Enrollment
382
Minnesota · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Saint Paul, MN
Creative Arts Secondary School
Federal NCES profile for Creative Arts Secondary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 273384004680
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 75
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Creative Arts Secondary School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Minnesota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota schools.
- #41 of 86
- schools in Saint Paul · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.1:1
- large classes for Minnesota
- 74.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Creative Arts Secondary School has class sizes larger than 80% of Minnesota schools. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Creative Arts Secondary School ranks #41 of 86 schools in Saint Paul, MN.
School address
District: Saint Paul Public Schools · Minnesota
NCES ID 273384004680 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.1:1
vs 15.8:1 Minnesota avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
74.6%
vs 42.8% Minnesota avg
+74% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Creative Arts Secondary School compares with Minnesota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Creative Arts Secondary School
Creative Arts Secondary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Saint Paul, Minnesota, enrolling 382 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Minnesota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 74.6% of students qualify for free meals, 74% above the Minnesota average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 382 students, its enrollment sits close to the Minnesota median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,334 scored Minnesota schools.
Against 132 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #38.
Its student body is led by African American (31%) and White (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 78/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 127 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 62.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Saint Paul Public Schools spends $20,457 per pupil, 34% above the Minnesota average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 21.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 102 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 382 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Saint Paul Public Schools also operates Central Senior High (1,682 students) and Harding Senior High (1,591 students) alongside Creative Arts Secondary School.
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 Secondary School compares
Creative Arts Secondary School on the metrics families compare, against Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.1:1 | ▲ 21% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.6% | ▲ 74% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 382 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.1:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
382
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
74.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 74% above the Minnesota average of 42.8%
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
19.1:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 80% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
62.6%
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
$20,457
per pupil, district-wide
- above Minnesota avg of $15,270
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 127 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 102 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 26.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 30.6%
White 22.5%
Hispanic or Latino 17.8%
Asian 16.0%
Two or More 12.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Largest group: African American at 30.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 78.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 78.4, Creative Arts Secondary School is more mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 4
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Saint Paul Public Schools, which includes Creative Arts Secondary School.
$20,457
Per student
+34%
vs Minnesota
Avg $15,270
+23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.8%
State 53.2%
Federal 21.0%
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 Creative Arts Secondary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harding Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Highland Park Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Johnson Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Capitol Hill Magnet/Rondo | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Creative Arts Secondary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,682
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,591
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,392
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,076
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,066
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Minnesota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~382 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Creative Arts Secondary School's federal record.
- Compare Creative Arts Secondary School against another school. Compare schools
- Saint Paul Public Schools'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 Secondary School
How many students attend Creative Arts Secondary School?
Creative Arts Secondary School has 382 students enrolled. It is a public school in Saint Paul, MN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Creative Arts Secondary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Creative Arts Secondary School is 19.1:1, which is 21% higher than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Creative Arts Secondary School?
74.6% of students at Creative Arts Secondary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Creative Arts Secondary School?
The largest demographic group at Creative Arts Secondary School is African American at 30.6% of enrollment, in Saint Paul, MN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 78.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Creative Arts Secondary School?
Creative Arts Secondary School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Creative Arts Secondary School rank among schools in Saint Paul?
By Resource Investment Index, Creative Arts Secondary School ranks #41 of 86 schools in Saint Paul, MN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Saint Paul on the city page.
Is Creative Arts Secondary School a good school?
Creative Arts Secondary School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Minnesota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota 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 Saint Paul Public Schools?
Besides Creative Arts Secondary School, Saint Paul Public Schools also operates Central Senior High (1,682 students), Harding Senior High (1,591 students), and Highland Park Senior High (1,392 students). See the Saint Paul Public Schools 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.