- Enrollment
- 3,535
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Arlington, TX
Thornton El
Federal NCES profile for Thornton El, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 480870000266
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 15
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thornton El earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas median.
- #32 of 63
- schools in Arlington · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.4:1
- students per teacher
- 92.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Thornton El has class sizes near the Texas median. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thornton El ranks #32 of 63 schools in Arlington, TX.
School address
District: Arlington Isd · Texas
NCES ID 480870000266 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-10 students YoY
Thornton El held near 761 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-10 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 55.9 → 52.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-10 students YoY 480870000266 · Arlington, TX Other · MID · TRAD
849 enr · 15.4:1 · 92.0% lunch · RII 38
Nearest enrollment peer: Martin H S (3,535 students)
Thornton El held near 761 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-10 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 55.9 → 52.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Texas schools → · Find another →
Thornton El in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Martin H S
Martin H S
3,535 students
- Sam Houston H
Sam Houston H S
3,208 students
- Arlington H S
Arlington H S
2,580 students
- Lamar H S
Lamar H S
2,457 students
- Bowie H S
Bowie H S
2,140 students
- This school 849
Thornton El
849 students
What this shows Thornton El reports 849 students on the CCD universe file.
How Thornton El compares
Thornton El held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.4:1 | ▲ 5% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 92.0% | ▲ 49% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 849 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
849
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
92.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% 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
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 64% in Texas - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
28.7%
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
$11,746
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 425 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
33
in-school suspensions + 15 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 88.9%
African American 6.5%
White 2.7%
Two or More 1.2%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 88.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 20.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 20.5, Thornton El is less mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Arlington Isd reports $11,746 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Thornton El Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martin H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sam Houston H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Arlington H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lamar H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bowie H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thornton El's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,208
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 2,580
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 2,457
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 2,140
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Nationwide other 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 (~849 students)
Frequently asked questions about Thornton El
How many students attend Thornton El?
Thornton El has 849 students enrolled. It is a public school in Arlington, TX. CCD year-over-year: 771 (2022-23) → 761 (2023-24), nearly flat (-10).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thornton El?
The student-teacher ratio at Thornton El is 15.4:1, which is 5% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 2% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thornton El?
92.0% of students at Thornton El are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thornton El?
The largest demographic group at Thornton El is Hispanic or Latino at 88.9% of enrollment, in Arlington, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thornton El?
Thornton El has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical 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 Thornton El rank among schools in Arlington?
By Resource Investment Index, Thornton El ranks #32 of 63 schools in Arlington, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Arlington on the city page.
What other schools are in Arlington Isd?
Besides Thornton El, Arlington Isd also operates Martin H S (3,535 students), Sam Houston H S (3,208 students), and Arlington H S (2,580 students). See the Arlington Isd district page for the complete list.