Enrollment
485
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Wichita, KS
Gordon Parks Academy
Federal NCES profile for Gordon Parks Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 201299001904
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 3
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gordon Parks Academy earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kansas median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kansas schools.
- #30 of 61
- schools in Wichita · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.9:1
- students per teacher
- 84.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Gordon Parks Academy has class sizes near the Kansas median. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gordon Parks Academy ranks #30 of 61 schools in Wichita, KS.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.9:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
84.3%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
+97% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gordon Parks Academy compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gordon Parks Academy
Gordon Parks Academy is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Wichita, Kansas, enrolling 485 students.
At 13.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Kansas median, within a few percentage points of the 13.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 84.3% of students qualify for free meals, 97% above the Kansas average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 485 puts it in the larger third of Kansas schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,346 scored Kansas schools.
Against 93 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #49.
Its student body is led by African American (43%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 485 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 207 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 485 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Wichita's public schools, it stands alongside Christa Mcauliffe Academy (829 students): Gordon Parks Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.9:1 vs 13.6:1).
Wichita also operates East High (2,435 students) and Southeast High (2,066 students) alongside Gordon Parks 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 Gordon Parks Academy compares
Gordon Parks Academy on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.9:1 | ▲ 1% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 84.3% | ▲ 97% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 485 | top 20% | - | - |
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.
485
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
84.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 97% above the Kansas average of 42.7%
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
- 1% above state mean
Top 58% in Kansas - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
32.4%
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
$15,361
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kansas avg of $15,487
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 485 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
122
in-school suspensions + 85 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 25.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 42.7 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
African American 42.9%
Hispanic or Latino 26.2%
White 15.9%
Two or More 13.4%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: African American at 42.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.4, Gordon Parks Academy is more mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wichita, which includes Gordon Parks Academy.
$15,361
Per student
-1%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 17.2%
State 70.9%
Federal 11.9%
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 Gordon Parks Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southeast High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Heights High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gordon Parks Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,435
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,066
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,041
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,662
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,505
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools in Wichita
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Christa Mcauliffe Academy
Standard public school
829 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Minneha Core Knowledge Elem
Standard public school
644 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
Woodman Elem
Standard public school
612 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Cloud Elem
Standard public school
580 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Colvin Elem
Standard public school
571 students 13:1 students per teacher
Education Imagine Academy
Standard public school
566 students 29.8:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~485 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gordon Parks Academy's federal record.
- Compare Gordon Parks Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Wichita'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 Gordon Parks Academy
How many students attend Gordon Parks Academy?
Gordon Parks Academy has 485 students enrolled. It is a public school in Wichita, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gordon Parks Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Gordon Parks Academy is 13.9:1, which is 1% higher than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 11% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Gordon Parks Academy?
84.3% of students at Gordon Parks Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gordon Parks Academy?
The largest demographic group at Gordon Parks Academy is African American at 42.9% of enrollment, in Wichita, KS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gordon Parks Academy?
Gordon Parks Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical 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 Gordon Parks Academy rank among schools in Wichita?
By Resource Investment Index, Gordon Parks Academy ranks #30 of 61 schools in Wichita, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Wichita on the city page.
Is Gordon Parks Academy a good school?
Gordon Parks Academy earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kansas median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kansas 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 Wichita?
Besides Gordon Parks Academy, Wichita also operates East High (2,435 students), Southeast High (2,066 students), and North High (2,041 students). See the Wichita 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.