Enrollment
1,937
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lehigh Acres, FL
Veterans Park Academy for the Arts
Federal NCES profile for Veterans Park Academy for the Arts, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120108003950
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Veterans Park Academy for the Arts earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. It is also one of the largest schools in Florida.
- #2 of 7
- schools in Lehigh Acres · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.5:1
- students per teacher
- 36.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Veterans Park Academy for the Arts has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Veterans Park Academy for the Arts ranks #2 of 7 schools in Lehigh Acres, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
111.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.0%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Veterans Park Academy for the Arts compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Veterans Park Academy for the Arts
Veterans Park Academy for the Arts is a large combined-grade school in Lehigh Acres, Florida, enrolling 1,937 students.
At 17.5:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Florida median, within a few percentage points of the 17.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 36.0% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Florida, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,937 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 258 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #177.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (64%) and African American (17%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 646 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 17.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 6 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Lee also operates Gateway Charter Elementary School (3,192 students) and Lehigh Senior High School (2,550 students) alongside Veterans Park Academy for the Arts.
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 Veterans Park Academy for the Arts compares
Veterans Park Academy for the Arts on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.5:1 | ▼ 2% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.0% | ▼ 31% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,937 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,937
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 60% in Florida - lower ratio than 40% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
33.1%
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
$10,788
per pupil, district-wide
- below Florida avg of $11,167
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 646 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
45
in-school suspensions + 133 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 expulsions.
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
Hispanic or Latino 64.4%
African American 16.6%
White 15.0%
Two or More 3.4%
Asian 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 64.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.4, Veterans Park Academy for the Arts is about as mixed as the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lee, which includes Veterans Park Academy for the Arts.
$10,788
Per student
-3%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 58.0%
State 25.0%
Federal 17.0%
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 Veterans Park Academy for the Arts Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway Charter Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lehigh Senior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gateway High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ida S. Baker High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Lee County High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Veterans Park Academy for the Arts's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,192
- Students per teacher
- 51.5:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 2,550
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 2,343
- Students per teacher
- 31.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 2,191
- Students per teacher
- 27.4:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 2,129
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Florida, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,937 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Veterans Park Academy for the Arts's federal record.
- Compare Veterans Park Academy for the Arts against another school. Compare schools
- Lee'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 Veterans Park Academy for the Arts
How many students attend Veterans Park Academy for the Arts?
Veterans Park Academy for the Arts has 1,937 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lehigh Acres, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Veterans Park Academy for the Arts?
The student-teacher ratio at Veterans Park Academy for the Arts is 17.5:1, which is 2% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 11% higher 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 Veterans Park Academy for the Arts?
36.0% of students at Veterans Park Academy for the Arts are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Veterans Park Academy for the Arts?
The largest demographic group at Veterans Park Academy for the Arts is Hispanic or Latino at 64.4% of enrollment, in Lehigh Acres, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Veterans Park Academy for the Arts?
Veterans Park Academy for the Arts has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Veterans Park Academy for the Arts rank among schools in Lehigh Acres?
By Resource Investment Index, Veterans Park Academy for the Arts ranks #2 of 7 schools in Lehigh Acres, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Lehigh Acres on the city page.
Is Veterans Park Academy for the Arts a good school?
Veterans Park Academy for the Arts earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. It is also one of the largest schools in Florida. 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 Lee?
Besides Veterans Park Academy for the Arts, Lee also operates Gateway Charter Elementary School (3,192 students), Lehigh Senior High School (2,550 students), and Gateway High School (2,343 students). See the Lee 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.