Enrollment
160
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Pinellas Park, FL
Richard L. Sanders School
Federal NCES profile for Richard L. Sanders School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120156001660
👥 S:T ratio 57
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 20
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Richard L. Sanders School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of Florida schools.
- #5 of 10
- schools in Pinellas Park · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10.7:1
- small classes for Florida
- 68.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Richard L. Sanders School has class sizes smaller than 93% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Richard L. Sanders School ranks #5 of 10 schools in Pinellas Park, FL.
School address
NCES ID 120156001660 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.7:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-40% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.5%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Richard L. Sanders School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Richard L. Sanders School
Richard L. Sanders School is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Pinellas Park, Florida, enrolling 160 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.7:1, Richard L. Sanders School is leaner than roughly 93% of Florida schools and 40% under the state's 17.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 68.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 160 puts it in the smaller third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 127 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #40.
Its student body is led by African American (52%) and White (36%) (diversity index 59/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 72 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 160 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Pinellas also operates Palm Harbor University High (2,413 students) and Largo High School (2,058 students) alongside Richard L. Sanders School.
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 Richard L. Sanders School compares
Richard L. Sanders School on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.7:1 | ▼ 40% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.5% | ▲ 32% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 160 | top 86% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.7:1
Leaner classes than 85% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
160
Bigger than 16% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% above the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
10.7:1
students per teacher
- 40% below state mean
Top 7% in Florida - lower ratio than 93% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
31.9%
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
$11,582
per pupil, district-wide
- above Florida avg of $11,167
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
29
in-school suspensions + 43 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 18.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 45.0 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 51.9%
White 36.3%
Hispanic or Latino 8.1%
Two or More 3.8%
Largest group: African American at 51.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.1, Richard L. Sanders School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pinellas, which includes Richard L. Sanders School.
$11,582
Per student
+4%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 56.7%
State 25.1%
Federal 18.3%
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 Richard L. Sanders School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Harbor University High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Largo High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Lake High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dixie M. Hollins High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| St. Petersburg High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Richard L. Sanders School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,413
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,058
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 1,980
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,934
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,736
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Florida, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~160 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Richard L. Sanders School's federal record.
- Compare Richard L. Sanders School against another school. Compare schools
- Pinellas'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 Richard L. Sanders School
How many students attend Richard L. Sanders School?
Richard L. Sanders School has 160 students enrolled. It is a special-education school in Pinellas Park, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Richard L. Sanders School?
The student-teacher ratio at Richard L. Sanders School is 10.7:1, which is 40% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 32% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Richard L. Sanders School?
68.5% of students at Richard L. Sanders School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Richard L. Sanders School?
The largest demographic group at Richard L. Sanders School is African American at 51.9% of enrollment, in Pinellas Park, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Richard L. Sanders School?
Richard L. Sanders School has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher 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 Richard L. Sanders School rank among schools in Pinellas Park?
By Resource Investment Index, Richard L. Sanders School ranks #5 of 10 schools in Pinellas Park, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Pinellas Park on the city page.
Is Richard L. Sanders School a good school?
Richard L. Sanders School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of Florida 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 Pinellas?
Besides Richard L. Sanders School, Pinellas also operates Palm Harbor University High (2,413 students), Largo High School (2,058 students), and East Lake High School (1,980 students). See the Pinellas 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.