- Enrollment
- 2,876
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Austin, TX
Cowan El
Federal NCES profile for Cowan El, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 480894008940
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cowan El earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas median.
- #76 of 162
- schools in Austin · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.4:1
- students per teacher
- 32.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Cowan El has class sizes near the Texas median. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cowan El ranks #76 of 162 schools in Austin, TX.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+2 students YoY
Cowan El held near 546 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+2 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 36.0 → 42.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+2 students YoY 480894008940 · Austin, TX Other · MID · TRAD
555 enr · 15.4:1 · 32.4% lunch · RII 41
Nearest enrollment peer: Bowie H S (2,876 students)
Cowan El held near 546 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+2 headcount). Teacher FTE added 36.0 → 42.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Texas schools → · Find another →
Cowan El in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Bowie H S
Bowie H S
2,876 students
- Akins H S
Akins H S
2,421 students
- Austin H S
Austin H S
2,323 students
- Anderson H S
Anderson H S
2,223 students
- Mccallum H S
Mccallum H S
1,897 students
- This school 555
Cowan El
555 students
What this shows Cowan El reports 555 students on the CCD universe file.
How Cowan El compares
Cowan El held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.4:1 | ▲ 5% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.4% | ▼ 48% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 555 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
555
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
32.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% 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
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 64% in Texas - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
18.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,950
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 555 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 45.4%
Hispanic or Latino 39.8%
Two or More 6.8%
Asian 5.4%
African American 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 45.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.8, Cowan El is more mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Austin Isd reports $12,950 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Cowan El Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowie H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Akins H S | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Austin H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Anderson H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mccallum H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cowan El's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,421
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 2,323
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,223
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,897
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
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 (~555 students)
Frequently asked questions about Cowan El
How many students attend Cowan El?
Cowan El has 555 students enrolled. It is a public school in Austin, TX. CCD year-over-year: 544 (2022-23) → 546 (2023-24), nearly flat (+2).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cowan El?
The student-teacher ratio at Cowan El is 15.4:1, which is 5% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 2% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cowan El?
32.4% of students at Cowan El are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cowan El?
The largest demographic group at Cowan El is White at 45.4% of enrollment, in Austin, TX. 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 El?
Cowan El has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Cowan El rank among schools in Austin?
By Resource Investment Index, Cowan El ranks #76 of 162 schools in Austin, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Austin on the city page.
What other schools are in Austin Isd?
Besides Cowan El, Austin Isd also operates Bowie H S (2,876 students), Akins H S (2,421 students), and Austin H S (2,323 students). See the Austin Isd district page for the complete list.