Enrollment
756
Texas · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Houston, TX
Kipp Explore Academy
Federal NCES profile for Kipp Explore Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 480026412057Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 60
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Kipp Explore Academy earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Texas schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Texas schools.
- #218 of 435
- schools in Houston · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.2:1
- large classes for Texas
- 85.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Kipp Explore Academy has class sizes larger than 81% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Kipp Explore Academy ranks #218 of 435 schools in Houston, TX.
School address
District: Kipp Texas Public Schools · Texas
NCES ID 480026412057 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
44.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.2:1
vs 14.7:1 Texas avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
85.9%
vs 61.9% Texas avg
+39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Kipp Explore Academy compares with Texas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Kipp Explore Academy
Kipp Explore Academy is a high-poverty, mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Houston, Texas, enrolling 756 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Texas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 85.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 756 puts it in the larger third of Texas schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 8,960 scored Texas schools.
Against 1,798 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #686.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (91% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 17/100).
16.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 19.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Kipp Texas Public Schools also operates Kipp Mosaic Pri (1,092 students) and Kipp Sharp Prep (1,078 students) alongside Kipp Explore 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 Kipp Explore Academy compares
Kipp Explore 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 | 17.2:1 | ▲ 17% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 85.9% | ▲ 39% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 756 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.2:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
756
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
85.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% 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
17.2:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 81% in Texas - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
16.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,327
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.1 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 91.0%
African American 6.3%
White 0.8%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Two or More 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 91.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 16.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 16.8, Kipp Explore Academy is less mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Kipp Texas Public Schools, which includes Kipp Explore Academy.
$12,327
Per student
-10%
vs Texas
Avg $13,644
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 5.0%
State 75.2%
Federal 19.8%
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 Kipp Explore Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kipp Mosaic Pri | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kipp Sharp Prep | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kipp Connect Houston Pri | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kipp Journey Pri | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kipp Unity Pri | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Kipp Explore Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,092
- Students per teacher
- 35.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,078
- Students per teacher
- 28.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,056
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,052
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,050
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
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 (~756 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Kipp Explore Academy's federal record.
- Compare Kipp Explore Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Kipp Texas 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 Kipp Explore Academy
How many students attend Kipp Explore Academy?
Kipp Explore Academy has 756 students enrolled. It is a public school in Houston, TX.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Kipp Explore Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Kipp Explore Academy is 17.2:1, which is 17% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Kipp Explore Academy?
85.9% of students at Kipp Explore Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Kipp Explore Academy?
The largest demographic group at Kipp Explore Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 91.0% of enrollment, in Houston, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Kipp Explore Academy?
Kipp Explore Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Kipp Explore Academy rank among schools in Houston?
By Resource Investment Index, Kipp Explore Academy ranks #218 of 435 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 schools in Houston on the city page.
Is Kipp Explore Academy a good school?
Kipp Explore Academy earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Texas schools. It is also less 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 Kipp Texas Public Schools?
Besides Kipp Explore Academy, Kipp Texas Public Schools also operates Kipp Mosaic Pri (1,092 students), Kipp Sharp Prep (1,078 students), and Kipp Connect Houston Pri (1,056 students). See the Kipp Texas 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.