- Enrollment
- 8,641
- Students per teacher
- 28:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Houston, TX
Foster El
Federal NCES profile for Foster El, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 482364002459
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 3
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Foster El earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas median.
- #258 of 435
- schools in Houston · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.9:1
- students per teacher
- 99.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Foster El has class sizes near the Texas median. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Foster El ranks #258 of 435 schools in Houston, TX.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-17 students YoY
Foster El held near 363 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-17 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 24.4 → 24.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-17 students YoY 482364002459 · Houston, TX Other · SMALL · TRAD
334 enr · 13.9:1 · 99.5% lunch · RII 38
Nearest enrollment peer: Texas Connections Academy at Houston (8,641 students)
Foster El held near 363 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-17 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 24.4 → 24.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Texas schools → · Find another →
Foster El in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Texas Connecti
Texas Connections Academy at Houston
8,641 students
- Bellaire H S 3,216
Bellaire H S
3,216 students
- Lamar H S 2,968
Lamar H S
2,968 students
- Westside H S 2,729
Westside H S
2,729 students
- Heights H S 2,426
Heights H S
2,426 students
- This school 334
Foster El
334 students
What this shows Foster El reports 334 students on the CCD universe file.
How Foster El compares
Foster 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 | 13.9:1 | ▼ 5% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.5% | ▲ 61% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 334 | top 72% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.9:1
Leaner classes than 58% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
334
Bigger than 37% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
99.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% above the Texas average of 61.9%
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
13.9:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 46% in Texas - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
38.9%
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
$13,072
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 334 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
21
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 88.0%
Hispanic or Latino 8.7%
Two or More 1.8%
White 1.5%
Largest group: African American at 88.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 21.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 21.7, Foster El is less mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Houston Isd reports $13,072 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Foster El Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Connections Academy at Houston | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bellaire H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lamar H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westside H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Heights H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Foster El's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,216
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,968
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,729
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 2,426
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
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 (~334 students)
Frequently asked questions about Foster El
How many students attend Foster El?
Foster El has 334 students enrolled. It is a public school in Houston, TX. CCD year-over-year: 380 (2022-23) → 363 (2023-24), nearly flat (-17).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Foster El?
The student-teacher ratio at Foster El is 13.9:1, which is 5% lower than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 11% 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 Foster El?
99.5% of students at Foster El are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Foster El?
The largest demographic group at Foster El is African American at 88.0% of enrollment, in Houston, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Foster El?
Foster El has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Foster El rank among schools in Houston?
By Resource Investment Index, Foster El ranks #258 of 435 schools in Houston, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Houston on the city page.
What other schools are in Houston Isd?
Besides Foster El, Houston Isd also operates Texas Connections Academy at Houston (8,641 students), Bellaire H S (3,216 students), and Lamar H S (2,968 students). See the Houston Isd district page for the complete list.