Enrollment
297
Vermont · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Essex Junction, VT
Albert D. Lawton School
Federal NCES profile for Albert D. Lawton School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 500039500115
👥 S:T ratio 64
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 70
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Albert D. Lawton School earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of Vermont schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Vermont schools.
- #1 of 8
- public schools in Essex Junction · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 9:1
- small classes for Vermont
- 12.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Albert D. Lawton School has class sizes smaller than 86% of Vermont schools. Computed live against every Vermont school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Albert D. Lawton School ranks #1 of 8 public schools in Essex Junction, VT.
School address
NCES ID 500039500115 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
9:1
vs 11.9:1 Vermont avg
-24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
12.9%
vs 27.6% Vermont avg
-53% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Albert D. Lawton School compares with Vermont and U.S. medians
What stands out at Albert D. Lawton School
Albert D. Lawton School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Essex Junction, Vermont, enrolling 297 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 9:1, Albert D. Lawton School is leaner than roughly 86% of Vermont schools and 24% under the state's 11.9:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 12.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 297 puts it in the larger third of Vermont schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 98% of the 288 Vermont schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 71 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Vermont schools statewide, it ranks #2, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (74%) and Asian (13%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 43/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 149 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
15.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union Sd #51 spends $27,102 per pupil, 42% above the Vermont average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Essex Junction's middle schools, it stands alongside Essex Middle School (366 students): Albert D. Lawton School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (9:1 vs 11.1:1).
Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union Sd #51 also operates Essex High School (1,224 students) and Essex Elementary School (484 students) alongside Albert D. Lawton School.
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 Albert D. Lawton School compares
Albert D. Lawton School on the metrics families compare, against Vermont and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Vermont | Vermont avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 9:1 | ▼ 24% | 11.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 12.9% | ▼ 53% | 27.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 297 | top 32% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9:1
Leaner classes than 93% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
297
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
12.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 53% below the Vermont average of 27.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
9:1
students per teacher
- 24% below state mean
Top 14% in Vermont - lower ratio than 86% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
15.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$27,102
per pupil, district-wide
- above Vermont avg of $19,105
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 149 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
16
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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
White 73.7%
Asian 13.1%
Two or More 6.4%
Hispanic or Latino 3.7%
African American 2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: White at 73.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.4, Albert D. Lawton School is more mixed than the Vermont school average of 19.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union Sd #51, which includes Albert D. Lawton School.
$27,102
Per student
+42%
vs Vermont
Avg $19,105
+63%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 6.4%
State 85.8%
Federal 7.9%
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.
How Albert D. Lawton School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essex High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Essex Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Essex Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Founders Memorial School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Summit Street School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Albert D. Lawton School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,224
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 484
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 366
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 353
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 305
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar middle schools in Essex Junction
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Vermont, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~297 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Albert D. Lawton School's federal record.
- Compare Albert D. Lawton School against another school. Compare schools
- Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union Sd #51'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 Albert D. Lawton School
How many students attend Albert D. Lawton School?
Albert D. Lawton School has 297 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Essex Junction, VT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Albert D. Lawton School?
The student-teacher ratio at Albert D. Lawton School is 9:1, which is 24% lower than the Vermont average of 11.9:1 and 43% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Albert D. Lawton School?
12.9% of students at Albert D. Lawton School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Vermont average of 27.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Albert D. Lawton School?
The largest demographic group at Albert D. Lawton School is White at 73.7% of enrollment, in Essex Junction, VT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Albert D. Lawton School?
Albert D. Lawton School has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Albert D. Lawton School rank among public schools in Essex Junction?
By Resource Investment Index, Albert D. Lawton School ranks #1 of 8 public schools in Essex Junction, VT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Essex Junction on the city page.
Is Albert D. Lawton School a good school?
Albert D. Lawton School earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of Vermont schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Vermont 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 Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union Sd #51?
Besides Albert D. Lawton School, Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union Sd #51 also operates Essex High School (1,224 students), Essex Elementary School (484 students), and Essex Middle School (366 students). See the Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union Sd #51 district page for the complete list.
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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.