New YorkSchoolsHEALTH SCIENCES CHARTER SCHOOL

HEALTH SCIENCES CHARTER SCHOOL

PublicRegularCharter
BUFFALO, New York · HEALTH SCIENCES CHARTER SCHOOL
Teachers35.0FTE
Ratio12.3:1students per teacher
Students429enrolled
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students429
Grade Span9–12
Student:Teacher12.3:1
Free/Reduced Lunch92%
Title INo
SectorCharter
Student : Teacher
13.7:1
11%vs prior yrUS avg 15.4:1
Teacher FTE
33
5.7%vs prior yr
Enrollment
452
5.4%vs prior yr
Years of Data
5
2020–2024
Counselors
1:180
42%vs prior yrASCA max 1:250
Nurses
1:360
NASN max 1:750
Psychologists
NASP max 1:500
Social Workers
1:180
SSWAA max 1:250
Trends & 5-year history below

Pupil : Teacher Ratio — 5-Year Trend

12.1:112.8:113.5:114.2:114.9:115.6:12020202120222023202413.3:112.4:114.9:112.3:113.7:1This schoolUS public-school avg

Enrollment & Teacher FTE

353374395417438459262830323436202020212022202320243603854464294522731303533EnrollmentTeacher FTE

Year-by-year workforce

Metric20202021202220232024Nat Avg
Enrollment360385446429452
Teacher FTE2731303533
Pupil : Teacher ratio13.3:112.4:114.9:112.3:113.7:115.4:1

What These Numbers Mean

Teacher FTE

Full-Time Equivalent counts part-time teachers proportionally. One full-time teacher = 1.0 FTE; two half-time teachers also = 1.0 FTE. This is the standard federal reporting unit.

Pupil : Teacher ratio

NCES-reported ratio divides total enrollment by teacher FTE. It is NOT the same as average class size — schools with specialists, coaches, and resource teachers will show lower ratios than typical class sizes.

How to read the trend

A falling pupil:teacher ratio (line going down) means more staffing per student — generally a positive signal. A rising line can indicate budget pressure or fast enrollment growth outpacing hiring. Always compare to the US average (dashed grey).

Historical data spans 20202024 from NCES CCD.

Student Support & Wellbeing

Non-teaching staff who support student mental health, physical health, and behavioural needs. Lower pupil-to-staff ratios mean more one-on-one access.

Counselors & Social Workers — staff to pupils (recommended 1:250)

1:01:821:1641:2461:3281:4102015201720201:1901:1271:1801:3801:180Counselor : PupilsSocial Worker : PupilsRecommended 1:250

Nurses & Psychologists — staff to pupils

1:01:1621:3241:4861:6481:8102015201720201:360Nurse : PupilsNASN 1:750Psychologist : PupilsNASP 1:500

Support staffing & ratios — year by year

Metric201520172020Nat Avg
Counselors (FTE)232
Nurses (FTE)001
Psychologists (FTE)000
Social Workers (FTE)102
Counselor : Pupils1:1901:1271:1801:250
Nurse : Pupils1:3601:750
Psychologist : Pupils1:500
Social Worker : Pupils1:3801:1801:250

Why these ratios matter

Counselors (ASCA 250:1)

School counselors support academic planning, college & career readiness, and social-emotional wellbeing. The American School Counselor Association recommends no more than 250 students per counselor.

Nurses (NASN 750:1)

School nurses manage chronic conditions, medications, immunisations, and emergencies. The National Association of School Nurses recommends at least 1 full-time nurse per 750 students (more for high-need populations).

Psychologists (NASP 500:1)

School psychologists assess learning & behavioural needs, run mental-health interventions, and coordinate special-education services. NASP recommends 500:1 or lower.

Social workers (SSWAA 250:1)

School social workers bridge home-school relationships, address attendance & trauma, and connect families to community resources. SSWAA recommends 250:1.

Source: US Dept of Education CRDC (20152020) — Civil Rights Data Collection.