Enrollment
262
New York · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Other / mixed grade configuration NCES 360246000031
Thomas S O'Brien Academy of Science & Technology — Albany, NY
Federal NCES profile for Thomas S O'Brien Academy of Science & Technology, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 33/100.
👥 Class size 52
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 17
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
School address
District: Albany City School District · New York
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the NCES CCD record.
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.9:1
vs 11.7:1 New York avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
74.0%
vs 56.2% New York avg
+32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thomas S O'Brien Academy of Science & Technology compares with New York and U.S. medians
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
Thomas S O'Brien Academy of Science & Technology reports 262 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 21.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 2% above the New York state mean of 11.7:1, signalling larger average class loads than peers in the same state. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.9:1, it is 25% lower, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Title I and federal lunch eligibility offer another window into the student body: 74.0% of pupils qualify for free meals, a proxy for household income that federal programs use to direct funding. The free-lunch share is 32% above the New York average and 43% above the national baseline. Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 33.2% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
On the finance side, the surrounding Albany City School District spends $40,523 per pupil district-wide, above the New York average of $29,727 and above the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 39.7% from local sources (property taxes), 40.9% from the state, and 19.3% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (F), calculated from 3 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Thomas S O'Brien Academy of Science & Technology compares
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against New York state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
| Metric | This school | vs New York | New York avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.9:1 | ▲ 2% | 11.7:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.0% | ▲ 32% | 56.2% | 51.8% |
| Enrollment | 262 | top 18% | — | — |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Economic need
74.0%
free-lunch eligible
— 32% above the New York average of 56.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold — federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.9:1
students per teacher
— 2% above state mean
Top 58% in New York — lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Below the 15:1 benchmark — typical of schools with smaller class sizes and more individualized attention.
Engagement
33.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Chronic absenteeism at or above 20% — the CDC threshold for "high" — signals significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$40,523
per pupil, district-wide
— above New York avg of $29,727
Above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
13
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 262 Top 18% in New York — larger than 82% of 4,812 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 21.0
Students per teacher 11.9:1 +2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible 74.0% +32% vs state
NCES ID 360246000031
Student demographics
African American 34.0%
Asian 25.6%
Hispanic or Latino 16.8%
White 14.5%
Two or More 9.2%
Largest group: African American at 34.0% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 0.0
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 33.2%
In-school suspensions 13
Out-of-school suspensions 12
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Albany City School District, which includes Thomas S O'Brien Academy of Science & Technology.
$40,523
Per student
+36%
vs New York
Avg $29,727
+108%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
Revenue mix
Local 39.7%
State 40.9%
Federal 19.3%
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.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,937
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Enrollment
- 615
- Students per teacher
- 9.6:1
- Enrollment
- 588
- Students per teacher
- 7.9:1
- Enrollment
- 570
- Students per teacher
- 8.5:1
- Enrollment
- 451
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
Similar other schools in Albany
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School
Standard public school
570 students 8.5:1 students per teacher
New Scotland Elementary School
Standard public school
451 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Green Tech High Charter School
Standard public school
450 students 21.8:1 students per teacher
Giffen Memorial Elementary School
Standard public school
387 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Albany Leadership Charter School for Girls
Standard public school
383 students 7.8:1 students per teacher
Albany School of Humanities
Standard public school
378 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
Educator & family resources
In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.
Understanding NCES data
How CCD, CRDC and EDFacts feed every public-school number you see.
Choose a school district
Eight signals that matter more than the overall ranking number.
How schools are funded
Title I, F-33, state aid formulas and what per-pupil spending really means.
Chronic absenteeism
Why missing 10% of school matters and how it varies by district.
Magnet vs charter vs traditional
Three school types, three funding models, three sets of trade-offs.
School discipline data
What CRDC suspension and expulsion records do and don't reveal.
Frequently asked questions about Thomas S O'Brien Academy of Science & Technology
How many students attend Thomas S O'Brien Academy of Science & Technology?
Thomas S O'Brien Academy of Science & Technology has 262 students enrolled. It is a other school in ALBANY, NY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas S O'Brien Academy of Science & Technology?
The student-teacher ratio at Thomas S O'Brien Academy of Science & Technology is 11.9:1, which is 2% higher than the New York average of 11.7:1 and 25% lower than the national average of 15.9:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thomas S O'Brien Academy of Science & Technology?
74.0% of students at Thomas S O'Brien Academy of Science & Technology are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New York average of 56.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thomas S O'Brien Academy of Science & Technology?
The largest demographic group at Thomas S O'Brien Academy of Science & Technology is African American at 34.0%. The school serves a diverse student body in ALBANY, NY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thomas S O'Brien Academy of Science & Technology?
Thomas S O'Brien Academy of Science & Technology has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (F) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes.