Enrollment
438
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Gadsden, AL
Gadsden Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Gadsden Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 010162000553
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 12
📋 Attendance 46
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gadsden Middle School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Alabama schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in Gadsden · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 71.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Gadsden Middle School has class sizes larger than 73% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gadsden Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Gadsden, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
71.8%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gadsden Middle School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gadsden Middle School
Gadsden Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Gadsden, Alabama, enrolling 438 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19:1 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 71.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 438 students, its enrollment sits close to the Alabama median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 404 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #179.
Its student body is led by African American (49%) and White (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 438 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 24.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 210 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 438 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Gadsden's middle schools, it stands alongside Sansom Middle School (339 students): Gadsden Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19:1 vs 16.9:1).
Gadsden City also operates Gadsden City High School (1,361 students) and Adams Elementary School (433 students) alongside Gadsden 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 Gadsden Middle School compares
Gadsden 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 | 19:1 | ▲ 7% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.8% | ▲ 22% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 438 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
438
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
71.8%
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
19:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 73% in Alabama - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
21.5%
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
$12,669
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 438 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
127
in-school suspensions + 83 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 29.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 47.9 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 49.1%
White 28.1%
Hispanic or Latino 19.4%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Two or More 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 49.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.2, Gadsden Middle School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gadsden City, which includes Gadsden Middle School.
$12,669
Per student
+1%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.6%
State 57.1%
Federal 24.3%
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 Gadsden Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gadsden City High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Adams Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| W E Striplin Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Floyd Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eura Brown Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gadsden Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,361
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 433
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 400
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 384
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 340
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
Similar middle schools in Gadsden
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 Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~438 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gadsden Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Gadsden Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Gadsden 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 Gadsden Middle School
How many students attend Gadsden Middle School?
Gadsden Middle School has 438 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Gadsden, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gadsden Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Gadsden Middle School is 19:1, which is 7% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 21% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Gadsden Middle School?
71.8% of students at Gadsden Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gadsden Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Gadsden Middle School is African American at 49.1% of enrollment, in Gadsden, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gadsden Middle School?
Gadsden Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Gadsden Middle School rank among middle schools in Gadsden?
By Resource Investment Index, Gadsden Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Gadsden, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Gadsden on the city page.
Is Gadsden Middle School a good school?
Gadsden Middle School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Alabama schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Gadsden City?
Besides Gadsden Middle School, Gadsden City also operates Gadsden City High School (1,361 students), Adams Elementary School (433 students), and W E Striplin Elementary School (400 students). See the Gadsden 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.