Enrollment
884
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Huntington Beach, CA
Ethel Dwyer Middle
Federal NCES profile for Ethel Dwyer Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 061803002215
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 22
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ethel Dwyer Middle earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #7 of 7
- middle schools in Huntington Beach · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.6:1
- students per teacher
- 24.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Ethel Dwyer Middle has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ethel Dwyer Middle ranks #7 of 7 middle schools in Huntington Beach, CA.
School address
District: Huntington Beach City Elementary · California
NCES ID 061803002215 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.6:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
-56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ethel Dwyer Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ethel Dwyer Middle
Ethel Dwyer Middle is a large middle school in Huntington Beach, California, enrolling 884 students.
At 21.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 24.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 884 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,000 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #778, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (45%) and Hispanic or Latino (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 884 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Huntington Beach's middle schools, it stands alongside Helen Stacey Middle (947 students): Ethel Dwyer Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.6:1 vs 23.1:1).
Huntington Beach City Elementary also operates Isaac L. Sowers Middle (771 students) and Agnes L. Smith Elementary (591 students) alongside Ethel Dwyer 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 Ethel Dwyer Middle compares
Ethel Dwyer 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 | 21.6:1 | ▲ 0% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.3% | ▼ 56% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 884 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.6:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
884
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% 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
21.6:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 49% in California - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
31.1%
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
$14,654
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 884 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
35
in-school suspensions + 100 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.3 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
White 44.8%
Hispanic or Latino 27.9%
Two or More 13.9%
Asian 12.7%
African American 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 44.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.6, Ethel Dwyer Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Huntington Beach City Elementary, which includes Ethel Dwyer Middle.
$14,654
Per student
-11%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 79.5%
State 14.1%
Federal 6.5%
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 Ethel Dwyer Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isaac L. Sowers Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Agnes L. Smith Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ralph E. Hawes Elementary | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Huntington Seacliff Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| John R. Peterson Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ethel Dwyer Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 771
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 591
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 516
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 495
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 477
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar middle schools in Huntington Beach
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Helen Stacey Middle
Standard public school
947 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Mesa View Middle
Standard public school
817 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
Isaac L. Sowers Middle
Standard public school
771 students 22.7:1 students per teacher
Marine View Middle
Standard public school
736 students 32:1 students per teacher
Talbert (Samuel E.) Middle
Standard public school
690 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
Spring View Middle
Standard public school
487 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
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 (~884 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ethel Dwyer Middle's federal record.
- Compare Ethel Dwyer Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Huntington Beach City Elementary'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 Ethel Dwyer Middle
How many students attend Ethel Dwyer Middle?
Ethel Dwyer Middle has 884 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Huntington Beach, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ethel Dwyer Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Ethel Dwyer Middle is 21.6:1, which is 0% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ethel Dwyer Middle?
24.3% of students at Ethel Dwyer Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ethel Dwyer Middle?
The largest demographic group at Ethel Dwyer Middle is White at 44.8% of enrollment, in Huntington Beach, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ethel Dwyer Middle?
Ethel Dwyer Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower 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 Ethel Dwyer Middle rank among middle schools in Huntington Beach?
By Resource Investment Index, Ethel Dwyer Middle ranks #7 of 7 middle schools in Huntington Beach, 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 Huntington Beach on the city page.
Is Ethel Dwyer Middle a good school?
Ethel Dwyer Middle earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Huntington Beach City Elementary?
Besides Ethel Dwyer Middle, Huntington Beach City Elementary also operates Isaac L. Sowers Middle (771 students), Agnes L. Smith Elementary (591 students), and Ralph E. Hawes Elementary (516 students). See the Huntington Beach City Elementary district page for the complete list.
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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.