- Enrollment
- 2,169
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Walnut Hill, FL
Ernest Ward Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Ernest Ward Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120051000813
👥 S:T ratio 21
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 13
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ernest Ward Middle School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Florida schools.
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.7:1
- large classes for Florida
- 45.5%
- free-lunch eligible
- 434
- students enrolled
Ernest Ward Middle School has class sizes larger than 75% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+4 students YoY
Ernest Ward Middle School held near 490 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+4 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 22.0 → 18.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+4 students YoY 120051000813 · Walnut Hill, FL Middle · SMALL · TRAD
434 enr · 19.7:1 · 45.5% lunch · RII 26
Nearest enrollment peer: J. M. Tate Senior High School (2,169 students)
Ernest Ward Middle School held near 490 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+4 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 22.0 → 18.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Florida schools → · Find another →
Ernest Ward Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- J. M. Tate Sen
J. M. Tate Senior High School
2,169 students
- Washington Sen
Washington Senior High School
1,676 students
- Escambia High
Escambia High School
1,634 students
- Pine Forest Hi
Pine Forest High School
1,604 students
- West Florida H
West Florida High School/Technical
1,322 students
- This school 434
Ernest Ward Middle School
434 students
What this shows Ernest Ward Middle School reports 434 students on the CCD universe file.
How Ernest Ward Middle School compares
Ernest Ward Middle School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.7:1 | ▲ 11% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.5% | ▼ 13% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 434 | top 68% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.7:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
434
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
45.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.7:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 75% in Florida - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
50.5%
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
$12,299
per pupil, district-wide
- above Florida avg of $12,081
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 434 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
131
in-school suspensions + 86 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 30.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 50.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 expulsions.
Student demographics
White 70.7%
African American 13.8%
Two or More 6.0%
Hispanic or Latino 5.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.0%
Asian 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: White at 70.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.4, Ernest Ward Middle School is less mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Escambia reports $12,299 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Ernest Ward Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| J. M. Tate Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Washington Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Escambia High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pine Forest High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Florida High School/Technical | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ernest Ward Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,676
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,634
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 1,604
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,322
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~434 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.7:1)
Frequently asked questions about Ernest Ward Middle School
How many students attend Ernest Ward Middle School?
Ernest Ward Middle School has 434 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Walnut Hill, FL. CCD year-over-year: 486 (2022-23) → 490 (2023-24), nearly flat (+4).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ernest Ward Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ernest Ward Middle School is 19.7:1, which is 11% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 25% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ernest Ward Middle School?
45.5% of students at Ernest Ward Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ernest Ward Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Ernest Ward Middle School is White at 70.7% of enrollment, in Walnut Hill, FL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ernest Ward Middle School?
Ernest Ward Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Escambia?
Besides Ernest Ward Middle School, Escambia also operates J. M. Tate Senior High School (2,169 students), Washington Senior High School (1,676 students), and Escambia High School (1,634 students). See the Escambia district page for the complete list.