- Enrollment
- 3,501
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Houston, TX
Smith El
Federal NCES profile for Smith El, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 480771000073
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 8
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Smith El earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Texas schools.
- #101 of 114
- elementary schools in Houston · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.1:1
- large classes for Texas
- 93.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Smith El has class sizes larger than 90% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Smith El ranks #101 of 114 elementary schools in Houston, TX.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-24 students YoY
Smith El held near 531 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-24 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 29.9 → 34.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-24 students YoY 480771000073 · Houston, TX Elementary · MID · TRAD
553 enr · 19.1:1 · 93.2% lunch · RII 25
Nearest enrollment peer: Macarthur H S (3,501 students)
Smith El held near 531 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-24 headcount). Teacher FTE added 29.9 → 34.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Texas schools → · Find another →
Smith El in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Macarthur H S
Macarthur H S
3,501 students
- Davis H S Aldi
Davis H S Aldine
3,184 students
- Nimitz H S
Nimitz H S
2,651 students
- Aldine H S
Aldine H S
2,481 students
- Eisenhower H S
Eisenhower H S
2,262 students
- This school 553
Smith El
553 students
What this shows Smith El reports 553 students on the CCD universe file.
How Smith El compares
Smith El held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.1:1 | ▲ 30% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 93.2% | ▲ 51% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 553 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.1:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
553
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
93.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% 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
19.1:1
students per teacher
- 30% above state mean
Top 90% in Texas - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
48.3%
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.
Funding equity
$13,268
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
Counselors1.2 FTE
Per 461 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
36
in-school suspensions + 18 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 82.3%
African American 15.6%
Two or More 1.3%
White 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 82.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 29.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 29.8, Smith El is less mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Aldine Isd reports $13,268 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Smith El Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macarthur H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Davis H S Aldine | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Nimitz H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Aldine H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eisenhower H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Smith El's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,184
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 2,651
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 2,481
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 2,262
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
Nationwide elementary 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 (~553 students)
Frequently asked questions about Smith El
How many students attend Smith El?
Smith El has 553 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Houston, TX. CCD year-over-year: 555 (2022-23) → 531 (2023-24), nearly flat (-24).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Smith El?
The student-teacher ratio at Smith El is 19.1:1, which is 30% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Smith El?
93.2% of students at Smith El are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Smith El?
The largest demographic group at Smith El is Hispanic or Latino at 82.3% of enrollment, in Houston, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Smith El?
Smith El has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower 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 Smith El rank among elementary schools in Houston?
By Resource Investment Index, Smith El ranks #101 of 114 elementary 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 elementary schools in Houston on the city page.
What other schools are in Aldine Isd?
Besides Smith El, Aldine Isd also operates Macarthur H S (3,501 students), Davis H S Aldine (3,184 students), and Nimitz H S (2,651 students). See the Aldine Isd district page for the complete list.