Enrollment
2,098
Texas · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Spring Branch, TX
Smithson Valley H S
Federal NCES profile for Smithson Valley H S, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 481473000974
👥 S:T ratio 42
📚 AP courses 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Smithson Valley H S earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas median. It is also one of the largest schools in Texas.
- #3 of 7
- public schools in Spring Branch · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.4:1
- students per teacher
- 13.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Smithson Valley H S has class sizes near the Texas median. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Smithson Valley H S ranks #3 of 7 public schools in Spring Branch, TX.
School address
NCES ID 481473000974 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
146.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.4:1
vs 14.7:1 Texas avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
13.8%
vs 61.9% Texas avg
-78% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Smithson Valley H S compares with Texas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Smithson Valley H S
Smithson Valley H S is a lower-poverty, large high school in Spring Branch, Texas, enrolling 2,098 students.
At 14.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Texas median, within a few percentage points of the 14.7:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 13.8% free-meal eligibility runs 78% below the Texas average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Texas, bigger than 97% of state schools at 2,098 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 8,960 scored Texas schools.
Against 120 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #29.
Its student body is led by White (56%) and Hispanic or Latino (35%) (diversity index 56/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 7 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 300 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Comal Isd spends $9,852 per pupil, 28% below the Texas average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 70 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Comal Isd also operates Canyon H S (2,414 students) and Pieper H S (2,093 students) alongside Smithson Valley H S.
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 Smithson Valley H S compares
Smithson Valley H S on the metrics families compare, against Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.4:1 | ▼ 2% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 13.8% | ▼ 78% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,098 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
2,098
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
13.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 78% below the Texas average of 61.9%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 52% in Texas - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
25.6%
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
$9,852
per pupil, district-wide
- below Texas avg of $13,644
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors7.0 FTE
Per 300 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
243
in-school suspensions + 106 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 70 expulsions.
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 56.2%
Hispanic or Latino 35.2%
Two or More 4.1%
African American 2.3%
Asian 1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 56.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.8, Smithson Valley H S is more mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 7
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Comal Isd, which includes Smithson Valley H S.
$9,852
Per student
-28%
vs Texas
Avg $13,644
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 81.2%
State 8.6%
Federal 10.1%
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 Smithson Valley H S Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon H S | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pieper H S | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Canyon Middle | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Davenport H S | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Johnson Ranch El | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Smithson Valley H S's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,414
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,093
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,251
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,233
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,185
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Texas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~2,098 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Smithson Valley H S's federal record.
- Compare Smithson Valley H S against another school. Compare schools
- Comal Isd'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 Smithson Valley H S
How many students attend Smithson Valley H S?
Smithson Valley H S has 2,098 students enrolled. It is a high school in Spring Branch, TX.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Smithson Valley H S?
The student-teacher ratio at Smithson Valley H S is 14.4:1, which is 2% lower than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 8% 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 Smithson Valley H S?
13.8% of students at Smithson Valley H S are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Smithson Valley H S?
The largest demographic group at Smithson Valley H S is White at 56.2% of enrollment, in Spring Branch, TX. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Smithson Valley H S?
Smithson Valley H S has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Smithson Valley H S rank among public schools in Spring Branch?
By Resource Investment Index, Smithson Valley H S ranks #3 of 7 public schools in Spring Branch, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Spring Branch on the city page.
Is Smithson Valley H S a good school?
Smithson Valley H S earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas median. It is also one of the largest schools in Texas. 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 Comal Isd?
Besides Smithson Valley H S, Comal Isd also operates Canyon H S (2,414 students), Pieper H S (2,093 students), and Canyon Middle (1,251 students). See the Comal Isd 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.