New YorkSchoolsLEHMAN ALTERNATIVE COMMUNITY SCHOOL

LEHMAN ALTERNATIVE COMMUNITY SCHOOL

PublicRegular
ITHACA, New York · ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Teachers30.0FTE
Ratio9.0:1students per teacher
Students271enrolled
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students271
Grade Span6–12
Student:Teacher9.0:1
Free/Reduced Lunch
Title INo
SectorPublic
Student : Teacher
9.1:1
1.1%vs prior yrUS avg 15.4:1
Teacher FTE
29
3.3%vs prior yr
Enrollment
265
2.2%vs prior yr
Years of Data
5
2020–2024
Counselors
1:139
1.8%vs prior yrASCA max 1:250
Nurses
1:278
1.8%vs prior yrNASN max 1:750
Psychologists
1:278
1.8%vs prior yrNASP max 1:500
Social Workers
1:185
34.5%vs prior yrSSWAA max 1:250
Trends & 5-year history below

Pupil : Teacher Ratio — 5-Year Trend

8.5:110.0:111.5:112.9:114.4:115.9:12020202120222023202410.3:110.8:19.5:19.0:19.1:1This schoolUS public-school avg

Enrollment & Teacher FTE

263268273278283288262728282930202020212022202320242782802862712652726303029EnrollmentTeacher FTE

Year-by-year workforce

Metric20202021202220232024Nat Avg
Enrollment278280286271265
Teacher FTE2726303029
Pupil : Teacher ratio10.3:110.8:19.5:19.0:19.1:115.4:1

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)

1:01:611:1221:1831:2451:3062015201720201:1421:1421:1391:2831:2831:185Counselor : PupilsSocial Worker : PupilsRecommended 1:250

Nurses & Psychologists — staff to pupils

1:01:1621:3241:4861:6481:8102015201720201:2831:2831:2781:2831:2831:278Nurse : PupilsNASN 1:750Psychologist : PupilsNASP 1:500

Support staffing & ratios — year by year

Metric201520172020Nat Avg
Counselors (FTE)222
Nurses (FTE)111
Psychologists (FTE)111
Social Workers (FTE)111.5
Counselor : Pupils1:1421:1421:1391:250
Nurse : Pupils1:2831:2831:2781:750
Psychologist : Pupils1:2831:2831:2781:500
Social Worker : Pupils1:2831:2831:1851:250

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.