- Enrollment
- 646
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 11/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Lancaster, CA
Gifford C. Cole Middle
Federal NCES profile for Gifford C. Cole 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 061191009533
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 30
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gifford C. Cole Middle earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #6 of 7
- middle schools in Lancaster · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.5:1
- students per teacher
- 86.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Gifford C. Cole Middle has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gifford C. Cole Middle ranks #6 of 7 middle schools in Lancaster, CA.
School address
District: Eastside Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 061191009533 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-16 students YoY
Gifford C. Cole Middle held near 687 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-16 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 34.3 → 36.2 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-16 students YoY 061191009533 · Lancaster, CA Middle · MID · TRAD
697 enr · 20.5:1 · 86.9% lunch · RII 26
Nearest enrollment peer: Enterprise Elementary (646 students)
Gifford C. Cole Middle held near 687 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-16 headcount). Teacher FTE added 34.3 → 36.2 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Gifford C. Cole Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
What this shows Gifford C. Cole Middle reports 697 students on the CCD universe file.
How Gifford C. Cole Middle compares
Gifford C. Cole Middle held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.5:1 | ▼ 5% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 86.9% | ▲ 57% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 697 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.5:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
697
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
86.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
20.5:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 39% in California - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
29.3%
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
$18,574
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 349 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 91 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 67.6%
African American 22.4%
White 4.4%
Two or More 4.3%
Asian 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 67.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.9, Gifford C. Cole Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Eastside Union Elementary reports $18,574 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Gifford C. Cole Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tierra Bonita Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Columbia Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eastside Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eastside Academy/Transitional Learning Center | Smaller | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Gifford C. Cole Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 636
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 9/100
- Enrollment
- 620
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 9/100
- Enrollment
- 423
- Students per teacher
- 28.2:1
- Resource Index
- 11/100
- Enrollment
- 10
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 64/100
Similar middle schools in Lancaster
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Amargosa Creek Middle
Standard public school
859 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
New Vista Middle
Standard public school
835 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Endeavour Middle
Standard public school
805 students 21.2:1 students per teacher
Joe Walker Middle
Standard public school
781 students 25.2:1 students per teacher
Piute Middle
Standard public school
729 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Fulton and Alsbury Academy of Arts and Engineering
Standard public school
414 students 31.8:1 students per teacher
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 (~697 students)
Frequently asked questions about Gifford C. Cole Middle
How many students attend Gifford C. Cole Middle?
Gifford C. Cole Middle has 697 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Lancaster, CA. CCD year-over-year: 703 (2022-23) → 687 (2023-24), nearly flat (-16).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gifford C. Cole Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Gifford C. Cole Middle is 20.5:1, which is 5% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 31% 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 Gifford C. Cole Middle?
86.9% of students at Gifford C. Cole Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gifford C. Cole Middle?
The largest demographic group at Gifford C. Cole Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 67.6% of enrollment, in Lancaster, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gifford C. Cole Middle?
Gifford C. Cole Middle 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).
How does Gifford C. Cole Middle rank among middle schools in Lancaster?
By Resource Investment Index, Gifford C. Cole Middle ranks #6 of 7 middle schools in Lancaster, 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 Lancaster on the city page.
What other schools are in Eastside Union Elementary?
Besides Gifford C. Cole Middle, Eastside Union Elementary also operates Enterprise Elementary (646 students), Tierra Bonita Elementary (636 students), and Columbia Elementary (620 students). See the Eastside Union Elementary district page for the complete list.