- Enrollment
- 8,641
- Students per teacher
- 28:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Houston, TX
Mcgowen El
Federal NCES profile for Mcgowen El, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 482364002495
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 20
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mcgowen El earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Texas schools.
- #236 of 435
- schools in Houston · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.4:1
- large classes for Texas
- 97.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Mcgowen El has class sizes larger than 88% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mcgowen El ranks #236 of 435 schools in Houston, TX.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-33 students YoY
Mcgowen El shrank from 385 students in 2022-23 to 352 in 2023-24 (-8.6%).
Teacher FTE added 21.5 → 37.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-33 students YoY 482364002495 · Houston, TX Other · SMALL · TRAD
386 enr · 18.4:1 · 97.7% lunch · RII 39
Nearest enrollment peer: Texas Connections Academy at Houston (8,641 students)
Mcgowen El shrank from 385 students in 2022-23 to 352 in 2023-24 (-8.6%). Teacher FTE added 21.5 → 37.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Texas schools → · Find another →
Mcgowen El in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Texas Connecti
Texas Connections Academy at Houston
8,641 students
- Bellaire H S 3,216
Bellaire H S
3,216 students
- Lamar H S 2,968
Lamar H S
2,968 students
- Westside H S 2,729
Westside H S
2,729 students
- Heights H S 2,426
Heights H S
2,426 students
- This school 386
Mcgowen El
386 students
What this shows Mcgowen El reports 386 students on the CCD universe file.
How Mcgowen El compares
Mcgowen El is a shrinking 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 | 18.4:1 | ▲ 25% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 97.7% | ▲ 58% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 386 | top 66% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.4:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
386
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
97.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 58% 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
18.4:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 88% in Texas - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
32.1%
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
$13,072
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 22 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 60.6%
Hispanic or Latino 38.1%
White 0.5%
Two or More 0.5%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 60.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.8, Mcgowen El is more mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Houston Isd reports $13,072 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Mcgowen El Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Connections Academy at Houston | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bellaire H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lamar H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westside H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Heights H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mcgowen El's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,216
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,968
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,729
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 2,426
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Nationwide other 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 (~386 students)
Frequently asked questions about Mcgowen El
How many students attend Mcgowen El?
Mcgowen El has 386 students enrolled. It is a public school in Houston, TX. CCD year-over-year: 385 (2022-23) → 352 (2023-24), down 33.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mcgowen El?
The student-teacher ratio at Mcgowen El is 18.4:1, which is 25% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mcgowen El?
97.7% of students at Mcgowen El are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mcgowen El?
The largest demographic group at Mcgowen El is African American at 60.6% of enrollment, in Houston, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mcgowen El?
Mcgowen El has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Mcgowen El rank among schools in Houston?
By Resource Investment Index, Mcgowen El ranks #236 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.
What other schools are in Houston Isd?
Besides Mcgowen El, Houston Isd also operates Texas Connections Academy at Houston (8,641 students), Bellaire H S (3,216 students), and Lamar H S (2,968 students). See the Houston Isd district page for the complete list.