- Enrollment
- 413
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Paola, KS
Paola High
Federal NCES profile for Paola High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 201050000779
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 62
📋 Attendance 41
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Paola High earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of Kansas schools.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in Paola · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.3:1
- large classes for Kansas
- 24.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Paola High has class sizes larger than 76% of Kansas schools. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Paola High ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Paola, KS.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+31 students YoY
Paola High grew from 558 students in 2022-23 to 589 in 2023-24 (+5.6%).
Teacher FTE lost 37.0 → 34.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+31 students YoY 201050000779 · Paola, KS High · MID · TRAD
567 enr · 15.3:1 · 24.6% lunch · RII 53
Nearest enrollment peer: Paola Middle (413 students)
Paola High grew from 558 students in 2022-23 to 589 in 2023-24 (+5.6%). Teacher FTE lost 37.0 → 34.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Kansas schools → · Find another →
Paola High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Paola High
567 students
- Paola Middle
Paola Middle
413 students
- Cottonwood Ele
Cottonwood Elem
379 students
- Sunflower Elem
Sunflower Elem
373 students
What this shows Paola High reports 567 students on the CCD universe file.
How Paola High compares
Paola High is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.3:1 | ▲ 11% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.6% | ▼ 42% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 567 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.3:1
Leaner classes than 44% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
567
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
24.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% below the Kansas average of 42.7%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.3:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 76% in Kansas - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
23.8%
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
$22,404
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kansas avg of $15,788
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 189 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.
Student demographics
White 88.4%
Hispanic or Latino 7.2%
Two or More 2.6%
African American 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 88.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 21.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 21.3, Paola High is less mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Paola reports $22,404 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Paola High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paola Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cottonwood Elem | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sunflower Elem | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Paola High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 379
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 373
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
Nationwide high 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 (~567 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.3:1)
Frequently asked questions about Paola High
How many students attend Paola High?
Paola High has 567 students enrolled. It is a high school in Paola, KS. CCD year-over-year: 558 (2022-23) → 589 (2023-24), up 31.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Paola High?
The student-teacher ratio at Paola High is 15.3:1, which is 11% higher than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Paola High?
24.6% of students at Paola High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Paola High?
The largest demographic group at Paola High is White at 88.4% of enrollment, in Paola, KS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Paola High?
Paola High has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Paola High rank among public schools in Paola?
By Resource Investment Index, Paola High ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Paola, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Paola?
Besides Paola High, Paola also operates Paola Middle (413 students), Cottonwood Elem (379 students), and Sunflower Elem (373 students). See the Paola district page for the complete list.