- Enrollment
- 3,453
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Lawrence, MA
Spark Academy
Federal NCES profile for Spark Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 250666002758
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 11
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Spark Academy earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Massachusetts median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Massachusetts schools.
- #2 of 3
- middle schools in Lawrence · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 11.4:1
- students per teacher
- 443
- students enrolled
Spark Academy has class sizes near the Massachusetts median. Computed live against every Massachusetts school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Spark Academy ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Lawrence, MA.
School address
District: Lawrence · Massachusetts
NCES ID 250666002758 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+8 students YoY
Spark Academy held near 445 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+8 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 40.0 → 40.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+8 students YoY 250666002758 · Lawrence, MA Middle · SMALL · TRAD
443 enr · 11.4:1 · RII 24
Nearest enrollment peer: Lawrence High School (3,453 students)
Spark Academy held near 445 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+8 headcount). Teacher FTE held 40.0 → 40.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Massachusetts schools → · Find another →
Spark Academy in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Lawrence High
Lawrence High School
3,453 students
- South Lawrence 666
South Lawrence East Elementary School
666 students
- Edward F. Part 656
Edward F. Parthum
656 students
- Parthum Middle 585
Parthum Middle School
585 students
- Robert Frost 568
Robert Frost
568 students
- This school 443
Spark Academy
443 students
What this shows Spark Academy reports 443 students on the CCD universe file.
How Spark Academy compares
Spark Academy held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Massachusetts and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Massachusetts | Massachusetts avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.4:1 | ▼ 7% | 12.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 443 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.4:1
Leaner classes than 80% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
443
Bigger than 54% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
11.4:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 41% in Massachusetts - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
42.4%
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
$23,176
per pupil, district-wide
- below Massachusetts avg of $23,695
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 443 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 94.4%
White 2.7%
Asian 1.4%
African American 1.1%
Two or More 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 94.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 10.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 10.8, Spark Academy is less mixed than the Massachusetts school average of 47.3.
Programs
District finance for Lawrence reports $23,176 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Spark Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Lawrence East Elementary School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Edward F. Parthum | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Parthum Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Robert Frost | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Spark Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 666
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 656
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 585
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 568
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar middle schools in Lawrence
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Nationwide middle 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 (~443 students)
Frequently asked questions about Spark Academy
How many students attend Spark Academy?
Spark Academy has 443 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Lawrence, MA. CCD year-over-year: 437 (2022-23) → 445 (2023-24), nearly flat (+8).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Spark Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Spark Academy is 11.4:1, which is 7% lower than the Massachusetts average of 12.3:1 and 27% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Spark Academy?
The largest demographic group at Spark Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 94.4% of enrollment, in Lawrence, MA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Spark Academy?
Spark Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (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 Spark Academy rank among middle schools in Lawrence?
By Resource Investment Index, Spark Academy ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Lawrence, MA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Lawrence on the city page.
What other schools are in Lawrence?
Besides Spark Academy, Lawrence also operates Lawrence High School (3,453 students), South Lawrence East Elementary School (666 students), and Edward F. Parthum (656 students). See the Lawrence district page for the complete list.