Enrollment
804
Texas · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Buda, TX
Eric Dahlstrom Middle
Federal NCES profile for Eric Dahlstrom Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 480001008836
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Eric Dahlstrom Middle earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas median.
- #2 of 3
- middle schools in Buda · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.2:1
- students per teacher
- 10.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Eric Dahlstrom Middle has class sizes near the Texas median. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Eric Dahlstrom Middle ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Buda, TX.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
53.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 14.7:1 Texas avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
10.3%
vs 61.9% Texas avg
-83% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Eric Dahlstrom Middle compares with Texas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Eric Dahlstrom Middle
Eric Dahlstrom Middle is a lower-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Buda, Texas, enrolling 804 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Texas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 10.3% free-meal eligibility runs 83% below the Texas average.
Enrollment of 804 puts it in the larger third of Texas schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 8,960 scored Texas schools.
Among 536 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Texas schools statewide, it ranks #508, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (58%) and Hispanic or Latino (36%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 402 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Hays Cisd spends $10,833 per pupil, 21% below the Texas average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 9 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Hays Cisd also operates Moe and Gene Johnson H S (2,870 students) and Jack C Hays H S (2,304 students) alongside Eric Dahlstrom 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 Eric Dahlstrom Middle compares
Eric Dahlstrom Middle on the metrics families compare, against Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 10.3% | ▼ 83% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 804 | top 19% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
804
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
10.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 83% below the Texas average of 61.9%
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
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 62% in Texas - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
33.1%
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
$10,833
per pupil, district-wide
- below Texas avg of $13,644
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 402 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
68
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 9 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
White 57.8%
Hispanic or Latino 36.2%
Two or More 3.7%
Asian 1.1%
African American 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 57.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.3, Eric Dahlstrom Middle is more mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hays Cisd, which includes Eric Dahlstrom Middle.
$10,833
Per student
-21%
vs Texas
Avg $13,644
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 56.0%
State 32.3%
Federal 11.6%
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 Eric Dahlstrom Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moe and Gene Johnson H S | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jack C Hays H S | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lehman H S | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dr T C Mccormick Jr Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Camino Real El | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Eric Dahlstrom Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,870
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,304
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,128
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,198
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 962
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Texas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~804 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Eric Dahlstrom Middle's federal record.
- Compare Eric Dahlstrom Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Hays Cisd'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 Eric Dahlstrom Middle
How many students attend Eric Dahlstrom Middle?
Eric Dahlstrom Middle has 804 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Buda, TX.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Eric Dahlstrom Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Eric Dahlstrom Middle is 15.2:1, which is 3% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Eric Dahlstrom Middle?
10.3% of students at Eric Dahlstrom Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Eric Dahlstrom Middle?
The largest demographic group at Eric Dahlstrom Middle is White at 57.8% of enrollment, in Buda, TX. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Eric Dahlstrom Middle?
Eric Dahlstrom Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 Eric Dahlstrom Middle rank among middle schools in Buda?
By Resource Investment Index, Eric Dahlstrom Middle ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Buda, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Buda on the city page.
Is Eric Dahlstrom Middle a good school?
Eric Dahlstrom Middle earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Texas 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 Hays Cisd?
Besides Eric Dahlstrom Middle, Hays Cisd also operates Moe and Gene Johnson H S (2,870 students), Jack C Hays H S (2,304 students), and Lehman H S (2,128 students). See the Hays Cisd 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.