Enrollment
437
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Hayden, AL
Hayden Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Hayden Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 010042001870
👥 S:T ratio 27
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 89
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hayden Middle School earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in Hayden · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 18.2:1
- students per teacher
- 39.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Hayden Middle School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hayden Middle School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Hayden, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.2:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.3%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-33% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hayden Middle School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hayden Middle School
Hayden Middle School is a mid-sized elementary school in Hayden, Alabama, enrolling 437 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 39.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 437 students, its enrollment sits close to the Alabama median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 97% of the 1,365 Alabama schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 253 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #3, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (94% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 11/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 291 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance holds up well here: only 4.6% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 17.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 91 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 437 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Hayden's elementary schools, it stands alongside Hayden Elementary School (298 students): Hayden Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.2:1 vs 17.5:1).
Blount County also operates Southeastern School (822 students) and Hayden High School (798 students) alongside Hayden 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 Hayden Middle School compares
Hayden 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 | 18.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.3% | ▼ 33% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 437 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.2:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
437
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 33% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 63% in Alabama - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
4.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$10,779
per pupil, district-wide
- below 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
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 291 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
53
in-school suspensions + 38 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 12.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 20.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 94.3%
Hispanic or Latino 2.1%
African American 1.8%
Two or More 1.8%
Largest group: White at 94.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 11.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 11.0, Hayden Middle School is less mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Blount County, which includes Hayden Middle School.
$10,779
Per student
-14%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.4%
State 63.4%
Federal 17.2%
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 Hayden Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeastern School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hayden High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Appalachian School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Blountsville Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Susan Moore Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hayden Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 822
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 798
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 699
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 648
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 582
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Hayden
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~437 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hayden Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Hayden Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Blount 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 Hayden Middle School
How many students attend Hayden Middle School?
Hayden Middle School has 437 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Hayden, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hayden Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Hayden Middle School is 18.2:1, which is 3% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 16% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hayden Middle School?
39.3% of students at Hayden Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hayden Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Hayden Middle School is White at 94.3% of enrollment, in Hayden, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hayden Middle School?
Hayden Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (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 Hayden Middle School rank among public schools in Hayden?
By Resource Investment Index, Hayden Middle School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Hayden, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Hayden on the city page.
Is Hayden Middle School a good school?
Hayden Middle School earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also less 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 Blount County?
Besides Hayden Middle School, Blount County also operates Southeastern School (822 students), Hayden High School (798 students), and Appalachian School (699 students). See the Blount 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.