Enrollment
556
Minnesota · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Saint Paul, MN
Nova Classical Academy Upper School
Federal NCES profile for Nova Classical Academy Upper School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 270033704356Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 98
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Nova Classical Academy Upper School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Minnesota median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota schools.
- #46 of 86
- schools in Saint Paul · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.8:1
- students per teacher
- 12.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Nova Classical Academy Upper School has class sizes near the Minnesota median. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Nova Classical Academy Upper School ranks #46 of 86 schools in Saint Paul, MN.
School address
District: Nova Classical Academy · Minnesota
NCES ID 270033704356 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.8:1
vs 15.8:1 Minnesota avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
12.6%
vs 42.8% Minnesota avg
-71% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Nova Classical Academy Upper School compares with Minnesota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Nova Classical Academy Upper School
Nova Classical Academy Upper School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Saint Paul, Minnesota, enrolling 556 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Minnesota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 12.6% free-meal eligibility runs 71% below the Minnesota average.
Enrollment of 556 puts it in the larger third of Minnesota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,334 scored Minnesota schools.
Against 317 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #160.
Its student body is led by White (54%) and Asian (14%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 556 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 0.9% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Nova Classical Academy spends $9,962 per pupil, 35% below the Minnesota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district, Nova Classical Academy, also runs Nova Classical Academy Lower School (485 students).
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 Nova Classical Academy Upper School compares
Nova Classical Academy Upper School on the metrics families compare, against Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.8:1 | ▲ 6% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 12.6% | ▼ 71% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 556 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.8:1
Leaner classes than 32% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
556
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
12.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 71% below the Minnesota average of 42.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.8:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 68% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 32% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
0.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$9,962
per pupil, district-wide
- below Minnesota avg of $15,270
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 556 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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: 0.2 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
White 54.3%
Asian 14.4%
African American 12.8%
Two or More 9.4%
Hispanic or Latino 9.2%
Largest group: White at 54.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.1, Nova Classical Academy Upper School is more mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 11
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Nova Classical Academy, which includes Nova Classical Academy Upper School.
$9,962
Per student
-35%
vs Minnesota
Avg $15,270
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 5.9%
State 89.9%
Federal 4.2%
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 Nova Classical Academy Upper School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nova Classical Academy Lower School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Nova Classical Academy Upper School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 485
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Minnesota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~556 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Nova Classical Academy Upper School's federal record.
- Compare Nova Classical Academy Upper School against another school. Compare schools
- Nova Classical Academy'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 Nova Classical Academy Upper School
How many students attend Nova Classical Academy Upper School?
Nova Classical Academy Upper School has 556 students enrolled. It is a public school in Saint Paul, MN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Nova Classical Academy Upper School?
The student-teacher ratio at Nova Classical Academy Upper School is 16.8:1, which is 6% higher than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 7% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Nova Classical Academy Upper School?
12.6% of students at Nova Classical Academy Upper School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Nova Classical Academy Upper School?
The largest demographic group at Nova Classical Academy Upper School is White at 54.3% of enrollment, in Saint Paul, MN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Nova Classical Academy Upper School?
Nova Classical Academy Upper School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Nova Classical Academy Upper School rank among schools in Saint Paul?
By Resource Investment Index, Nova Classical Academy Upper School ranks #46 of 86 schools in Saint Paul, MN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Saint Paul on the city page.
Is Nova Classical Academy Upper School a good school?
Nova Classical Academy Upper School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Minnesota median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota 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 Nova Classical Academy?
Besides Nova Classical Academy Upper School, Nova Classical Academy also operates Nova Classical Academy Lower School (485 students). See the Nova Classical Academy 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.