Enrollment
212
Texas · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Other / mixed grade configuration NCES 483715022795
South Texas Isd Virtual Academy — Mercedes, TX
Federal NCES profile for South Texas Isd Virtual Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 50/100.
👥 Class size 50
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
School address
District: South Texas Isd · Texas
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the NCES CCD record.
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.4:1
vs 14.6:1 Texas avg
-15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
37.1%
vs 61.9% Texas avg
-40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Texas Isd Virtual Academy compares with Texas and U.S. medians
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
South Texas Isd Virtual Academy reports 212 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 17.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 12.4:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 15% below the Texas state mean of 14.6:1, signalling more teacher attention per pupil than the state benchmark. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.9:1, it is 22% lower, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Title I and federal lunch eligibility offer another window into the student body: 37.1% of pupils qualify for free meals, a proxy for household income that federal programs use to direct funding. The free-lunch share is 40% below the Texas average and 28% below the national baseline.
On the finance side, the surrounding South Texas Isd spends $18,944 per pupil district-wide, above the Texas average of $17,150 and below the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 38.1% from local sources (property taxes), 49.4% from the state, and 12.5% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (C-), calculated from 1 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How South Texas Isd Virtual Academy compares
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against Texas state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.4:1 | ▼ 15% | 14.6:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.1% | ▼ 40% | 61.9% | 51.8% |
| Enrollment | 212 | top 16% | — | — |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Economic need
37.1%
free-lunch eligible
— 40% below the Texas average of 61.9%
Below the 40% Title I threshold — federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.4:1
students per teacher
— 15% below state mean
Top 22% in Texas — lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Below the 15:1 benchmark — typical of schools with smaller class sizes and more individualized attention.
Funding equity
$18,944
per pupil, district-wide
— above Texas avg of $17,150
Below the U.S. average per-pupil spend — funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Overview
Enrollment 212 Top 16% in Texas — larger than 84% of 9,061 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 17.0
Students per teacher 12.4:1 -15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible 37.1% -40% vs state
NCES ID 483715022795
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 77.8%
White 19.3%
Asian 1.4%
African American 0.9%
Two or More 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 77.8% of enrollment.
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South Texas Isd, which includes South Texas Isd Virtual Academy.
$18,944
Per student
+10%
vs Texas
Avg $17,150
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
Revenue mix
Local 38.1%
State 49.4%
Federal 12.5%
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.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 840
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Enrollment
- 820
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Enrollment
- 802
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Enrollment
- 781
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Enrollment
- 781
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
Similar other schools in Mercedes
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Mercedes H S
Standard public school
903 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Travis El
Standard public school
478 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Ruben Hinojosa El
Standard public school
468 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Taylor El
Standard public school
406 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
John F Kennedy El
Standard public school
399 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Mercedes Early Literacy Program
Standard public school
189 students 37.8:1 students per teacher
Educator & family resources
In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.
Understanding NCES data
How CCD, CRDC and EDFacts feed every public-school number you see.
Choose a school district
Eight signals that matter more than the overall ranking number.
How schools are funded
Title I, F-33, state aid formulas and what per-pupil spending really means.
Chronic absenteeism
Why missing 10% of school matters and how it varies by district.
Magnet vs charter vs traditional
Three school types, three funding models, three sets of trade-offs.
School discipline data
What CRDC suspension and expulsion records do and don't reveal.
Frequently asked questions about South Texas Isd Virtual Academy
How many students attend South Texas Isd Virtual Academy?
South Texas Isd Virtual Academy has 212 students enrolled. It is a other school in MERCEDES, TX.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Texas Isd Virtual Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at South Texas Isd Virtual Academy is 12.4:1, which is 15% lower than the Texas average of 14.6:1 and 22% lower than the national average of 15.9:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Texas Isd Virtual Academy?
37.1% of students at South Texas Isd Virtual Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Texas Isd Virtual Academy?
The largest demographic group at South Texas Isd Virtual Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 77.8%. The school serves a diverse student body in MERCEDES, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Texas Isd Virtual Academy?
South Texas Isd Virtual Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (C-) based on 1 factor: student-teacher ratio. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.