Enrollment
453
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Lexington, KY
Steam Academy
Federal NCES profile for Steam Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 210186002341
👥 S:T ratio 5
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Steam Academy earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Kentucky schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- #6 of 9
- high schools in Lexington · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.8:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 30.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Steam Academy has class sizes larger than 97% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Steam Academy ranks #6 of 9 high schools in Lexington, KY.
School address
District: Fayette County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210186002341 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.8:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+57% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.4%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-49% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Steam Academy compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Steam Academy
Steam Academy is a mid-sized high school in Lexington, Kentucky, enrolling 453 students.
Class loads run heavy: 23.8:1 is larger than about 97% of Kentucky schools and 57% above the 15.2:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 30.4% free-meal eligibility runs 49% below the Kentucky average.
With 453 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kentucky median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 1,389 Kentucky schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 118 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kentucky schools statewide, it ranks #118, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (55%) and African American (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 62/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 453 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
11.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Fayette County spends $15,849 per pupil, 20% above the Kentucky average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Lexington's high schools, it stands alongside Lafayette High School (2,370 students): Steam Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (23.8:1 vs 18.4:1).
Fayette County also operates Lafayette High School (2,370 students) and Bryan Station High School (2,030 students) alongside Steam 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 Steam Academy compares
Steam Academy on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 23.8:1 | ▲ 57% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.4% | ▼ 49% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 453 | top 47% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.8:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
453
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% below the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
23.8:1
students per teacher
- 57% above state mean
Top 97% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
11.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$15,849
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kentucky avg of $13,211
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 453 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.1 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
White 54.5%
African American 26.3%
Hispanic or Latino 13.0%
Two or More 4.0%
Asian 2.2%
Largest group: White at 54.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.5, Steam Academy is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fayette County, which includes Steam Academy.
$15,849
Per student
+20%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 49.8%
State 35.5%
Federal 14.7%
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 Steam Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bryan Station High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Henry Clay High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Paul Laurence Dunbar High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Frederick Douglass High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Steam Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,370
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,030
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,939
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,828
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,770
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
Similar high schools in Lexington
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Lafayette High School
Standard public school
2,370 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
Bryan Station High School
Standard public school
2,030 students 19:1 students per teacher
Henry Clay High School
Standard public school
1,939 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
Standard public school
1,828 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Frederick Douglass High School
Standard public school
1,770 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Tates Creek High School
Standard public school
1,723 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kentucky, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~453 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Steam Academy's federal record.
- Compare Steam Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Fayette County'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 Steam Academy
How many students attend Steam Academy?
Steam Academy has 453 students enrolled. It is a high school in Lexington, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Steam Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Steam Academy is 23.8:1, which is 57% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 52% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Steam Academy?
30.4% of students at Steam Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Steam Academy?
The largest demographic group at Steam Academy is White at 54.5% of enrollment, in Lexington, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Steam Academy?
Steam Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Steam Academy rank among high schools in Lexington?
By Resource Investment Index, Steam Academy ranks #6 of 9 high schools in Lexington, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Lexington on the city page.
Is Steam Academy a good school?
Steam Academy earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Kentucky schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky 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 Fayette County?
Besides Steam Academy, Fayette County also operates Lafayette High School (2,370 students), Bryan Station High School (2,030 students), and Henry Clay High School (1,939 students). See the Fayette County 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.