Enrollment
605
Louisiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lafayette, LA
Willow Charter Academy
Federal NCES profile for Willow Charter Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 12/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 220026302405Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 7
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Willow Charter Academy earns 12/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Louisiana schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Louisiana schools.
- #3 of 3
- elementary schools in Lafayette · Resource Index
- 12
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.3:1
- large classes for Louisiana
- 95.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Willow Charter Academy has class sizes larger than 94% of Louisiana schools. Computed live against every Louisiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Willow Charter Academy ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Lafayette, LA.
School address
District: Willow Charter Academy · Louisiana
NCES ID 220026302405 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.3:1
vs 16.8:1 Louisiana avg
+39% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
95.0%
vs 62.5% Louisiana avg
+52% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Willow Charter Academy compares with Louisiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Willow Charter Academy
Willow Charter Academy is a high-poverty, mid-sized charter elementary school in Lafayette, Louisiana, enrolling 605 students.
Class loads run heavy: 23.3:1 is larger than about 94% of Louisiana schools and 39% above the 16.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 95.0% of students qualify for free meals, 52% above the Louisiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 605 puts it in the larger third of Louisiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 99% of the 1,330 Louisiana schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 99 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Louisiana schools statewide, it ranks #96, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (91% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 17/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 82.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Willow Charter Academy spends $10,642 per pupil, 35% below the Louisiana average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 129 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 605 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Lafayette's elementary schools, it stands alongside Paul Breaux Middle School (314 students): Willow Charter Academy is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (23.3:1 vs 8.3:1).
Willow Charter Academy is a single-school charter district, so Willow Charter Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Willow Charter Academy compares
Willow Charter Academy on the metrics families compare, against Louisiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Louisiana | Louisiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 23.3:1 | ▲ 39% | 16.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 95.0% | ▲ 52% | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 605 | top 26% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.3:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
605
Bigger than 73% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
95.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 52% above the Louisiana average of 62.5%
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
23.3:1
students per teacher
- 39% above state mean
Top 94% in Louisiana - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
82.5%
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
$10,642
per pupil, district-wide
- below Louisiana avg of $16,376
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
23
in-school suspensions + 106 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 21.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 90.9%
White 4.0%
Hispanic or Latino 3.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 90.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.1, Willow Charter Academy is less mixed than the Louisiana school average of 43.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Willow Charter Academy, which includes Willow Charter Academy.
$10,642
Per student
-35%
vs Louisiana
Avg $16,376
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.5%
State 37.0%
Federal 17.4%
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.
Similar elementary schools in Lafayette
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Louisiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~605 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Willow Charter Academy's federal record.
- Compare Willow Charter Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Willow Charter Academy'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 Willow Charter Academy
How many students attend Willow Charter Academy?
Willow Charter Academy has 605 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lafayette, LA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Willow Charter Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Willow Charter Academy is 23.3:1, which is 39% higher than the Louisiana average of 16.8:1 and 48% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Willow Charter Academy?
95.0% of students at Willow Charter Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Louisiana average of 62.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Willow Charter Academy?
The largest demographic group at Willow Charter Academy is African American at 90.9% of enrollment, in Lafayette, LA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Willow Charter Academy?
Willow Charter Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 12/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Willow Charter Academy rank among elementary schools in Lafayette?
By Resource Investment Index, Willow Charter Academy ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Lafayette, LA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Lafayette on the city page.
Is Willow Charter Academy a good school?
Willow Charter Academy earns 12/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Louisiana schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Louisiana 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 Willow Charter Academy?
None; Willow Charter Academy is a single-school charter district, and Willow Charter Academy is its only campus.
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.