Enrollment
515
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Fort Pierce, FL
Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie
Federal NCES profile for Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 120177003500
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of Florida schools.
- #6 of 21
- public schools in Fort Pierce · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.7:1
- small classes for Florida
- 64.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie has class sizes smaller than 70% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie ranks #6 of 21 public schools in Fort Pierce, FL.
School address
NCES ID 120177003500 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.6%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie
Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Fort Pierce, Florida, enrolling 515 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 64.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 515 students, its enrollment sits close to the Florida median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Among 910 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #49, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%) (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 258 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 17.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
St. Lucie also operates Fort Pierce Central High School (3,178 students) and Treasure Coast High School (3,124 students) alongside Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie.
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 Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie compares
Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.7:1 | ▼ 17% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.6% | ▲ 24% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 515 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
515
Bigger than 64% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% above the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 30% in Florida - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
25.2%
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
$11,031
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 258 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 35 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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
African American 47.4%
Hispanic or Latino 29.7%
White 16.9%
Two or More 5.2%
Asian 0.8%
Largest group: African American at 47.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.6, Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for St. Lucie, which includes Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie.
$11,031
Per student
-1%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.9%
State 35.5%
Federal 17.6%
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 Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Pierce Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Treasure Coast High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| St. Lucie West Centennial High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fort Pierce Westwood Academy the W.E.S.T. Prep Magnet | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Port St. Lucie High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,178
- Students per teacher
- 27.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 3,124
- Students per teacher
- 28.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,914
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,956
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,793
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
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 (~515 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie's federal record.
- Compare Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie against another school. Compare schools
- St. Lucie'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 Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie
How many students attend Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie?
Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie has 515 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Fort Pierce, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie?
The student-teacher ratio at Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie is 14.7:1, which is 17% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 6% 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 Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie?
64.6% of students at Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie?
The largest demographic group at Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie is African American at 47.4% of enrollment, in Fort Pierce, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie?
Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher 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 Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie rank among public schools in Fort Pierce?
By Resource Investment Index, Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie ranks #6 of 21 public schools in Fort Pierce, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Fort Pierce on the city page.
Is Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie a good school?
Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of Florida 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 St. Lucie?
Besides Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie, St. Lucie also operates Fort Pierce Central High School (3,178 students), Treasure Coast High School (3,124 students), and St. Lucie West Centennial High (2,914 students). See the St. Lucie 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.