- Enrollment
- 848
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Houston, TX
Idea Spears Academy
Federal NCES profile for Idea Spears Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 13/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 480021113974Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 3
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Idea Spears Academy earns 13/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Texas schools.
- #114 of 114
- elementary schools in Houston · Resource Index
- 13
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.3:1
- large classes for Texas
- 89.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Idea Spears Academy has class sizes larger than 97% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Idea Spears Academy ranks #114 of 114 elementary schools in Houston, TX.
School address
District: Idea Public Schools · Texas
NCES ID 480021113974 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+9 students YoY
Idea Spears Academy held near 750 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+9 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 30.6 → 27.4 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+9 students YoY 480021113974 · Houston, TX Elementary · MID · CHARTER
728 enr · 24.3:1 · 89.3% lunch · RII 13
Nearest enrollment peer: Idea College Preparatory Pharr (848 students)
Idea Spears Academy held near 750 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+9 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 30.6 → 27.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Texas schools → · Find another →
Idea Spears 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 Spears Academy
728 students
What this shows Idea Spears Academy reports 728 students on the CCD universe file.
How Idea Spears Academy compares
Idea Spears Academy 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 | 24.3:1 | ▲ 65% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 89.3% | ▲ 44% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 728 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.3:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
728
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
89.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% 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
24.3:1
students per teacher
- 65% above state mean
Top 97% in Texas - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
32.3%
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 728 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 59.1%
African American 37.0%
White 2.3%
Two or More 1.0%
Asian 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 59.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.3, Idea Spears Academy is more 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 Spears Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idea College Preparatory Pharr | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Idea Montopolis College Preparatory | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower 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 Spears 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 elementary 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 (~728 students)
Frequently asked questions about Idea Spears Academy
How many students attend Idea Spears Academy?
Idea Spears Academy has 728 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Houston, TX. CCD year-over-year: 741 (2022-23) → 750 (2023-24), nearly flat (+9).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Idea Spears Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Idea Spears Academy is 24.3:1, which is 65% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 55% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Idea Spears Academy?
89.3% of students at Idea Spears Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Idea Spears Academy?
The largest demographic group at Idea Spears Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 59.1% of enrollment, in Houston, TX. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Idea Spears Academy?
Idea Spears Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 13/100 (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 Spears Academy rank among elementary schools in Houston?
By Resource Investment Index, Idea Spears Academy ranks #114 of 114 elementary 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 elementary schools in Houston on the city page.
What other schools are in Idea Public Schools?
Besides Idea Spears 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.