Enrollment
818
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Decatur, AL
Decatur Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Decatur Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 010117000433
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 18
📋 Attendance 33
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Decatur Middle School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of Alabama schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #15 of 20
- public schools in Decatur · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.1:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 71.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Decatur Middle School has class sizes smaller than 82% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Decatur Middle School ranks #15 of 20 public schools in Decatur, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
54.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
71.3%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Decatur Middle School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Decatur Middle School
Decatur Middle School is a higher-need, large middle school in Decatur, Alabama, enrolling 818 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 71.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 818 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 233 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #42.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (38%) and White (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 409 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 288 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 818 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Decatur's middle schools, it stands alongside Austin Middle School (727 students): Decatur Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.1:1 vs 15.5:1).
Decatur City also operates Austin High School (999 students) and Decatur High School (915 students) alongside Decatur 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 Decatur Middle School compares
Decatur Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.1:1 | ▼ 15% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.3% | ▲ 21% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 818 | top 13% | - | - |
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.
818
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
71.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 18% in Alabama - lower ratio than 82% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
26.7%
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
$13,764
per pupil, district-wide
- above Alabama avg of $12,491
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 409 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
271
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 33.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 35.2 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 37.7%
White 32.2%
African American 23.8%
Two or More 5.4%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 37.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.5, Decatur Middle School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Decatur City, which includes Decatur Middle School.
$13,764
Per student
+10%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.5%
State 47.0%
Federal 13.5%
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 Decatur Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Decatur High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Austin Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Austin Junior High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Oak Park Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Decatur Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 999
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 915
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 727
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 664
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 481
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar middle schools in Decatur
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~818 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Decatur Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Decatur Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Decatur City'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 Decatur Middle School
How many students attend Decatur Middle School?
Decatur Middle School has 818 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Decatur, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Decatur Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Decatur Middle School is 15.1:1, which is 15% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 4% 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 Decatur Middle School?
71.3% of students at Decatur Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Decatur Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Decatur Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 37.7% of enrollment, in Decatur, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Decatur Middle School?
Decatur Middle School 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 Decatur Middle School rank among public schools in Decatur?
By Resource Investment Index, Decatur Middle School ranks #15 of 20 public schools in Decatur, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Decatur on the city page.
Is Decatur Middle School a good school?
Decatur Middle School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of Alabama schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama 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 Decatur City?
Besides Decatur Middle School, Decatur City also operates Austin High School (999 students), Decatur High School (915 students), and Austin Middle School (727 students). See the Decatur City 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.