Enrollment
98
Nevada · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Las Vegas, NV
Cowan Academic Center J-Shs
Federal NCES profile for Cowan Academic Center J-Shs, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 64/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 320006000597
👥 S:T ratio 67
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 93
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cowan Academic Center J-Shs earns 64/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 95% of Nevada schools.
- #3 of 198
- schools in Las Vegas · Resource Index
- 64
- Resource Index · Higher
- 8.2:1
- small classes for Nevada
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Cowan Academic Center J-Shs has class sizes smaller than 95% of Nevada schools. Computed live against every Nevada school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cowan Academic Center J-Shs ranks #3 of 198 schools in Las Vegas, NV.
School address
District: Clark County School District · Nevada
NCES ID 320006000597 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
12.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8.2:1
vs 20.5:1 Nevada avg
-60% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 76.8% Nevada avg
+30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cowan Academic Center J-Shs compares with Nevada and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cowan Academic Center J-Shs
Cowan Academic Center J-Shs is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Las Vegas, Nevada, enrolling 98 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8.2:1, Cowan Academic Center J-Shs is leaner than roughly 95% of Nevada schools and 60% under the state's 20.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 100.0% of students qualify for free meals, 30% above the Nevada average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 98 puts it in the smaller third of Nevada schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 97% of the 733 Nevada schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 35 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Nevada schools statewide, it ranks #3, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (48%) and African American (37%) (diversity index 63/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 33 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
The surrounding Clark County School District spends $11,565 per pupil, 30% below the Nevada average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 73 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 98 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 7 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Las Vegas's public schools, it stands alongside Nv Learning Academy J-Shs (3,352 students): Cowan Academic Center J-Shs is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8.2:1 vs 23:1).
Clark County School District also operates Adult Education Programs (4,559 students) and Nv Learning Academy J-Shs (3,352 students) alongside Cowan Academic Center J-Shs.
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 Cowan Academic Center J-Shs compares
Cowan Academic Center J-Shs on the metrics families compare, against Nevada and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nevada | Nevada avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 8.2:1 | ▼ 60% | 20.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 30% | 76.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 98 | top 87% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.2:1
Leaner classes than 95% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
98
Bigger than 10% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% above the Nevada average of 76.8%
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
8.2:1
students per teacher
- 60% below state mean
Top 5% in Nevada - lower ratio than 95% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$11,565
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nevada avg of $16,454
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 33 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 73 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 74.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 7 expulsions.
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
Hispanic or Latino 48.0%
African American 36.7%
White 7.1%
Two or More 4.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.0%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 48.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.8, Cowan Academic Center J-Shs is more mixed than the Nevada school average of 56.4.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Clark County School District, which includes Cowan Academic Center J-Shs.
$11,565
Per student
-30%
vs Nevada
Avg $16,454
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 17.1%
State 65.9%
Federal 17.0%
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 Cowan Academic Center J-Shs Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Education Programs | Larger | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
| Nv Learning Academy J-Shs | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Desert Oasis Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sierra Vista Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Liberty Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cowan Academic Center J-Shs's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 4,559
- Students per teacher
- -
- Enrollment
- 3,352
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
- Enrollment
- 3,300
- Students per teacher
- 27.3:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 3,255
- Students per teacher
- 27.1:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 3,203
- Students per teacher
- 23.9:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
Similar other schools in Las Vegas
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Nv Learning Academy J-Shs
Standard public school
3,352 students 23:1 students per teacher
Mater Academy East
Standard public school
2,492 students 56.6:1 students per teacher
Doral Academy Red Rock
Standard public school
2,392 students 29.9:1 students per teacher
Somerset Academy Sky Pointe
Standard public school
2,172 students 22.2:1 students per teacher
Amplus Durango
Standard public school
1,761 students 41:1 students per teacher
Nevada Virtual Academy
Standard public school
1,625 students 25.8:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Nevada, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~98 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~8.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cowan Academic Center J-Shs's federal record.
- Compare Cowan Academic Center J-Shs against another school. Compare schools
- Clark County 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 Cowan Academic Center J-Shs
How many students attend Cowan Academic Center J-Shs?
Cowan Academic Center J-Shs has 98 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Las Vegas, NV.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cowan Academic Center J-Shs?
The student-teacher ratio at Cowan Academic Center J-Shs is 8.2:1, which is 60% lower than the Nevada average of 20.5:1 and 48% 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 Cowan Academic Center J-Shs?
100.0% of students at Cowan Academic Center J-Shs are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nevada average of 76.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cowan Academic Center J-Shs?
The largest demographic group at Cowan Academic Center J-Shs is Hispanic or Latino at 48.0% of enrollment, in Las Vegas, NV. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cowan Academic Center J-Shs?
Cowan Academic Center J-Shs has a Resource Investment Index of 64/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Cowan Academic Center J-Shs rank among schools in Las Vegas?
By Resource Investment Index, Cowan Academic Center J-Shs ranks #3 of 198 schools in Las Vegas, NV. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Las Vegas on the city page.
Is Cowan Academic Center J-Shs a good school?
Cowan Academic Center J-Shs earns 64/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 95% of Nevada 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 Clark County School District?
Besides Cowan Academic Center J-Shs, Clark County School District also operates Adult Education Programs (4,559 students), Nv Learning Academy J-Shs (3,352 students), and Desert Oasis Hs (3,300 students). See the Clark County 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.