- Enrollment
- 848
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Houston, TX
Idea Spears College Preparatory
Federal NCES profile for Idea Spears College Preparatory, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 480021113984Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 71
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Idea Spears College Preparatory earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Texas schools.
- #112 of 116
- middle schools in Houston · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 44.1:1
- large classes for Texas
- 89.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Idea Spears College Preparatory has class sizes larger than 99% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Idea Spears College Preparatory ranks #112 of 116 middle schools in Houston, TX.
School address
District: Idea Public Schools · Texas
NCES ID 480021113984 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+137 students YoY
Idea Spears College Preparatory grew from 384 students in 2022-23 to 521 in 2023-24 (+35.7%).
Teacher FTE added 14.8 → 27.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+137 students YoY 480021113984 · Houston, TX Middle · MID · CHARTER
617 enr · 44.1:1 · 89.1% lunch · RII 25
Nearest enrollment peer: Idea College Preparatory Pharr (848 students)
Idea Spears College Preparatory grew from 384 students in 2022-23 to 521 in 2023-24 (+35.7%). Teacher FTE added 14.8 → 27.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Texas schools → · Find another →
Idea Spears College Preparatory 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 College Preparatory
617 students
What this shows Idea Spears College Preparatory reports 617 students on the CCD universe file.
How Idea Spears College Preparatory compares
Idea Spears College Preparatory is a growing 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 | 44.1:1 | ▲ 200% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 89.1% | ▲ 44% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 617 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
44.1:1
Leaner classes than 0% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
617
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
89.1%
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
44.1:1
students per teacher
- 200% above state mean
Top 99% in Texas - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
11.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
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 617 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 38 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 71.5%
African American 25.4%
White 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Asian 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Two or More 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 71.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.4, Idea Spears College Preparatory 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 Spears College Preparatory 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 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Idea College Prep | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Idea Mcallen College Preparatory | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Idea Riverview College Preparatory | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Idea Spears College Preparatory'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 middle 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 (~617 students)
Frequently asked questions about Idea Spears College Preparatory
How many students attend Idea Spears College Preparatory?
Idea Spears College Preparatory has 617 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Houston, TX. CCD year-over-year: 384 (2022-23) → 521 (2023-24), up 137.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Idea Spears College Preparatory?
The student-teacher ratio at Idea Spears College Preparatory is 44.1:1, which is 200% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 181% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Idea Spears College Preparatory?
89.1% of students at Idea Spears College Preparatory are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Idea Spears College Preparatory?
The largest demographic group at Idea Spears College Preparatory is Hispanic or Latino at 71.5% of enrollment, in Houston, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Idea Spears College Preparatory?
Idea Spears College Preparatory has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (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 College Preparatory rank among middle schools in Houston?
By Resource Investment Index, Idea Spears College Preparatory ranks #112 of 116 middle 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 middle schools in Houston on the city page.
What other schools are in Idea Public Schools?
Besides Idea Spears College Preparatory, 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.