- Enrollment
- 1,093
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Santa Cruz, CA
Branciforte Middle
Federal NCES profile for Branciforte Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 063560006060
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Branciforte Middle earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in Santa Cruz · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.5:1
- students per teacher
- 37.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Branciforte Middle has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Branciforte Middle ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Santa Cruz, CA.
School address
District: Santa Cruz City High · California
NCES ID 063560006060 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+46 students YoY
Branciforte Middle grew from 389 students in 2022-23 to 435 in 2023-24 (+11.8%).
Teacher FTE added 21.3 → 22.7 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+46 students YoY 063560006060 · Santa Cruz, CA Middle · SMALL · TRAD
409 enr · 19.5:1 · 37.0% lunch · RII 35
Nearest enrollment peer: Santa Cruz High (1,093 students)
Branciforte Middle grew from 389 students in 2022-23 to 435 in 2023-24 (+11.8%). Teacher FTE added 21.3 → 22.7 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Branciforte Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Santa Cruz Hig
Santa Cruz High
1,093 students
- Soquel High
Soquel High
1,074 students
- Harbor High
Harbor High
1,013 students
- Mission Hill M
Mission Hill Middle
510 students
- This school 409
Branciforte Middle
409 students
- Delta Charter 113
Delta Charter
113 students
What this shows Branciforte Middle reports 409 students on the CCD universe file.
How Branciforte Middle compares
Branciforte Middle is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.5:1 | ▼ 9% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.0% | ▼ 33% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 409 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.5:1
Leaner classes than 18% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
409
Bigger than 49% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
37.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 33% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
19.5:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 31% in California - lower ratio than 69% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
24.2%
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.
Support staff
Counselors1.6 FTE
Per 256 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 46.9%
White 42.8%
Two or More 5.9%
Asian 2.0%
African American 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 46.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.3, Branciforte Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
How Branciforte Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Soquel High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harbor High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mission Hill Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Delta Charter | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Branciforte Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,074
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,013
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 510
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 113
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar middle schools in Santa Cruz
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~409 students)
Frequently asked questions about Branciforte Middle
How many students attend Branciforte Middle?
Branciforte Middle has 409 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Santa Cruz, CA. CCD year-over-year: 389 (2022-23) → 435 (2023-24), up 46.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Branciforte Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Branciforte Middle is 19.5:1, which is 9% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 24% higher 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 Branciforte Middle?
37.0% of students at Branciforte Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Branciforte Middle?
The largest demographic group at Branciforte Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 46.9% of enrollment, in Santa Cruz, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Branciforte Middle?
Branciforte Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Branciforte Middle rank among middle schools in Santa Cruz?
By Resource Investment Index, Branciforte Middle ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Santa Cruz, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Santa Cruz on the city page.
What other schools are in Santa Cruz City High?
Besides Branciforte Middle, Santa Cruz City High also operates Santa Cruz High (1,093 students), Soquel High (1,074 students), and Harbor High (1,013 students). See the Santa Cruz City High district page for the complete list.