Enrollment
782
Texas · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Richmond, TX
James Patterson El
Federal NCES profile for James Patterson El, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 481965013336
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 60
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James Patterson El earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Texas schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Texas schools.
- #20 of 30
- schools in Richmond · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16:1
- large classes for Texas
- 60.2%
- free-lunch eligible
James Patterson El has class sizes larger than 71% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Patterson El ranks #20 of 30 schools in Richmond, TX.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
49.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16:1
vs 14.7:1 Texas avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.2%
vs 61.9% Texas avg
-3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James Patterson El compares with Texas and U.S. medians
What stands out at James Patterson El
James Patterson El is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Richmond, Texas, enrolling 782 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16:1 puts it in the larger third of Texas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 60.2% lands close to the Texas typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 782 puts it in the larger third of Texas schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 8,960 scored Texas schools.
Against 1,380 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #638.
Its student body is led by African American (48%) and Asian (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 782 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
16.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Fort Bend Isd spends $10,893 per pupil, 20% below the Texas average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Fort Bend Isd also operates William B Travis H S (3,114 students) and Lawrence E Elkins H S (2,848 students) alongside James Patterson El.
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 James Patterson El compares
James Patterson El on the metrics families compare, against Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16:1 | ▲ 9% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.2% | ▼ 3% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 782 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16:1
Leaner classes than 38% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
782
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% below the Texas average of 61.9%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 71% in Texas - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
16.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$10,893
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 782 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
African American 48.2%
Asian 23.1%
Hispanic or Latino 20.3%
White 4.5%
Two or More 3.8%
Largest group: African American at 48.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.0, James Patterson El is more mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fort Bend Isd, which includes James Patterson El.
$10,893
Per student
-20%
vs Texas
Avg $13,644
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 58.4%
State 26.9%
Federal 14.7%
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 James Patterson El Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| William B Travis H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lawrence E Elkins H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ridge Point H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Stephen F Austin H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Clements H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James Patterson El's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,114
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,848
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,816
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,655
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,641
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other 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 (~782 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James Patterson El's federal record.
- Compare James Patterson El against another school. Compare schools
- Fort Bend Isd'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 James Patterson El
How many students attend James Patterson El?
James Patterson El has 782 students enrolled. It is a public school in Richmond, TX.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Patterson El?
The student-teacher ratio at James Patterson El is 16:1, which is 9% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 2% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James Patterson El?
60.2% of students at James Patterson El are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James Patterson El?
The largest demographic group at James Patterson El is African American at 48.2% of enrollment, in Richmond, TX. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Patterson El?
James Patterson El has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical 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 James Patterson El rank among schools in Richmond?
By Resource Investment Index, James Patterson El ranks #20 of 30 schools in Richmond, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Richmond on the city page.
Is James Patterson El a good school?
James Patterson El earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Texas schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Fort Bend Isd?
Besides James Patterson El, Fort Bend Isd also operates William B Travis H S (3,114 students), Lawrence E Elkins H S (2,848 students), and Ridge Point H S (2,816 students). See the Fort Bend Isd 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.