 28.2%
White 24.9%
African American 22.8%
Asian 16.8%
Two or More 7.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 28.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 77.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 77.3, Challenger El is more mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Pearland Isd reports $9,797 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Challenger El Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pearland H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glenda Dawson H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Robert Turner College and Career H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pearland J H West | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Leon H Sablatura Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Challenger El's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,569
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,128
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 941
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 878
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
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 (~614 students)
Frequently asked questions about Challenger El
How many students attend Challenger El?
Challenger El has 614 students enrolled. It is a public school in Pearland, TX. CCD year-over-year: 570 (2022-23) → 605 (2023-24), up 35.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Challenger El?
The student-teacher ratio at Challenger El is 16.2:1, which is 10% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Challenger El?
30.9% of students at Challenger El are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Challenger El?
The largest demographic group at Challenger El is Hispanic or Latino at 28.2% of enrollment, in Pearland, TX. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 77.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Challenger El?
Challenger El has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical 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 Challenger El rank among schools in Pearland?
By Resource Investment Index, Challenger El ranks #6 of 16 schools in Pearland, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Pearland on the city page.
What other schools are in Pearland Isd?
Besides Challenger El, Pearland Isd also operates Pearland H S (3,412 students), Glenda Dawson H S (2,569 students), and Robert Turner College and Career H S (1,128 students). See the Pearland Isd district page for the complete list.