Enrolment & staffing · K-12 education statistics
Student-teacher ratio
Enrolment divided by full-time-equivalent teachers — not the same as class size.
The student-teacher ratio divides a school or district's enrolment by its count of full-time-equivalent (FTE) teachers. It is the most widely published staffing measure in K-12 data.
It is persistently misread as class size, and it is not. The denominator includes teachers who do not lead a standard classroom — specialists, interventionists, and part-time staff converted to FTE — so the ratio is almost always lower than the number of children an average teacher faces at once. Actual class size is typically several students higher, and the gap varies by district in ways the ratio cannot tell you.
Also known as: pupil-teacher ratio, class size.
See student-teacher ratio in the data
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Student-teacher ratio — FAQ
What is student-teacher ratio in school and district data?+
Enrolment divided by full-time-equivalent teachers — not the same as class size. The student-teacher ratio divides a school or district's enrolment by its count of full-time-equivalent (FTE) teachers. It is the most widely published staffing measure in K-12 data.
Why does student-teacher ratio matter?+
It is persistently misread as class size, and it is not. The denominator includes teachers who do not lead a standard classroom — specialists, interventionists, and part-time staff converted to FTE — so the ratio is almost always lower than the number of children an average teacher faces at once. Actual class size is typically several students higher, and the gap varies by district in ways the ratio cannot tell you.
Where does this school and district data come from?+
Core statistics come from the National Center for Education Statistics — the Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Civil Rights Data Collection. The most recent graduation rates and state report-card outcomes come directly from state education agencies, which publish sooner than the federal series. pumsdata is independent and not affiliated with NCES or any state agency.