Enrollment
452
Texas · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Houston, TX
South Early College H S
Federal NCES profile for South Early College H S, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 482364013032
👥 S:T ratio 10
📚 AP courses 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Early College H S earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of Texas schools.
- #39 of 102
- high schools in Houston · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22.6:1
- large classes for Texas
- 73.7%
- free-lunch eligible
South Early College H S has class sizes larger than 96% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Early College H S ranks #39 of 102 high schools in Houston, TX.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.6:1
vs 14.7:1 Texas avg
+54% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
73.7%
vs 61.9% Texas avg
+19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Early College H S compares with Texas and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Early College H S
South Early College H S is a higher-need, mid-sized high school in Houston, Texas, enrolling 452 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.6:1 is larger than about 96% of Texas schools and 54% above the 14.7:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 73.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 452 students, its enrollment sits close to the Texas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 8,960 scored Texas schools.
Against 1,756 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #538.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (63%) and African American (32%) (diversity index 50/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 5 Advanced Placement courses.
17.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 23.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Houston Isd also operates Texas Connections Academy at Houston (8,641 students) and Bellaire H S (3,216 students) alongside South Early College 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 South Early College H S compares
South Early College 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 | 22.6:1 | ▲ 54% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 73.7% | ▲ 19% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 452 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.6:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
452
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
73.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% above the Texas average of 61.9%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
22.6:1
students per teacher
- 54% above state mean
Top 96% in Texas - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
17.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,031
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 33 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.8 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
Hispanic or Latino 62.6%
African American 32.1%
White 2.2%
Asian 1.1%
Two or More 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 62.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.4, South Early College H S is more mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 5
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Houston Isd, which includes South Early College H S.
$12,031
Per student
-12%
vs Texas
Avg $13,644
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 68.8%
State 8.0%
Federal 23.2%
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 South Early College H S 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 | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lamar H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Westside H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Heights H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Early College H S's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 8,641
- Students per teacher
- 28:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- 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
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 (~452 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Early College H S's federal record.
- Compare South Early College H S against another school. Compare schools
- Houston 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 South Early College H S
How many students attend South Early College H S?
South Early College H S has 452 students enrolled. It is a high school in Houston, TX.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Early College H S?
The student-teacher ratio at South Early College H S is 22.6:1, which is 54% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 44% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Early College H S?
73.7% of students at South Early College H S are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Early College H S?
The largest demographic group at South Early College H S is Hispanic or Latino at 62.6% of enrollment, in Houston, TX. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Early College H S?
South Early College H S has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does South Early College H S rank among high schools in Houston?
By Resource Investment Index, South Early College H S ranks #39 of 102 high 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 high schools in Houston on the city page.
Is South Early College H S a good school?
South Early College H S earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of Texas 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 Houston Isd?
Besides South Early College H S, 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.
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.