Enrollment
360
Arkansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Monticello, AR
Drew Central Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Drew Central Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 050547001492
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 64
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Drew Central Middle School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arkansas median.
- #1 of 7
- public schools in Monticello · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Drew Central Middle School has class sizes near the Arkansas median. Computed live against every Arkansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Drew Central Middle School ranks #1 of 7 public schools in Monticello, AR.
School address
District: Drew Central School District · Arkansas
NCES ID 050547001492 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15:1
vs 13.6:1 Arkansas avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 59.2% Arkansas avg
+69% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Drew Central Middle School compares with Arkansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Drew Central Middle School
Drew Central Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Monticello, Arkansas, enrolling 360 students.
At 15:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Arkansas median, within a few percentage points of the 13.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 100.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 360 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arkansas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,066 scored Arkansas schools.
Against 163 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #38.
Its student body is led by White (64%) and African American (25%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 180 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.1% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 21.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 133 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 360 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Drew Central School District also operates Drew Central Elem. School (562 students) and Drew Central High School (340 students) alongside Drew Central 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 Drew Central Middle School compares
Drew Central Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Arkansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arkansas | Arkansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15:1 | ▲ 10% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 69% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 360 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15:1
Leaner classes than 47% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
360
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 69% above the Arkansas average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 60% in Arkansas - lower ratio than 40% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
23.1%
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
$11,308
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arkansas avg of $12,251
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 180 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
102
in-school suspensions + 31 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 28.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 36.9 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 63.6%
African American 25.0%
Hispanic or Latino 6.9%
Two or More 4.4%
Largest group: White at 63.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.6, Drew Central Middle School is more mixed than the Arkansas school average of 40.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Drew Central School District, which includes Drew Central Middle School.
$11,308
Per student
-8%
vs Arkansas
Avg $12,251
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.1%
State 53.6%
Federal 21.3%
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 Drew Central Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drew Central Elem. School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Drew Central High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Drew Central Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 562
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 340
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Arkansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~360 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Drew Central Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Drew Central Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Drew Central School District'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 Drew Central Middle School
How many students attend Drew Central Middle School?
Drew Central Middle School has 360 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Monticello, AR.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Drew Central Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Drew Central Middle School is 15:1, which is 10% higher than the Arkansas average of 13.6:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Drew Central Middle School?
100.0% of students at Drew Central Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arkansas average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Drew Central Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Drew Central Middle School is White at 63.6% of enrollment, in Monticello, AR. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Drew Central Middle School?
Drew Central Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (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 Drew Central Middle School rank among public schools in Monticello?
By Resource Investment Index, Drew Central Middle School ranks #1 of 7 public schools in Monticello, AR. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Monticello on the city page.
Is Drew Central Middle School a good school?
Drew Central Middle School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arkansas 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 Drew Central School District?
Besides Drew Central Middle School, Drew Central School District also operates Drew Central Elem. School (562 students) and Drew Central High School (340 students). See the Drew Central School District 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.