Why this matters
Demographic composition shapes every other number on a school profile. High-poverty schools face structural headwinds — not because of students themselves, but because of funding gaps, staff turnover, and reduced access to enrichment. The Free/Reduced Lunch rate is the most-cited poverty proxy in US K-12 data. Trend it alongside teacher turnover and chronic absence for the clearest picture.
What we're seeing
At Mary Walker Alternative Learning Experience, student body composition has fallen 16% over the 5-year window — from 76% in 2020 to 64% in 2023. The gap vs US average of 52% (FRL) has narrowed — from 24% above in 2020 to 12% above in 2023.