Enrollment
572
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Palo Alto, CA
Ellen Fletcher Middle
Federal NCES profile for Ellen Fletcher Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 062961011454
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 58
📋 Attendance 89
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ellen Fletcher Middle earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in Palo Alto · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.3:1
- small classes for California
- 10.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Ellen Fletcher Middle has class sizes smaller than 86% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ellen Fletcher Middle ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Palo Alto, CA.
School address
District: Palo Alto Unified · California
NCES ID 062961011454 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
10.5%
vs 55.5% California avg
-81% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ellen Fletcher Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ellen Fletcher Middle
Ellen Fletcher Middle is a lower-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Palo Alto, California, enrolling 572 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 16.3:1, Ellen Fletcher Middle is leaner than roughly 86% of California schools and 24% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 10.5% free-meal eligibility runs 81% below the California average.
Enrollment of 572 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 94% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 937 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #20, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Asian (41%) and White (25%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 210 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance holds up well here: only 4.2% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Palo Alto Unified spends $27,172 per pupil, 65% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Palo Alto's middle schools, it stands alongside Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle (1,002 students): Ellen Fletcher Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.3:1 vs 15.9:1).
Palo Alto Unified also operates Palo Alto High (1,891 students) and Henry M. Gunn High (1,643 students) alongside Ellen Fletcher 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 Ellen Fletcher Middle compares
Ellen Fletcher Middle on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.3:1 | ▼ 24% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 10.5% | ▼ 81% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 572 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.3:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
572
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
10.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 81% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.3:1
students per teacher
- 24% below state mean
Top 14% in California - lower ratio than 86% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
4.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$27,172
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.7 FTE
Per 210 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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
Asian 41.3%
White 25.3%
Hispanic or Latino 18.0%
Two or More 12.9%
African American 2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Asian at 41.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.6, Ellen Fletcher Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Palo Alto Unified, which includes Ellen Fletcher Middle.
$27,172
Per student
+65%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+64%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 86.1%
State 11.1%
Federal 2.8%
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 Ellen Fletcher Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Henry M. Gunn High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Frank S. Greene Jr. Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ohlone Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ellen Fletcher Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,891
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,643
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,002
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 732
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 464
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar middle schools in Palo Alto
2 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 California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~572 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ellen Fletcher Middle's federal record.
- Compare Ellen Fletcher Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Palo Alto Unified'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 Ellen Fletcher Middle
How many students attend Ellen Fletcher Middle?
Ellen Fletcher Middle has 572 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Palo Alto, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ellen Fletcher Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Ellen Fletcher Middle is 16.3:1, which is 24% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 4% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ellen Fletcher Middle?
10.5% of students at Ellen Fletcher Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ellen Fletcher Middle?
The largest demographic group at Ellen Fletcher Middle is Asian at 41.3% of enrollment, in Palo Alto, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ellen Fletcher Middle?
Ellen Fletcher Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (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 Ellen Fletcher Middle rank among middle schools in Palo Alto?
By Resource Investment Index, Ellen Fletcher Middle ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Palo Alto, 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 Palo Alto on the city page.
Is Ellen Fletcher Middle a good school?
Ellen Fletcher Middle earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California 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 Palo Alto Unified?
Besides Ellen Fletcher Middle, Palo Alto Unified also operates Palo Alto High (1,891 students), Henry M. Gunn High (1,643 students), and Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle (1,002 students). See the Palo Alto Unified 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.