Enrollment
213
Vermont · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Burlington, VT
Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes
Federal NCES profile for Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 500282000069
👥 S:T ratio 55
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 12
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Vermont median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Vermont schools.
- #5 of 6
- schools in Burlington · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.2:1
- students per teacher
- 53.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes has class sizes near the Vermont median. Computed live against every Vermont school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes ranks #5 of 6 schools in Burlington, VT.
School address
District: Burlington School District · Vermont
NCES ID 500282000069 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.2:1
vs 11.9:1 Vermont avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.4%
vs 27.6% Vermont avg
+93% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes compares with Vermont and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes
Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Burlington, Vermont, enrolling 213 students.
At 11.2:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Vermont median, within a few percentage points of the 11.9:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 53.4% of students qualify for free meals, 93% above the Vermont average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 213 students, its enrollment sits close to the Vermont median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 288 scored Vermont schools.
Among 30 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Vermont schools statewide, it ranks #24, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (44%) and African American (17%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 73/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Burlington School District spends $28,262 per pupil, 48% above the Vermont average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Burlington's public schools, it stands alongside Champlain School (559 students): Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.2:1 vs 25.4:1).
Burlington School District also operates Burlington High School (921 students) and Champlain School (559 students) alongside Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes.
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 Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes compares
Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes on the metrics families compare, against Vermont and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Vermont | Vermont avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.2:1 | ▼ 6% | 11.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.4% | ▲ 93% | 27.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 213 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.2:1
Leaner classes than 82% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
213
Bigger than 21% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 93% above the Vermont average of 27.6%
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
11.2:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 45% in Vermont - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
35.2%
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
$28,262
per pupil, district-wide
- above Vermont avg of $19,105
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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 44.1%
African American 17.4%
Asian 15.5%
Hispanic or Latino 11.3%
Two or More 11.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 44.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.6, Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes is more mixed than the Vermont school average of 19.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Burlington School District, which includes Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes.
$28,262
Per student
+48%
vs Vermont
Avg $19,105
+70%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 2.7%
State 84.6%
Federal 12.7%
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 Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Champlain School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Edmunds Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lyman C. Hunt Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| J. J. Flynn School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 921
- Students per teacher
- 11.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 559
- Students per teacher
- 25.4:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 356
- Students per teacher
- 9.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 322
- Students per teacher
- 8.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 292
- Students per teacher
- 9.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar other schools in Burlington
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Champlain School
Standard public school
559 students 25.4:1 students per teacher
J. J. Flynn School
Standard public school
292 students 9.7:1 students per teacher
Edmunds Elementary School
Standard public school
279 students 12.7:1 students per teacher
C. P. Smith School
Standard public school
255 students 11.6:1 students per teacher
Integrated Arts Academy at H. O. Wheeler
Standard public school
201 students 8:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Vermont, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~213 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes's federal record.
- Compare Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes against another school. Compare schools
- Burlington 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 Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes
How many students attend Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes?
Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes has 213 students enrolled. It is a public school in Burlington, VT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes?
The student-teacher ratio at Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes is 11.2:1, which is 6% lower than the Vermont average of 11.9:1 and 29% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes?
53.4% of students at Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Vermont average of 27.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes?
The largest demographic group at Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes is White at 44.1% of enrollment, in Burlington, VT. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes?
Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes rank among schools in Burlington?
By Resource Investment Index, Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes ranks #5 of 6 schools in Burlington, VT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Burlington on the city page.
Is Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes a good school?
Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Vermont median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Vermont 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 Burlington School District?
Besides Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes, Burlington School District also operates Burlington High School (921 students), Champlain School (559 students), and Edmunds Middle School (356 students). See the Burlington 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.