Enrollment
465
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Hayward, CA
Bret Harte Middle
Federal NCES profile for Bret Harte Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 061674002105
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 61
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bret Harte Middle earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% of California schools.
- #3 of 5
- middle schools in Hayward · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.9:1
- small classes for California
- 53.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Bret Harte Middle has class sizes smaller than 79% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bret Harte Middle ranks #3 of 5 middle schools in Hayward, CA.
School address
District: Hayward Unified · California
NCES ID 061674002105 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
-3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bret Harte Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bret Harte Middle
Bret Harte Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Hayward, California, enrolling 465 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 17.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 53.9% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 465 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,591 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #168, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (56%) and African American (17%) (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 194 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 64.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 110 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 465 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Hayward's middle schools, it stands alongside Martin Luther King Jr. Middle (669 students): Bret Harte Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.9:1 vs 21.6:1).
Hayward Unified also operates Mt. Eden High (1,865 students) and Hayward High (1,580 students) alongside Bret Harte Middle.
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 Bret Harte Middle compares
Bret Harte Middle on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.9:1 | ▼ 17% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.9% | ▼ 3% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 465 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
465
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 21% in California - lower ratio than 79% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
64.1%
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
$17,201
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.4 FTE
Per 194 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
65
in-school suspensions + 45 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 23.7 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
Hispanic or Latino 55.7%
African American 17.0%
Asian 9.2%
Two or More 8.8%
White 5.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 3.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 55.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.0, Bret Harte Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hayward Unified, which includes Bret Harte Middle.
$17,201
Per student
+4%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.7%
State 52.2%
Federal 12.1%
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 Bret Harte Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mt. Eden High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hayward High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Tennyson High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cherryland Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Burbank Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bret Harte Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,865
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,580
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,511
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 855
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 800
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar middle schools in Hayward
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Martin Luther King Jr. Middle
Standard public school
669 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
Winton Middle
Standard public school
582 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Cesar Chavez Middle
Standard public school
453 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Anthony W. Ochoa Middle
Standard public school
405 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~465 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bret Harte Middle's federal record.
- Compare Bret Harte Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Hayward Unified'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 Bret Harte Middle
How many students attend Bret Harte Middle?
Bret Harte Middle has 465 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Hayward, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bret Harte Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Bret Harte Middle is 17.9:1, which is 17% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 14% 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 Bret Harte Middle?
53.9% of students at Bret Harte Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bret Harte Middle?
The largest demographic group at Bret Harte Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 55.7% of enrollment, in Hayward, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bret Harte Middle?
Bret Harte Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Bret Harte Middle rank among middle schools in Hayward?
By Resource Investment Index, Bret Harte Middle ranks #3 of 5 middle schools in Hayward, 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 Hayward on the city page.
Is Bret Harte Middle a good school?
Bret Harte Middle earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% of California 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 Hayward Unified?
Besides Bret Harte Middle, Hayward Unified also operates Mt. Eden High (1,865 students), Hayward High (1,580 students), and Tennyson High (1,511 students). See the Hayward Unified 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.