Enrollment
591
Tennessee · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Chattanooga, TN
East Ridge Middle School
Federal NCES profile for East Ridge Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 470159000502
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 23
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
East Ridge Middle School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of Tennessee schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Tennessee schools.
- #6 of 8
- middle schools in Chattanooga · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.1:1
- small classes for Tennessee
- 591
- students enrolled
East Ridge Middle School has class sizes smaller than 82% of Tennessee schools. Computed live against every Tennessee school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, East Ridge Middle School ranks #6 of 8 middle schools in Chattanooga, TN.
School address
District: Hamilton County · Tennessee
NCES ID 470159000502 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
49.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.1:1
vs 15.3:1 Tennessee avg
-21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How East Ridge Middle School compares with Tennessee and U.S. medians
What stands out at East Ridge Middle School
East Ridge Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Chattanooga, Tennessee, enrolling 591 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Tennessee schools by student-teacher ratio.
Enrollment of 591 puts it in the larger third of Tennessee schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,838 scored Tennessee schools.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (51%) and African American (21%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 591 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 196 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 591 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 5 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Chattanooga's middle schools, it stands alongside East Lake Academy of Fine Arts (549 students): East Ridge Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.1:1 vs 11.9:1).
Hamilton County also operates Signal Mountain Middle/High School (1,396 students) and The Howard School (1,329 students) alongside East Ridge 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 East Ridge Middle School compares
East Ridge Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Tennessee and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Tennessee | Tennessee avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.1:1 | ▼ 21% | 15.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 591 | top 33% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.1:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
591
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
12.1:1
students per teacher
- 21% below state mean
Top 18% in Tennessee - lower ratio than 82% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
30.8%
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
$12,002
per pupil, district-wide
- above Tennessee avg of $10,822
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 591 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
115
in-school suspensions + 81 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 19.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 33.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 5 expulsions.
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 51.1%
African American 20.5%
White 16.6%
Two or More 10.0%
Asian 1.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 51.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.9, East Ridge Middle School is more mixed than the Tennessee school average of 38.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hamilton County, which includes East Ridge Middle School.
$12,002
Per student
+11%
vs Tennessee
Avg $10,822
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.2%
State 31.6%
Federal 21.1%
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 East Ridge Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signal Mountain Middle/High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| The Howard School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Hamilton High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ooltewah High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Brainerd Elementary | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to East Ridge Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,396
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 1,329
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,293
- Students per teacher
- 68.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,233
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,177
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar middle schools in Chattanooga
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
East Lake Academy of Fine Arts
Standard public school
549 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Red Bank Middle School
Standard public school
533 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Tyner Middle Academy
Standard public school
401 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Dalewood Middle School
Standard public school
290 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Orchard Knob Middle
Standard public school
264 students 8.8:1 students per teacher
Chattanooga Charter School of Excellence Middle
Standard public school
250 students 27.8:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Tennessee, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~591 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on East Ridge Middle School's federal record.
- Compare East Ridge Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Hamilton County'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 East Ridge Middle School
How many students attend East Ridge Middle School?
East Ridge Middle School has 591 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Chattanooga, TN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at East Ridge Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at East Ridge Middle School is 12.1:1, which is 21% lower than the Tennessee average of 15.3:1 and 23% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of East Ridge Middle School?
The largest demographic group at East Ridge Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 51.1% of enrollment, in Chattanooga, TN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for East Ridge Middle School?
East Ridge Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 East Ridge Middle School rank among middle schools in Chattanooga?
By Resource Investment Index, East Ridge Middle School ranks #6 of 8 middle schools in Chattanooga, TN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Chattanooga on the city page.
Is East Ridge Middle School a good school?
East Ridge Middle School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of Tennessee schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Tennessee 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 Hamilton County?
Besides East Ridge Middle School, Hamilton County also operates Signal Mountain Middle/High School (1,396 students), The Howard School (1,329 students), and East Hamilton High School (1,293 students). See the Hamilton County 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.