Enrollment
323
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Lacey, WA
Aspire Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Aspire Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 530585003280
👥 S:T ratio 8
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 63
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Aspire Middle School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Washington schools.
- #1 of 5
- middle schools in Lacey · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 23.1:1
- large classes for Washington
- 19.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Aspire Middle School has class sizes larger than 91% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Aspire Middle School ranks #1 of 5 middle schools in Lacey, WA.
School address
District: North Thurston Public Schools · Washington
NCES ID 530585003280 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.1:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
19.6%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Aspire Middle School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Aspire Middle School
Aspire Middle School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Lacey, Washington, enrolling 323 students.
Class loads run heavy: 23.1:1 is larger than about 91% of Washington schools and 31% above the 17.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 19.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 323 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Among 269 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #193, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (52%) and Two or More (17%) (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 323 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
14.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Lacey's middle schools, it stands alongside Nisqually Middle School (789 students): Aspire Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (23.1:1 vs 16.4:1).
North Thurston Public Schools also operates River Ridge High School (1,547 students) and Timberline High School (1,401 students) alongside Aspire Middle 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 Aspire Middle School compares
Aspire Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 23.1:1 | ▲ 31% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 19.6% | ▼ 56% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 323 | top 60% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.1:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
323
Bigger than 36% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
19.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% below the Washington average of 45.0%
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
23.1:1
students per teacher
- 31% above state mean
Top 91% in Washington - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
14.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$15,854
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 323 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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 51.7%
Two or More 17.1%
Hispanic or Latino 16.8%
Asian 6.2%
African American 5.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 51.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.8, Aspire Middle School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for North Thurston Public Schools, which includes Aspire Middle School.
$15,854
Per student
-19%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.4%
State 61.3%
Federal 8.3%
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 Aspire Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Ridge High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Timberline High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Thurston High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Nisqually Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Aspire Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,547
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,401
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,378
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 789
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 776
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar middle schools in Lacey
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Nisqually Middle School
Standard public school
789 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Chinook Middle School
Standard public school
746 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Salish Middle School
Standard public school
745 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Komachin Middle School
Standard public school
640 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Washington, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~323 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Aspire Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Aspire Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- North Thurston Public Schools'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 Aspire Middle School
How many students attend Aspire Middle School?
Aspire Middle School has 323 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Lacey, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Aspire Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Aspire Middle School is 23.1:1, which is 31% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 47% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Aspire Middle School?
19.6% of students at Aspire Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Aspire Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Aspire Middle School is White at 51.7% of enrollment, in Lacey, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Aspire Middle School?
Aspire Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical 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 Aspire Middle School rank among middle schools in Lacey?
By Resource Investment Index, Aspire Middle School ranks #1 of 5 middle schools in Lacey, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Lacey on the city page.
Is Aspire Middle School a good school?
Aspire Middle School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Washington 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 North Thurston Public Schools?
Besides Aspire Middle School, North Thurston Public Schools also operates River Ridge High School (1,547 students), Timberline High School (1,401 students), and North Thurston High School (1,378 students). See the North Thurston Public Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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.