Enrollment
1,544
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Spring Hill, FL
Explorer K-8
Federal NCES profile for Explorer K-8, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 18/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120081007491
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Explorer K-8 earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 71% of Florida schools.
- #12 of 12
- schools in Spring Hill · Resource Index
- 18
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.6:1
- small classes for Florida
- 63.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Explorer K-8 has class sizes smaller than 71% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Explorer K-8 ranks #12 of 12 schools in Spring Hill, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
106.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.8%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Explorer K-8 compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Explorer K-8
Explorer K-8 is a higher-need, large combined-grade school in Spring Hill, Florida, enrolling 1,544 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 63.8% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Florida, bigger than 92% of state schools at 1,544 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 3,996 Florida schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 329 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #317, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (43%) and Hispanic or Latino (40%) (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1544 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Hernando also operates Frank W. Springstead High School (1,853 students) and Winding Waters K-8 (1,613 students) alongside Explorer K-8.
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 K-8 compares
Explorer K-8 on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.6:1 | ▼ 18% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.8% | ▲ 23% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,544 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,544
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% 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
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 18% below state mean
Top 29% in Florida - lower ratio than 71% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
42.7%
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
$9,962
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 1544 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
149
in-school suspensions + 144 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.0 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 42.7%
Hispanic or Latino 40.2%
African American 9.8%
Two or More 5.7%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 42.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.3, Explorer K-8 is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hernando, which includes Explorer K-8.
$9,962
Per student
-11%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.9%
State 44.9%
Federal 15.1%
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 K-8 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frank W. Springstead High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Winding Waters K-8 | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Weeki Wachee High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Explorer K-8's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,853
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,613
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,456
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,444
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,437
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar other 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 (~1,544 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Explorer K-8's federal record.
- Compare Explorer K-8 against another school. Compare schools
- Hernando'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 K-8
How many students attend Explorer K-8?
Explorer K-8 has 1,544 students enrolled. It is a public school in Spring Hill, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Explorer K-8?
The student-teacher ratio at Explorer K-8 is 14.6:1, which is 18% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 7% 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 Explorer K-8?
63.8% of students at Explorer K-8 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Explorer K-8?
The largest demographic group at Explorer K-8 is White at 42.7% of enrollment, in Spring Hill, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Explorer K-8?
Explorer K-8 has a Resource Investment Index of 18/100 (lower 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 Explorer K-8 rank among schools in Spring Hill?
By Resource Investment Index, Explorer K-8 ranks #12 of 12 schools in Spring Hill, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Spring Hill on the city page.
Is Explorer K-8 a good school?
Explorer K-8 earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 71% 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 Hernando?
Besides Explorer K-8, Hernando also operates Frank W. Springstead High School (1,853 students), Winding Waters K-8 (1,613 students), and Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math (1,456 students). See the Hernando 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.