Enrollment
1,456
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Spring Hill, FL
Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math
Federal NCES profile for Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 120081005548
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 3
📋 Attendance 63
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Spring Hill · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.9:1
- students per teacher
- 28.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Spring Hill, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
86.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
28.7%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math
Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math is a large elementary school in Spring Hill, Florida, enrolling 1,456 students.
At 16.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Florida median, within a few percentage points of the 17.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 28.7% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Florida, bigger than 91% of state schools at 1,456 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 358 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #76.
Its student body is led by White (65%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 485 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
14.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 15.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Hernando also operates Frank W. Springstead High School (1,853 students) and Winding Waters K-8 (1,613 students) alongside Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math.
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 Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math compares
Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.9:1 | ▼ 5% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.7% | ▼ 45% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,456 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,456
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
28.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 54% in Florida - lower ratio than 46% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
14.8%
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
$9,962
per pupil, district-wide
- below Florida avg of $11,167
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 485 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
44
in-school suspensions + 15 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.1 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
White 64.6%
Hispanic or Latino 22.9%
Two or More 6.2%
African American 3.2%
Asian 2.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 64.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.5, Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math is about as mixed as the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hernando, which includes Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math.
$9,962
Per student
-11%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.9%
State 44.9%
Federal 15.1%
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 Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frank W. Springstead High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Winding Waters K-8 | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Explorer K-8 | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Weeki Wachee High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,853
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,613
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,544
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,444
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,437
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Florida, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,456 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math's federal record.
- Compare Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math against another school. Compare schools
- Hernando'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 Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math
How many students attend Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math?
Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math has 1,456 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Spring Hill, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math?
The student-teacher ratio at Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math is 16.9:1, which is 5% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 8% 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 Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math?
28.7% of students at Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math?
The largest demographic group at Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math is White at 64.6% of enrollment, in Spring Hill, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math?
Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math rank among elementary schools in Spring Hill?
By Resource Investment Index, Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Spring Hill, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Spring Hill on the city page.
Is Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math a good school?
Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. 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 Hernando?
Besides Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math, Hernando also operates Frank W. Springstead High School (1,853 students), Winding Waters K-8 (1,613 students), and Explorer K-8 (1,544 students). See the Hernando 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.