- Enrollment
- 2,148
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Garden Grove, CA
Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate
Federal NCES profile for Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 061488001856
👥 S:T ratio 12
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 3
📋 Attendance 44
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #5 of 8
- middle schools in Garden Grove · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22:1
- students per teacher
- 73.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate ranks #5 of 8 middle schools in Garden Grove, CA.
School address
District: Garden Grove Unified · California
NCES ID 061488001856 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-46 students YoY
Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate shrank from 552 students in 2022-23 to 506 in 2023-24 (-8.3%).
Teacher FTE added 22.7 → 23.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-46 students YoY 061488001856 · Garden Grove, CA Middle · SMALL · TRAD
485 enr · 22:1 · 73.0% lunch · RII 32
Nearest enrollment peer: Garden Grove High (2,148 students)
Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate shrank from 552 students in 2022-23 to 506 in 2023-24 (-8.3%). Teacher FTE added 22.7 → 23.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Garden Grove H
Garden Grove High
2,148 students
- La Quinta High
La Quinta High
2,041 students
- Bolsa Grande H
Bolsa Grande High
1,701 students
- Santiago High
Santiago High
1,664 students
- Pacifica High
Pacifica High
1,634 students
- This school 485
Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate
485 students
What this shows Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate reports 485 students on the CCD universe file.
How Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate compares
Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22:1 | ▲ 2% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 73.0% | ▲ 32% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 485 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
485
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
73.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
22:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 53% in California - lower ratio than 47% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
22.5%
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
$20,023
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 485 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 41 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 53.0%
Asian 38.1%
White 4.7%
Two or More 2.7%
African American 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 53.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.1, Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Garden Grove Unified reports $20,023 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Grove High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| La Quinta High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bolsa Grande High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Santiago High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pacifica High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,041
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,701
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,664
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,634
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar middle schools in Garden Grove
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Hilton D. Bell Intermediate
Standard public school
632 students 24.3:1 students per teacher
Alamitos Intermediate
Standard public school
581 students 23.2:1 students per teacher
Leroy L. Doig Intermediate
Standard public school
557 students 23.2:1 students per teacher
Donald S. Jordan Intermediate
Standard public school
551 students 24:1 students per teacher
James Irvine Intermediate
Standard public school
532 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Izaak Walton Intermediate
Standard public school
458 students 20.8:1 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 (~485 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22:1)
Frequently asked questions about Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate
How many students attend Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate?
Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate has 485 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Garden Grove, CA. CCD year-over-year: 552 (2022-23) → 506 (2023-24), down 46.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate?
The student-teacher ratio at Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate is 22:1, which is 2% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 40% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate?
73.0% of students at Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate?
The largest demographic group at Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate is Hispanic or Latino at 53.0% of enrollment, in Garden Grove, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate?
Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical 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 Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate rank among middle schools in Garden Grove?
By Resource Investment Index, Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate ranks #5 of 8 middle schools in Garden Grove, 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 Garden Grove on the city page.
What other schools are in Garden Grove Unified?
Besides Dr. Walter C. Ralston Intermediate, Garden Grove Unified also operates Garden Grove High (2,148 students), La Quinta High (2,041 students), and Bolsa Grande High (1,701 students). See the Garden Grove Unified district page for the complete list.