- Enrollment
- 3,501
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Houston, TX
Spence El
Federal NCES profile for Spence El, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 480771010724
👥 S:T ratio 5
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 10
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Spence El earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Texas schools.
- #109 of 114
- elementary schools in Houston · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.7:1
- large classes for Texas
- 93.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Spence El has class sizes larger than 97% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Spence El ranks #109 of 114 elementary schools in Houston, TX.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+54 students YoY
Spence El grew from 609 students in 2022-23 to 663 in 2023-24 (+8.9%).
Teacher FTE added 29.4 → 35.7 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+54 students YoY 480771010724 · Houston, TX Elementary · MID · TRAD
686 enr · 23.7:1 · 93.3% lunch · RII 21
Nearest enrollment peer: Macarthur H S (3,501 students)
Spence El grew from 609 students in 2022-23 to 663 in 2023-24 (+8.9%). Teacher FTE added 29.4 → 35.7 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Texas schools → · Find another →
Spence El in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Macarthur H S
Macarthur H S
3,501 students
- Davis H S Aldi
Davis H S Aldine
3,184 students
- Nimitz H S
Nimitz H S
2,651 students
- Aldine H S
Aldine H S
2,481 students
- Eisenhower H S
Eisenhower H S
2,262 students
- This school 686
Spence El
686 students
What this shows Spence El reports 686 students on the CCD universe file.
How Spence El compares
Spence El is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 23.7:1 | ▲ 61% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 93.3% | ▲ 51% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 686 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.7:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
686
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
93.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the Texas average of 61.9%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
23.7:1
students per teacher
- 61% above state mean
Top 97% in Texas - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
35.9%
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
$13,268
per pupil, district-wide
- below Texas avg of $14,348
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.3 FTE
Per 549 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
31
in-school suspensions + 59 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 69.4%
African American 26.2%
Two or More 1.6%
Asian 1.3%
White 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 69.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.9, Spence El is about as mixed as the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Aldine Isd reports $13,268 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Spence El Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macarthur H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Davis H S Aldine | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Nimitz H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Aldine H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eisenhower H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Spence El's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,184
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 2,651
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 2,481
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 2,262
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
Nationwide elementary 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 (~686 students)
Frequently asked questions about Spence El
How many students attend Spence El?
Spence El has 686 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Houston, TX. CCD year-over-year: 609 (2022-23) → 663 (2023-24), up 54.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Spence El?
The student-teacher ratio at Spence El is 23.7:1, which is 61% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 51% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Spence El?
93.3% of students at Spence El are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Spence El?
The largest demographic group at Spence El is Hispanic or Latino at 69.4% of enrollment, in Houston, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Spence El?
Spence El has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (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 Spence El rank among elementary schools in Houston?
By Resource Investment Index, Spence El ranks #109 of 114 elementary 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 elementary schools in Houston on the city page.
What other schools are in Aldine Isd?
Besides Spence El, Aldine Isd also operates Macarthur H S (3,501 students), Davis H S Aldine (3,184 students), and Nimitz H S (2,651 students). See the Aldine Isd district page for the complete list.