- Enrollment
- 2,757
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Balch Springs, TX
Gray El
Federal NCES profile for Gray El, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 483039008192
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 18
📋 Attendance 60
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gray El earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas median.
- #1 of 5
- schools in Balch Springs · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.6:1
- students per teacher
- 84.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Gray El has class sizes near the Texas median. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gray El ranks #1 of 5 schools in Balch Springs, TX.
School address
District: Mesquite Isd · Texas
NCES ID 483039008192 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-2 students YoY
Gray El held near 427 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-2 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 30.7 → 27.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-2 students YoY 483039008192 · Balch Springs, TX Other · SMALL · TRAD
409 enr · 13.6:1 · 84.8% lunch · RII 48
Nearest enrollment peer: Horn H S (2,757 students)
Gray El held near 427 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-2 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 30.7 → 27.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Texas schools → · Find another →
Gray El in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Horn H S
Horn H S
2,757 students
- Mesquite H S
Mesquite H S
2,294 students
- North Mesquite
North Mesquite H S
2,099 students
- West Mesquite
West Mesquite H S
1,997 students
- Vroonland - Va
Vroonland - Vanguard H S
1,605 students
- This school 409
Gray El
409 students
What this shows Gray El reports 409 students on the CCD universe file.
How Gray El compares
Gray 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 | 13.6:1 | ▼ 7% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 84.8% | ▲ 37% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 409 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 61% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
409
Bigger than 49% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
84.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% above the Texas average of 61.9%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 42% in Texas - lower ratio than 58% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
16.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,223
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 409 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
17
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 74.1%
African American 14.7%
White 9.0%
Two or More 1.7%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 74.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.1, Gray El is less mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Mesquite Isd reports $12,223 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Gray El Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horn H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mesquite H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Mesquite H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Mesquite H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Vroonland - Vanguard H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gray El's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,294
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,099
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,997
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,605
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
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 (~409 students)
Frequently asked questions about Gray El
How many students attend Gray El?
Gray El has 409 students enrolled. It is a public school in Balch Springs, TX. CCD year-over-year: 429 (2022-23) → 427 (2023-24), nearly flat (-2).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gray El?
The student-teacher ratio at Gray El is 13.6:1, which is 7% lower than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 13% 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 Gray El?
84.8% of students at Gray El are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gray El?
The largest demographic group at Gray El is Hispanic or Latino at 74.1% of enrollment, in Balch Springs, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gray El?
Gray El has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 Gray El rank among schools in Balch Springs?
By Resource Investment Index, Gray El ranks #1 of 5 schools in Balch Springs, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Balch Springs on the city page.
What other schools are in Mesquite Isd?
Besides Gray El, Mesquite Isd also operates Horn H S (2,757 students), Mesquite H S (2,294 students), and North Mesquite H S (2,099 students). See the Mesquite Isd district page for the complete list.