Enrollment
563
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Charlottesville, VA
Buford Middle
Federal NCES profile for Buford Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 510078000271
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Buford Middle earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of Virginia schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Virginia schools.
- #5 of 5
- middle schools in Charlottesville · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.7:1
- small classes for Virginia
- 73.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Buford Middle has class sizes smaller than 82% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Buford Middle ranks #5 of 5 middle schools in Charlottesville, VA.
School address
District: Charlottesville City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510078000271 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.7:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
73.7%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Buford Middle compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Buford Middle
Buford Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Charlottesville, Virginia, enrolling 563 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 73.7% lands close to the Virginia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 563 students, its enrollment sits close to the Virginia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 346 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #135.
Its student body is led by White (36%) and African American (27%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 282 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Charlottesville City Public Schools spends $20,100 per pupil, 37% above the Virginia average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Charlottesville's middle schools, it stands alongside Journey Middle (646 students): Buford Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.7:1 vs 12.4:1).
Charlottesville City Public Schools also operates Charlottesville High (1,438 students) and Walker Upper Elementary (570 students) alongside Buford 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 Buford Middle compares
Buford Middle on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.7:1 | ▼ 16% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 73.7% | ▲ 28% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 563 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.7:1
Leaner classes than 78% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
563
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
73.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% above the Virginia average of 57.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.7:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 18% in Virginia - lower ratio than 82% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
25.4%
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
$20,100
per pupil, district-wide
- above Virginia avg of $14,649
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 282 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
76
in-school suspensions + 18 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.7 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
White 36.1%
African American 26.5%
Hispanic or Latino 14.9%
Two or More 14.6%
Asian 8.0%
Largest group: White at 36.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.0, Buford Middle is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Charlottesville City Public Schools, which includes Buford Middle.
$20,100
Per student
+37%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
+21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 68.6%
State 24.2%
Federal 7.2%
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 Buford Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Walker Upper Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jackson-Via Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Johnson Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Venable Elementary | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Buford Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,438
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 570
- Students per teacher
- 11.2:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 370
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 327
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 320
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 61/100
Similar middle schools in Charlottesville
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Journey Middle
Standard public school
646 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Lakeside Middle
Standard public school
574 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Jackson P. Burley Middle
Standard public school
534 students 11.1:1 students per teacher
Leslie H. Walton Middle
Standard public school
339 students 10.3:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~563 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Buford Middle's federal record.
- Compare Buford Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Charlottesville City 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 Buford Middle
How many students attend Buford Middle?
Buford Middle has 563 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Charlottesville, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Buford Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Buford Middle is 11.7:1, which is 16% lower than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 25% 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 Buford Middle?
73.7% of students at Buford Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Buford Middle?
The largest demographic group at Buford Middle is White at 36.1% of enrollment, in Charlottesville, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Buford Middle?
Buford Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (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 Buford Middle rank among middle schools in Charlottesville?
By Resource Investment Index, Buford Middle ranks #5 of 5 middle schools in Charlottesville, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Charlottesville on the city page.
Is Buford Middle a good school?
Buford Middle earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of Virginia schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Virginia 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 Charlottesville City Public Schools?
Besides Buford Middle, Charlottesville City Public Schools also operates Charlottesville High (1,438 students), Walker Upper Elementary (570 students), and Jackson-Via Elementary (370 students). See the Charlottesville City 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.