Enrollment
1,006
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Union, KY
Gray Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Gray Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 210051000638
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 75
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gray Middle School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Kentucky schools.
- #2 of 7
- public schools in Union · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.8:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 24.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Gray Middle School has class sizes larger than 74% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gray Middle School ranks #2 of 7 public schools in Union, KY.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
60.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.8:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.7%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-58% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gray Middle School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gray Middle School
Gray Middle School is a large middle school in Union, Kentucky, enrolling 1,006 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 24.7% free-meal eligibility runs 58% below the Kentucky average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Kentucky, bigger than 94% of state schools at 1,006 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Among 67 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kentucky schools statewide, it ranks #7, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (81% of enrollment) (diversity index 34/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 335 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.9% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Union's middle schools, it stands alongside Ballyshannon Middle School (609 students): Gray Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.8:1 vs 14.5:1).
Boone County also operates Larry a. Ryle High School (2,077 students) and Randall K. Cooper High School (1,490 students) alongside Gray 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 Gray Middle School compares
Gray Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.8:1 | ▲ 11% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.7% | ▼ 58% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,006 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.8:1
Leaner classes than 32% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,006
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 58% below the Kentucky average of 59.2%
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
16.8:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 74% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
9.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$12,899
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kentucky avg of $13,211
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 335 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 62 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.4 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 80.6%
Hispanic or Latino 8.2%
Asian 5.1%
Two or More 3.7%
African American 2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 80.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 33.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 33.9, Gray Middle School is about as mixed as the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Boone County, which includes Gray Middle School.
$12,899
Per student
-2%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.3%
State 38.1%
Federal 10.5%
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 Gray Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larry a. Ryle High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Randall K. Cooper High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Conner High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Boone County High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Longbranch Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gray Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,077
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,490
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,400
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,252
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 957
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar middle schools in Union
1 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 Kentucky, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,006 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gray Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Gray Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Boone County'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 Gray Middle School
How many students attend Gray Middle School?
Gray Middle School has 1,006 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Union, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gray Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Gray Middle School is 16.8:1, which is 11% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 7% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Gray Middle School?
24.7% of students at Gray Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gray Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Gray Middle School is White at 80.6% of enrollment, in Union, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gray Middle School?
Gray Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher 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 Gray Middle School rank among public schools in Union?
By Resource Investment Index, Gray Middle School ranks #2 of 7 public schools in Union, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Union on the city page.
Is Gray Middle School a good school?
Gray Middle School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Kentucky 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 Boone County?
Besides Gray Middle School, Boone County also operates Larry a. Ryle High School (2,077 students), Randall K. Cooper High School (1,490 students), and Conner High School (1,400 students). See the Boone County 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.