Enrollment
503
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Philadelphia, PA
Lowell James R Sch
Federal NCES profile for Lowell James R Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 19/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 421899003746
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lowell James R Sch earns 19/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median.
- #101 of 106
- schools in Philadelphia · Resource Index
- 19
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.6:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Lowell James R Sch has class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lowell James R Sch ranks #101 of 106 schools in Philadelphia, PA.
School address
District: Philadelphia City Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 421899003746 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.6:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lowell James R Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lowell James R Sch
Lowell James R Sch is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, enrolling 503 students.
At 13.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Pennsylvania median, within a few percentage points of the 13.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 100.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 503 students, its enrollment sits close to the Pennsylvania median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 99% of the 2,889 Pennsylvania schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 530 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #511, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (61%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 503 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Philadelphia's public schools, it stands alongside Philadelphia Performing Arts Cs (2,572 students): Lowell James R Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.6:1 vs 15.5:1).
Philadelphia City Sd also operates Northeast Hs (3,463 students) and Lincoln Hs (2,472 students) alongside Lowell James R Sch.
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 Lowell James R Sch compares
Lowell James R Sch on the metrics families compare, against Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.6:1 | ▼ 0% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 72% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 503 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 61% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
503
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% above the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 55% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
42.9%
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
$17,892
per pupil, district-wide
- below Pennsylvania avg of $17,970
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 503 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 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 61.4%
Hispanic or Latino 22.7%
Asian 8.7%
Two or More 5.4%
White 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: African American at 61.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.1, Lowell James R Sch is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Philadelphia City Sd, which includes Lowell James R Sch.
$17,892
Per student
0%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.0%
State 39.7%
Federal 23.3%
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 Lowell James R Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northeast Community Propel Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mayfair Sch | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lowell James R Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,463
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,472
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,329
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,783
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 1,763
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Philadelphia
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Philadelphia Performing Arts Cs
Standard public school
2,572 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Mast Community Cs Ii
Standard public school
1,875 students 16:1 students per teacher
First Philadelphia Preparatory Cs
Standard public school
1,831 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
Esperanza Academy Cs
Standard public school
1,637 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Frank Anne Sch
Standard public school
1,622 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
New Foundations Cs
Standard public school
1,529 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Pennsylvania, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~503 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lowell James R Sch's federal record.
- Compare Lowell James R Sch against another school. Compare schools
- Philadelphia City Sd'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 Lowell James R Sch
How many students attend Lowell James R Sch?
Lowell James R Sch has 503 students enrolled. It is a public school in Philadelphia, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lowell James R Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Lowell James R Sch is 13.6:1, which is 0% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 13% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lowell James R Sch?
100.0% of students at Lowell James R Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lowell James R Sch?
The largest demographic group at Lowell James R Sch is African American at 61.4% of enrollment, in Philadelphia, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lowell James R Sch?
Lowell James R Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 19/100 (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 Lowell James R Sch rank among schools in Philadelphia?
By Resource Investment Index, Lowell James R Sch ranks #101 of 106 schools in Philadelphia, PA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Philadelphia on the city page.
Is Lowell James R Sch a good school?
Lowell James R Sch earns 19/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. 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 Philadelphia City Sd?
Besides Lowell James R Sch, Philadelphia City Sd also operates Northeast Hs (3,463 students), Lincoln Hs (2,472 students), and Central Hs (2,329 students). See the Philadelphia City Sd 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.