Enrollment
1,211
Nevada · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Sparks, NV
Sparks High School
Federal NCES profile for Sparks High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 320048000246
👥 S:T ratio 18
📚 AP courses 75
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 52
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sparks High School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nevada median.
- #3 of 3
- high schools in Sparks · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.5:1
- students per teacher
- 95.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Sparks High School has class sizes near the Nevada median. Computed live against every Nevada school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sparks High School ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Sparks, NV.
School address
District: Washoe County School District · Nevada
NCES ID 320048000246 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
59.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.5:1
vs 20.5:1 Nevada avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
95.1%
vs 76.8% Nevada avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sparks High School compares with Nevada and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sparks High School
Sparks High School is a high-poverty, large high school in Sparks, Nevada, enrolling 1,211 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Nevada schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 95.1% lands close to the Nevada typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 1,211 puts it in the larger third of Nevada schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 733 scored Nevada schools.
Against 93 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #34.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (78%) and White (11%) (diversity index 37/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 15 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 242 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 56.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Washoe County School District spends $10,957 per pupil, 33% below the Nevada average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 355 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,211 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Sparks's high schools, it stands alongside Procter R. Hug High School (2,008 students): Sparks High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (20.5:1 vs 22.3:1).
Washoe County School District also operates North Valleys High School (2,307 students) and Spanish Springs High School (2,131 students) alongside Sparks High School.
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 Sparks High School compares
Sparks High School on the metrics families compare, against Nevada and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nevada | Nevada avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.5:1 | ▼ 0% | 20.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 95.1% | ▲ 24% | 76.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,211 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.5:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,211
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
95.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% above the Nevada average of 76.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
20.5:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 64% in Nevada - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
56.6%
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
$10,957
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nevada avg of $16,454
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 242 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
166
in-school suspensions + 189 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 29.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 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
Hispanic or Latino 78.4%
White 11.3%
Two or More 3.0%
African American 2.5%
Asian 2.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 78.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.0, Sparks High School is less mixed than the Nevada school average of 56.4.
Programs
AP courses offered 15
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Washoe County School District, which includes Sparks High School.
$10,957
Per student
-33%
vs Nevada
Avg $16,454
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.8%
State 68.2%
Federal 12.0%
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 Sparks High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Valleys High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spanish Springs High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Edward C. Reed High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Procter R. Hug High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Reno High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sparks High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,307
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,131
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 2,092
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,008
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,741
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar high schools in Sparks
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Nevada, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,211 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sparks High School's federal record.
- Compare Sparks High School against another school. Compare schools
- Washoe County School District'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 Sparks High School
How many students attend Sparks High School?
Sparks High School has 1,211 students enrolled. It is a high school in Sparks, NV.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sparks High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sparks High School is 20.5:1, which is 0% higher than the Nevada average of 20.5:1 and 31% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sparks High School?
95.1% of students at Sparks High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nevada average of 76.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sparks High School?
The largest demographic group at Sparks High School is Hispanic or Latino at 78.4% of enrollment, in Sparks, NV.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sparks High School?
Sparks High School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Sparks High School rank among high schools in Sparks?
By Resource Investment Index, Sparks High School ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Sparks, NV. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Sparks on the city page.
Is Sparks High School a good school?
Sparks High School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nevada median. 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 Washoe County School District?
Besides Sparks High School, Washoe County School District also operates North Valleys High School (2,307 students), Spanish Springs High School (2,131 students), and Edward C. Reed High School (2,092 students). See the Washoe County School District 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.