Enrollment
644
New York · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Staten Island, NY
Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the)
Federal NCES profile for Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the), including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 360010303394
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 24
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the) earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of New York schools.
- #18 of 56
- schools in Staten Island · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.3:1
- large classes for New York
- 34.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the) has class sizes larger than 82% of New York schools. Computed live against every New York school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the) ranks #18 of 56 schools in Staten Island, NY.
School address
District: New York City Geographic District #31 · New York
NCES ID 360010303394 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
45.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 11.8:1 New York avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.4%
vs 56.2% New York avg
-39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the) compares with New York and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the)
Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the) is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Staten Island, New York, enrolling 644 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.3:1 puts it in the larger third of New York schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 34.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 644 puts it in the larger third of New York schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 4,801 scored New York schools.
Among 711 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New York schools statewide, it ranks #506, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (66%) and Asian (17%) (diversity index 52/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
New York City Geographic District #31 also operates Tottenville High School (3,750 students) and New Dorp High School (3,055 students) alongside Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the).
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 Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the) compares
Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the) on the metrics families compare, against New York and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New York | New York avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.3:1 | ▲ 21% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.4% | ▼ 39% | 56.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 644 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
644
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% below the New York average of 56.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 82% in New York - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
30.3%
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.
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 66.0%
Asian 16.9%
Hispanic or Latino 13.7%
Two or More 1.6%
African American 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 66.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.7, Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the) is more mixed than the New York school average of 45.5.
How Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the) Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tottenville High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| New Dorp High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Susan E Wagner High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Curtis High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Port Richmond High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the)'s own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,750
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 3,055
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,743
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,439
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,696
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New York, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~644 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the)'s federal record.
- Compare Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the) against another school. Compare schools
- New York City Geographic District #31'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 Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the)
How many students attend Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the)?
Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the) has 644 students enrolled. It is a public school in Staten Island, NY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the)?
The student-teacher ratio at Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the) is 14.3:1, which is 21% higher than the New York average of 11.8:1 and 9% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the)?
34.4% of students at Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the) are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New York average of 56.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the)?
The largest demographic group at Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the) is White at 66.0% of enrollment, in Staten Island, NY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the)?
Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the) has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the) rank among schools in Staten Island?
By Resource Investment Index, Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the) ranks #18 of 56 schools in Staten Island, NY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Staten Island on the city page.
Is Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the) a good school?
Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the) earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of New York 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 New York City Geographic District #31?
Besides Ps 56 Louis Desario School (the), New York City Geographic District #31 also operates Tottenville High School (3,750 students), New Dorp High School (3,055 students), and Susan E Wagner High School (2,743 students). See the New York City Geographic District #31 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.