Enrollment
286
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Port Orchard, WA
Explorer Academy
Federal NCES profile for Explorer Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 530816002575
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Explorer Academy earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Washington schools.
- #10 of 10
- schools in Port Orchard · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 28.6:1
- large classes for Washington
- 34.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Explorer Academy has class sizes larger than 95% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Explorer Academy ranks #10 of 10 schools in Port Orchard, WA.
School address
District: South Kitsap School District · Washington
NCES ID 530816002575 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
10.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
28.6:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+63% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.7%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Explorer Academy compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Explorer Academy
Explorer Academy is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Port Orchard, Washington, enrolling 286 students.
Class loads run heavy: 28.6:1 is larger than about 95% of Washington schools and 63% above the 17.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 34.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 286 puts it in the smaller third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Among 260 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #211, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and Two or More (14%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 286 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Among Port Orchard's public schools, it stands alongside South Colby Elementary (276 students): Explorer Academy is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (28.6:1 vs 14.5:1).
South Kitsap School District also operates South Kitsap High School (2,448 students) and John Sedgwick Middle School (731 students) alongside Explorer Academy.
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 Explorer Academy compares
Explorer Academy on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 28.6:1 | ▲ 63% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.7% | ▼ 23% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 286 | top 66% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
28.6:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
286
Bigger than 30% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
28.6:1
students per teacher
- 63% above state mean
Top 95% in Washington - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$17,526
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 286 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 67.3%
Two or More 14.1%
Hispanic or Latino 13.4%
Asian 1.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
African American 0.7%
Largest group: White at 67.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.8, Explorer Academy is less mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 15
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South Kitsap School District, which includes Explorer Academy.
$17,526
Per student
-10%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.4%
State 66.8%
Federal 13.8%
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 Explorer Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Kitsap High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| John Sedgwick Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cedar Heights Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Marcus Whitman Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Orchard Heights Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Explorer Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,448
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 731
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 689
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 623
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 529
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Port Orchard
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Washington, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~286 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~28.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Explorer Academy's federal record.
- Compare Explorer Academy against another school. Compare schools
- South Kitsap 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 Explorer Academy
How many students attend Explorer Academy?
Explorer Academy has 286 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Port Orchard, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Explorer Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Explorer Academy is 28.6:1, which is 63% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 82% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Explorer Academy?
34.7% of students at Explorer Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Explorer Academy?
The largest demographic group at Explorer Academy is White at 67.3% of enrollment, in Port Orchard, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Explorer Academy?
Explorer Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Explorer Academy rank among schools in Port Orchard?
By Resource Investment Index, Explorer Academy ranks #10 of 10 schools in Port Orchard, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Port Orchard on the city page.
Is Explorer Academy a good school?
Explorer Academy earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Washington 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 South Kitsap School District?
Besides Explorer Academy, South Kitsap School District also operates South Kitsap High School (2,448 students), John Sedgwick Middle School (731 students), and Cedar Heights Middle School (689 students). See the South Kitsap 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.