Enrollment
611
Texas · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · San Antonio, TX
Idea Walzem Academy
Federal NCES profile for Idea Walzem 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 480021113074Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 5
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Idea Walzem Academy earns 13/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Texas schools.
- #55 of 58
- elementary schools in San Antonio · Resource Index
- 13
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.1:1
- large classes for Texas
- 81.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Idea Walzem Academy has class sizes larger than 94% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Idea Walzem Academy ranks #55 of 58 elementary schools in San Antonio, TX.
School address
District: Idea Public Schools · Texas
NCES ID 480021113074 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.1:1
vs 14.7:1 Texas avg
+44% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
81.8%
vs 61.9% Texas avg
+32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Idea Walzem Academy compares with Texas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Idea Walzem Academy
Idea Walzem Academy is a high-poverty, mid-sized charter elementary school in San Antonio, Texas, enrolling 611 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.1:1 is larger than about 94% of Texas schools and 44% above the 14.7:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 81.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 611 students, its enrollment sits close to the Texas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 99% of the 8,960 Texas schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 2,315 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Texas schools statewide, it ranks #2,294, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (65%) and African American (25%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 611 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 20.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Idea Public Schools also operates Idea College Preparatory Pharr (848 students) and Idea Montopolis College Preparatory (835 students) alongside Idea Walzem 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 Idea Walzem Academy compares
Idea Walzem Academy on the metrics families compare, against Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.1:1 | ▲ 44% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 81.8% | ▲ 32% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 611 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.1:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
611
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
81.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% 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
21.1:1
students per teacher
- 44% above state mean
Top 94% in Texas - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
38.0%
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
$11,912
per pupil, district-wide
- below Texas avg of $13,644
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 611 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.3 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
Hispanic or Latino 64.8%
African American 24.7%
White 6.4%
Asian 1.8%
Two or More 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 64.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.4, Idea Walzem Academy is more mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Idea Public Schools, which includes Idea Walzem Academy.
$11,912
Per student
-13%
vs Texas
Avg $13,644
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 2.8%
State 76.8%
Federal 20.4%
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 Idea Walzem Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idea College Preparatory Pharr | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Idea Montopolis College Preparatory | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Idea College Prep | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Idea Mcallen College Preparatory | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Idea Riverview College Preparatory | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Idea Walzem Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 848
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- 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
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Texas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~611 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Idea Walzem Academy's federal record.
- Compare Idea Walzem Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Idea Public Schools'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 Idea Walzem Academy
How many students attend Idea Walzem Academy?
Idea Walzem Academy has 611 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in San Antonio, TX.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Idea Walzem Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Idea Walzem Academy is 21.1:1, which is 44% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Idea Walzem Academy?
81.8% of students at Idea Walzem Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Idea Walzem Academy?
The largest demographic group at Idea Walzem Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 64.8% of enrollment, in San Antonio, TX. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Idea Walzem Academy?
Idea Walzem Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 13/100 (lower 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 Idea Walzem Academy rank among elementary schools in San Antonio?
By Resource Investment Index, Idea Walzem Academy ranks #55 of 58 elementary schools in San Antonio, 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 San Antonio on the city page.
Is Idea Walzem Academy a good school?
Idea Walzem Academy earns 13/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Texas 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 Idea Public Schools?
Besides Idea Walzem 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.
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.