Enrollment
711
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Cottondale, AL
Eastwood Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Eastwood Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 010336001255
👥 S:T ratio 21
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Eastwood Middle School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of Alabama schools.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in Cottondale · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.8:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 71.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Eastwood Middle School has class sizes larger than 82% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Eastwood Middle School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Cottondale, AL.
School address
District: Tuscaloosa City · Alabama
NCES ID 010336001255 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.8:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
71.6%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Eastwood Middle School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Eastwood Middle School
Eastwood Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Cottondale, Alabama, enrolling 711 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 71.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 711 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Among 303 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #14, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (83% of enrollment) (diversity index 30/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 356 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
14.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 18.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 182 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 711 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Cottondale's middle schools, it stands alongside Davisemerson Middle School (397 students): Eastwood Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.8:1 vs 18:1).
Tuscaloosa City also operates Northridge High School (1,153 students) and Paul W Bryant High School (1,134 students) alongside Eastwood 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 Eastwood Middle School compares
Eastwood 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 | 19.8:1 | ▲ 12% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.6% | ▲ 22% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 711 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.8:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
711
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
71.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% 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
19.8:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 82% in Alabama - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
14.5%
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
$12,947
per pupil, district-wide
- above Alabama avg of $12,491
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 356 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
31
in-school suspensions + 151 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.6 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
African American 83.0%
Hispanic or Latino 8.4%
White 5.1%
Two or More 1.7%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 83.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.1, Eastwood Middle School is less mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tuscaloosa City, which includes Eastwood Middle School.
$12,947
Per student
+4%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.7%
State 42.3%
Federal 18.0%
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 Eastwood Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Paul W Bryant High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Northridge Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rock Quarry Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Eastwood Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,153
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,134
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 796
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 775
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 671
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar middle schools in Cottondale
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 (~711 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Eastwood Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Eastwood Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Tuscaloosa 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 Eastwood Middle School
How many students attend Eastwood Middle School?
Eastwood Middle School has 711 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Cottondale, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Eastwood Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Eastwood Middle School is 19.8:1, which is 12% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 26% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Eastwood Middle School?
71.6% of students at Eastwood Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Eastwood Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Eastwood Middle School is African American at 83.0% of enrollment, in Cottondale, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Eastwood Middle School?
Eastwood Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Eastwood Middle School rank among public schools in Cottondale?
By Resource Investment Index, Eastwood Middle School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Cottondale, 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 Cottondale on the city page.
Is Eastwood Middle School a good school?
Eastwood Middle School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of 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 Tuscaloosa City?
Besides Eastwood Middle School, Tuscaloosa City also operates Northridge High School (1,153 students), Paul W Bryant High School (1,134 students), and Central High School (796 students). See the Tuscaloosa 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.