Enrollment
195
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Philadelphia, PA
The U School: Innovative Lab
Federal NCES profile for The U School: Innovative Lab, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 421899007547
👥 S:T ratio 61
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 81
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
The U School: Innovative Lab earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of Pennsylvania schools.
- #21 of 57
- high schools in Philadelphia · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 9.8:1
- small classes for Pennsylvania
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
The U School: Innovative Lab has class sizes smaller than 93% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, The U School: Innovative Lab ranks #21 of 57 high schools in Philadelphia, PA.
School address
District: Philadelphia City Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 421899007547 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
9.8:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
-28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How The U School: Innovative Lab compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at The U School: Innovative Lab
The U School: Innovative Lab is a high-poverty, small high school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, enrolling 195 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 9.8:1, The U School: Innovative Lab is leaner than roughly 93% of Pennsylvania schools and 28% under the state's 13.6:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 100.0% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 92% of Pennsylvania schools, with 195 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Against 170 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #88.
Its student body is led by African American (78%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%) (diversity index 36/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 98 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 87.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 62 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 195 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Philadelphia's high schools, it stands alongside Northeast Hs (3,463 students): The U School: Innovative Lab is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (9.8:1 vs 18.9:1).
Philadelphia City Sd also operates Northeast Hs (3,463 students) and Lincoln Hs (2,472 students) alongside The U School: Innovative Lab.
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 The U School: Innovative Lab compares
The U School: Innovative Lab on the metrics families compare, against Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 9.8:1 | ▼ 28% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 72% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 195 | top 92% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9.8:1
Leaner classes than 90% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
195
Bigger than 19% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% above the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
9.8:1
students per teacher
- 28% below state mean
Top 7% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 93% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
87.7%
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
$17,892
per pupil, district-wide
- below Pennsylvania avg of $17,970
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 98 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 62 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 31.8 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
African American 77.9%
Hispanic or Latino 16.4%
Two or More 4.1%
White 1.0%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 77.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 36.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 36.4, The U School: Innovative Lab is about as mixed as the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Philadelphia City Sd, which includes The U School: Innovative Lab.
$17,892
Per student
0%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.0%
State 39.7%
Federal 23.3%
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 The U School: Innovative Lab Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northeast Community Propel Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mayfair Sch | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to The U School: Innovative Lab's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,463
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,472
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,329
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,783
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 1,763
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar high schools in Philadelphia
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Northeast Hs
Standard public school
3,463 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
Lincoln Hs
Standard public school
2,472 students 17:1 students per teacher
Central Hs
Standard public school
2,329 students 20.1:1 students per teacher
Washington George Hs
Standard public school
1,755 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Franklin Towne Chs
Standard public school
1,292 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Fels Samuel Hs
Standard public school
1,255 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Pennsylvania, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~195 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~9.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on The U School: Innovative Lab's federal record.
- Compare The U School: Innovative Lab against another school. Compare schools
- Philadelphia City Sd'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 The U School: Innovative Lab
How many students attend The U School: Innovative Lab?
The U School: Innovative Lab has 195 students enrolled. It is a high school in Philadelphia, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at The U School: Innovative Lab?
The student-teacher ratio at The U School: Innovative Lab is 9.8:1, which is 28% lower than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 38% 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 The U School: Innovative Lab?
100.0% of students at The U School: Innovative Lab are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of The U School: Innovative Lab?
The largest demographic group at The U School: Innovative Lab is African American at 77.9% of enrollment, in Philadelphia, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for The U School: Innovative Lab?
The U School: Innovative Lab has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical 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 The U School: Innovative Lab rank among high schools in Philadelphia?
By Resource Investment Index, The U School: Innovative Lab ranks #21 of 57 high schools in Philadelphia, PA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Philadelphia on the city page.
Is The U School: Innovative Lab a good school?
The U School: Innovative Lab earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of Pennsylvania 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 Philadelphia City Sd?
Besides The U School: Innovative Lab, Philadelphia City Sd also operates Northeast Hs (3,463 students), Lincoln Hs (2,472 students), and Central Hs (2,329 students). See the Philadelphia City Sd 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.