Enrollment
754
Nebraska · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Scottsbluff, NE
Bluffs Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Bluffs Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 317647001581
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bluffs Middle School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Nebraska schools.
- #8 of 10
- public schools in Scottsbluff · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.1:1
- large classes for Nebraska
- 52.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Bluffs Middle School has class sizes larger than 72% of Nebraska schools. Computed live against every Nebraska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bluffs Middle School ranks #8 of 10 public schools in Scottsbluff, NE.
School address
District: Scottsbluff Public Schools · Nebraska
NCES ID 317647001581 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
50.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 13.5:1 Nebraska avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
52.0%
vs 30.9% Nebraska avg
+68% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bluffs Middle School compares with Nebraska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bluffs Middle School
Bluffs Middle School is a higher-need, large middle school in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, enrolling 754 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Nebraska schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 52.0% of students qualify for free meals, 68% above the Nebraska average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Nebraska, bigger than 93% of state schools at 754 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,003 scored Nebraska schools.
Against 36 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #16.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (45%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 251 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Scottsbluff Public Schools spends $13,201 per pupil, 25% below the Nebraska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Scottsbluff Public Schools also operates Scottsbluff Senior High School (1,064 students) and Westmoor Elementary School (408 students) alongside Bluffs 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 Bluffs Middle School compares
Bluffs Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Nebraska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nebraska | Nebraska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.1:1 | ▲ 12% | 13.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.0% | ▲ 68% | 30.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 754 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.1:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
754
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
52.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 68% above the Nebraska average of 30.9%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 72% in Nebraska - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
28.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$13,201
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nebraska avg of $17,680
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 251 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
70
in-school suspensions + 55 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 50.7%
Hispanic or Latino 44.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.5%
African American 1.2%
Two or More 1.2%
Asian 0.9%
Largest group: White at 50.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.3, Bluffs Middle School is more mixed than the Nebraska school average of 34.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Scottsbluff Public Schools, which includes Bluffs Middle School.
$13,201
Per student
-25%
vs Nebraska
Avg $17,680
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.2%
State 42.1%
Federal 13.7%
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 Bluffs Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scottsbluff Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westmoor Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Longfellow Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt Elementary School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Heights Elementary Sch | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bluffs Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,064
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 408
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 62/100
- Enrollment
- 379
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 62/100
- Enrollment
- 280
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 69/100
- Enrollment
- 279
- Students per teacher
- 11.6:1
- Resource Index
- 67/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Nebraska, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~754 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bluffs Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Bluffs Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Scottsbluff 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 Bluffs Middle School
How many students attend Bluffs Middle School?
Bluffs Middle School has 754 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Scottsbluff, NE.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bluffs Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Bluffs Middle School is 15.1:1, which is 12% higher than the Nebraska average of 13.5:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bluffs Middle School?
52.0% of students at Bluffs Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nebraska average of 30.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bluffs Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Bluffs Middle School is White at 50.7% of enrollment, in Scottsbluff, NE. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bluffs Middle School?
Bluffs Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Bluffs Middle School rank among public schools in Scottsbluff?
By Resource Investment Index, Bluffs Middle School ranks #8 of 10 public schools in Scottsbluff, NE. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Scottsbluff on the city page.
Is Bluffs Middle School a good school?
Bluffs Middle School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Nebraska 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 Scottsbluff Public Schools?
Besides Bluffs Middle School, Scottsbluff Public Schools also operates Scottsbluff Senior High School (1,064 students), Westmoor Elementary School (408 students), and Longfellow Elementary School (379 students). See the Scottsbluff 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.