- Enrollment
- 848
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Brownsville, TX
Idea Frontier Academy
Federal NCES profile for Idea Frontier Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 19/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 480021111384Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 24
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Idea Frontier Academy earns 19/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Texas schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Texas schools.
- #50 of 50
- schools in Brownsville · Resource Index
- 19
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.9:1
- large classes for Texas
- 90.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Idea Frontier Academy has class sizes larger than 92% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Idea Frontier Academy ranks #50 of 50 schools in Brownsville, TX.
School address
District: Idea Public Schools · Texas
NCES ID 480021111384 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-130 students YoY
Idea Frontier Academy shrank from 818 students in 2022-23 to 688 in 2023-24 (-15.9%).
Teacher FTE lost 34.2 → 30.9 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-130 students YoY 480021111384 · Brownsville, TX Other · MID · CHARTER
675 enr · 19.9:1 · 90.5% lunch · RII 19
Nearest enrollment peer: Idea College Preparatory Pharr (848 students)
Idea Frontier Academy shrank from 818 students in 2022-23 to 688 in 2023-24 (-15.9%). Teacher FTE lost 34.2 → 30.9 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Texas schools → · Find another →
Idea Frontier Academy in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Idea College P
Idea College Preparatory Pharr
848 students
- Idea Montopoli
Idea Montopolis College Preparatory
835 students
- Idea College P
Idea College Prep
823 students
- Idea Mcallen C
Idea Mcallen College Preparatory
820 students
- Idea Riverview
Idea Riverview College Preparatory
813 students
- This school
Idea Frontier Academy
675 students
What this shows Idea Frontier Academy reports 675 students on the CCD universe file.
How Idea Frontier Academy compares
Idea Frontier Academy is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.9:1 | ▲ 35% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 90.5% | ▲ 46% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 675 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.9:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
675
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
90.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 46% 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
19.9:1
students per teacher
- 35% above state mean
Top 92% in Texas - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
30.4%
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
$11,857
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 675 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 96.4%
White 3.4%
Two or More 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 96.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 7.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 7.0, Idea Frontier Academy is less mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
District finance for Idea Public Schools reports $11,857 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Idea Frontier Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idea College Preparatory Pharr | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Idea Montopolis College Preparatory | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Idea College Prep | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Idea Mcallen College Preparatory | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Idea Riverview College Preparatory | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Idea Frontier Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 835
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 823
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 820
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 813
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
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 (~675 students)
Frequently asked questions about Idea Frontier Academy
How many students attend Idea Frontier Academy?
Idea Frontier Academy has 675 students enrolled. It is a public school in Brownsville, TX. CCD year-over-year: 818 (2022-23) → 688 (2023-24), down 130.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Idea Frontier Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Idea Frontier Academy is 19.9:1, which is 35% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 27% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Idea Frontier Academy?
90.5% of students at Idea Frontier Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Idea Frontier Academy?
The largest demographic group at Idea Frontier Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 96.4% of enrollment, in Brownsville, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Idea Frontier Academy?
Idea Frontier Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 19/100 (lower 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 Idea Frontier Academy rank among schools in Brownsville?
By Resource Investment Index, Idea Frontier Academy ranks #50 of 50 schools in Brownsville, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Brownsville on the city page.
What other schools are in Idea Public Schools?
Besides Idea Frontier Academy, Idea Public Schools also operates Idea College Preparatory Pharr (848 students), Idea Montopolis College Preparatory (835 students), and Idea College Prep (823 students). See the Idea Public Schools district page for the complete list.