Enrollment
48
Minnesota · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Richfield, MN
South Education Center Academy
Federal NCES profile for South Education Center Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 270002502871
👥 S:T ratio 68
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 68
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Education Center Academy earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of Minnesota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota schools.
- #1 of 8
- schools in Richfield · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 8:1
- small classes for Minnesota
- 67.4%
- free-lunch eligible
South Education Center Academy has class sizes smaller than 88% of Minnesota schools. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Education Center Academy ranks #1 of 8 schools in Richfield, MN.
School address
District: Intermediate School District 287 · Minnesota
NCES ID 270002502871 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
6.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8:1
vs 15.8:1 Minnesota avg
-49% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.4%
vs 42.8% Minnesota avg
+57% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Education Center Academy compares with Minnesota and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Education Center Academy
South Education Center Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Richfield, Minnesota, enrolling 48 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8:1, South Education Center Academy is leaner than roughly 88% of Minnesota schools and 49% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 67.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 48 puts it in the smaller third of Minnesota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,334 scored Minnesota schools.
Against 81 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #21.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (44%) and African American (27%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 160 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Intermediate School District 287 also operates Tier Two (274 students) and Tier Three (226 students) alongside South Education Center Academy.
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 Education Center Academy compares
South Education Center Academy on the metrics families compare, against Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 8:1 | ▼ 49% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.4% | ▲ 57% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 48 | top 80% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8:1
Leaner classes than 95% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
48
Bigger than 5% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% above the Minnesota average of 42.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
8:1
students per teacher
- 49% below state mean
Top 12% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 88% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Support staff
Counselors0.3 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.2 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 43.8%
African American 27.1%
White 12.5%
Two or More 12.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 4.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 43.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.2, South Education Center Academy is more mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
How South Education Center Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier Two | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tier Three | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Education Center Alternative | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hennepin Gateway to College | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Education Center Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Education Center Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 274
- Students per teacher
- 4.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 226
- Students per teacher
- 3.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 99
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 73
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 37
- Students per teacher
- 7.4:1
- Resource Index
- 64/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Minnesota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~48 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Education Center Academy's federal record.
- Compare South Education Center Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Intermediate School District 287'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 Education Center Academy
How many students attend South Education Center Academy?
South Education Center Academy has 48 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Richfield, MN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Education Center Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at South Education Center Academy is 8:1, which is 49% lower than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 49% 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 South Education Center Academy?
67.4% of students at South Education Center Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Education Center Academy?
The largest demographic group at South Education Center Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 43.8% of enrollment, in Richfield, MN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Education Center Academy?
South Education Center Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does South Education Center Academy rank among schools in Richfield?
By Resource Investment Index, South Education Center Academy ranks #1 of 8 schools in Richfield, MN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Richfield on the city page.
Is South Education Center Academy a good school?
South Education Center Academy earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of Minnesota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota 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 Intermediate School District 287?
Besides South Education Center Academy, Intermediate School District 287 also operates Tier Two (274 students), Tier Three (226 students), and West Education Center Alternative (99 students). See the Intermediate School District 287 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.