- Enrollment
- 8,641
- Students per teacher
- 28:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Houston, TX
Smith El
Federal NCES profile for Smith El, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 482364002589
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 14
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Smith El earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Texas schools.
- #361 of 435
- schools in Houston · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.2:1
- large classes for Texas
- 96.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Smith El has class sizes larger than 73% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Smith El ranks #361 of 435 schools in Houston, TX.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-43 students YoY
Smith El shrank from 779 students in 2022-23 to 736 in 2023-24 (-5.5%).
Teacher FTE added 45.9 → 56.7 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-43 students YoY 482364002589 · Houston, TX Other · MID · TRAD
730 enr · 16.2:1 · 96.5% lunch · RII 30
Nearest enrollment peer: Texas Connections Academy at Houston (8,641 students)
Smith El shrank from 779 students in 2022-23 to 736 in 2023-24 (-5.5%). Teacher FTE added 45.9 → 56.7 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
- Texas Connecti
Texas Connections Academy at Houston
8,641 students
- Bellaire H S 3,216
Bellaire H S
3,216 students
- Lamar H S 2,968
Lamar H S
2,968 students
- Westside H S 2,729
Westside H S
2,729 students
- Heights H S 2,426
Heights H S
2,426 students
- This school 730
Smith El
730 students
What this shows Smith El reports 730 students on the CCD universe file.
How Smith El compares
Smith El is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.2:1 | ▲ 10% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 96.5% | ▲ 56% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 730 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
730
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
96.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% 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
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 73% in Texas - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
34.4%
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
$13,072
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 730 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
Hispanic or Latino 87.4%
African American 8.8%
White 2.9%
Asian 0.4%
Two or More 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 87.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 22.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 22.8, Smith El is less mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Houston Isd reports $13,072 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Connections Academy at Houston | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bellaire H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lamar H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westside H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Heights H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher 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
- 3,216
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,968
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,729
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 2,426
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Nationwide other 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 (~730 students)
Frequently asked questions about Smith El
How many students attend Smith El?
Smith El has 730 students enrolled. It is a public school in Houston, TX. CCD year-over-year: 779 (2022-23) → 736 (2023-24), down 43.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Smith El?
The student-teacher ratio at Smith El is 16.2:1, which is 10% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Smith El?
96.5% 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 87.4% of enrollment, in Houston, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Smith El?
Smith El has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 schools in Houston?
By Resource Investment Index, Smith El ranks #361 of 435 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 schools in Houston on the city page.
What other schools are in Houston Isd?
Besides Smith El, Houston Isd also operates Texas Connections Academy at Houston (8,641 students), Bellaire H S (3,216 students), and Lamar H S (2,968 students). See the Houston Isd district page for the complete list.