Enrollment
887
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Fredericksburg, VA
Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle
Federal NCES profile for Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 510366002600
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 67
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median.
- #1 of 6
- middle schools in Fredericksburg · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.9:1
- students per teacher
- 30.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle has class sizes near the Virginia median. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle ranks #1 of 6 middle schools in Fredericksburg, VA.
School address
District: Stafford County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510366002600 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
64.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.9:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.4%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-47% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle
Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle is a mid-sized middle school in Fredericksburg, Virginia, enrolling 887 students.
At 13.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Virginia median, within a few percentage points of the 13.9:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 30.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 887 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 304 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #77.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 296 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
13.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Fredericksburg's middle schools, it stands alongside T. Benton Gayle Middle (939 students): Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.9:1 vs 14.2:1).
Stafford County Public Schools also operates Mountain View High (2,233 students) and Brooke Point High (2,199 students) alongside Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith 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 Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle compares
Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith 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 | 13.9:1 | ▼ 0% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.4% | ▼ 47% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 887 | top 18% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.9:1
Leaner classes than 58% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
887
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% below the Virginia average of 57.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.9:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 52% in Virginia - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
13.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$12,415
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 296 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
68
in-school suspensions + 44 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.6 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 60.2%
Hispanic or Latino 15.4%
African American 13.3%
Two or More 7.3%
Asian 3.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 60.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.0, Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Stafford County Public Schools, which includes Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle.
$12,415
Per student
-15%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.8%
State 52.1%
Federal 11.1%
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 Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain View High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Brooke Point High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Stafford Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Colonial Forge High | Larger | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| North Stafford High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,233
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 2,199
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 2,198
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 2,122
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 1,982
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar middle schools in Fredericksburg
5 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
T. Benton Gayle Middle
Standard public school
939 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Chancellor Middle
Standard public school
799 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Walker-Grant Middle
Standard public school
796 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Battlefield Middle
Standard public school
780 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Freedom Middle
Standard public school
763 students 13.2:1 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 (~887 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle's federal record.
- Compare Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Stafford County 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 Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle
How many students attend Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle?
Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle has 887 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Fredericksburg, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle is 13.9:1, which is 0% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 11% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle?
30.4% of students at Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle?
The largest demographic group at Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle is White at 60.2% of enrollment, in Fredericksburg, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle?
Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (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 Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle rank among middle schools in Fredericksburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle ranks #1 of 6 middle schools in Fredericksburg, 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 Fredericksburg on the city page.
Is Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle a good school?
Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median. 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 Stafford County Public Schools?
Besides Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle, Stafford County Public Schools also operates Mountain View High (2,233 students), Brooke Point High (2,199 students), and Stafford Senior High (2,198 students). See the Stafford County 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.