Enrollment
284
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Philadelphia, PA
Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School
Federal NCES profile for Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 421899007661
👥 S:T ratio 43
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 72
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median.
- #32 of 57
- high schools in Philadelphia · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.2:1
- students per teacher
- 98.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School has class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School ranks #32 of 57 high schools in Philadelphia, PA.
School address
District: Philadelphia City Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 421899007661 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
98.9%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
+70% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School
Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School is a high-poverty, mid-sized high school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, enrolling 284 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Pennsylvania schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 98.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 284 puts it in the smaller third of Pennsylvania schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Against 365 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #258.
Its student body is predominantly African American (88% of enrollment) (diversity index 22/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 142 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 88.4% 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: 59 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 284 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Philadelphia's high schools, it stands alongside Northeast Hs (3,463 students): Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.2:1 vs 18.9:1).
Philadelphia City Sd also operates Northeast Hs (3,463 students) and Lincoln Hs (2,472 students) alongside Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School.
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 Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School compares
Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School on the metrics families compare, against Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.2:1 | ▲ 4% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 98.9% | ▲ 70% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 284 | top 80% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
284
Bigger than 30% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
98.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 70% 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
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 65% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
88.4%
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 142 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 49 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 20.8 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 88.0%
Hispanic or Latino 5.6%
Two or More 4.2%
White 0.7%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: African American at 88.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 22.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 22.1, Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School is less mixed than 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 Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School.
$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 Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School 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 Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School'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 (~284 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School's federal record.
- Compare Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School 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 Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School
How many students attend Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School?
Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School has 284 students enrolled. It is a high school in Philadelphia, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School?
The student-teacher ratio at Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School is 14.2:1, which is 4% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 10% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School?
98.9% of students at Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School?
The largest demographic group at Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School is African American at 88.0% of enrollment, in Philadelphia, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School?
Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (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 Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School rank among high schools in Philadelphia?
By Resource Investment Index, Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School ranks #32 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 Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School a good school?
Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. 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 Vaux Hs: a Big Picture School, 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.