- Enrollment
- 1,847
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Huntsville, AL
Challenger Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Challenger Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 010180001774
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 15
📋 Attendance 89
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Challenger Middle School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #3 of 11
- middle schools in Huntsville · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.3:1
- students per teacher
- 41.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Challenger Middle School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Challenger Middle School ranks #3 of 11 middle schools in Huntsville, AL.
School address
District: Huntsville City · Alabama
NCES ID 010180001774 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-10 students YoY
Challenger Middle School held near 428 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-10 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 26.0 → 26.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-10 students YoY 010180001774 · Huntsville, AL Middle · SMALL · TRAD
425 enr · 16.3:1 · 41.1% lunch · RII 52
Nearest enrollment peer: Virgil Grissom High School (1,847 students)
Challenger Middle School held near 428 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-10 headcount). Teacher FTE held 26.0 → 26.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Alabama schools → · Find another →
Challenger Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Virgil Grissom
Virgil Grissom High School
1,847 students
- Huntsville Hig
Huntsville High School
1,807 students
- Providence Ele
Providence Elementary
1,152 students
- Goldsmithschif
Goldsmithschiffman Elementary
935 students
- Columbia High
Columbia High School
916 students
- This school 425
Challenger Middle School
425 students
What this shows Challenger Middle School reports 425 students on the CCD universe file.
How Challenger Middle School compares
Challenger Middle School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.3:1 | ▼ 8% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.1% | ▼ 30% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 425 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.3:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
425
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
41.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.3:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 32% in Alabama - lower ratio than 68% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
4.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$13,146
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $13,538
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 425 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
21
in-school suspensions + 31 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Student demographics
White 51.5%
African American 22.8%
Hispanic or Latino 15.5%
Two or More 6.8%
Asian 3.3%
Largest group: White at 51.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.3, Challenger Middle School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Huntsville City reports $13,146 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Challenger Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virgil Grissom High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Huntsville High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Providence Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Goldsmithschiffman Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Columbia High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Challenger Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,807
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,152
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 935
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 916
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar middle schools in Huntsville
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Monrovia Middle School
Standard public school
988 students 19.8:1 students per teacher
Williams Middle School
Standard public school
659 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
Whitesburg Middle School
Standard public school
535 students 19.1:1 students per teacher
Huntsville Junior High School
Standard public school
530 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Morris Middle School
Standard public school
397 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Ronald Mcnair 78
Standard public school
390 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
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 (~425 students)
Frequently asked questions about Challenger Middle School
How many students attend Challenger Middle School?
Challenger Middle School has 425 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Huntsville, AL. CCD year-over-year: 438 (2022-23) → 428 (2023-24), nearly flat (-10).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Challenger Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Challenger Middle School is 16.3:1, which is 8% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 4% 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 Challenger Middle School?
41.1% of students at Challenger Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Challenger Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Challenger Middle School is White at 51.5% of enrollment, in Huntsville, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Challenger Middle School?
Challenger Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (higher 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 Challenger Middle School rank among middle schools in Huntsville?
By Resource Investment Index, Challenger Middle School ranks #3 of 11 middle schools in Huntsville, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Huntsville on the city page.
What other schools are in Huntsville City?
Besides Challenger Middle School, Huntsville City also operates Virgil Grissom High School (1,847 students), Huntsville High School (1,807 students), and Providence Elementary (1,152 students). See the Huntsville City district page for the complete list.