- Enrollment
- 1,460
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · San Pablo, CA
Helms Middle
Federal NCES profile for Helms Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 063255005034
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 67
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Helms Middle earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of California schools.
- #2 of 10
- public schools in San Pablo · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.6:1
- small classes for California
- 57.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Helms Middle has class sizes smaller than 75% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Helms Middle ranks #2 of 10 public schools in San Pablo, CA.
School address
District: West Contra Costa Unified · California
NCES ID 063255005034 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-12 students YoY
Helms Middle held near 579 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-12 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 30.4 → 26.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-12 students YoY 063255005034 · San Pablo, CA Middle · MID · TRAD
558 enr · 18.6:1 · 57.9% lunch · RII 41
Nearest enrollment peer: El Cerrito High (1,460 students)
Helms Middle held near 579 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-12 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 30.4 → 26.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Helms Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- El Cerrito Hig
El Cerrito High
1,460 students
- Richmond High
Richmond High
1,280 students
- Pinole Valley
Pinole Valley High
1,245 students
- De Anza High
De Anza High
1,047 students
- Hercules High
Hercules High
767 students
- This school 558
Helms Middle
558 students
What this shows Helms Middle reports 558 students on the CCD universe file.
How Helms Middle compares
Helms 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 | 18.6:1 | ▼ 13% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.9% | ▲ 4% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 558 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.6:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
558
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
57.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.6:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 25% in California - lower ratio than 75% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
59.0%
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
$19,122
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.4 FTE
Per 164 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 67 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 86.9%
African American 5.0%
Asian 5.0%
White 1.6%
Two or More 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 86.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 23.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 23.9, Helms Middle is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for West Contra Costa Unified reports $19,122 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Helms Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Cerrito High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Richmond High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pinole Valley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| De Anza High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hercules High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Helms Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,280
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,245
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,047
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 767
- Students per teacher
- 27.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
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 (~558 students)
Frequently asked questions about Helms Middle
How many students attend Helms Middle?
Helms Middle has 558 students enrolled. It is a middle school in San Pablo, CA. CCD year-over-year: 591 (2022-23) → 579 (2023-24), nearly flat (-12).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Helms Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Helms Middle is 18.6:1, which is 13% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 18% 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 Helms Middle?
57.9% of students at Helms Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Helms Middle?
The largest demographic group at Helms Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 86.9% of enrollment, in San Pablo, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Helms Middle?
Helms Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical 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 Helms Middle rank among public schools in San Pablo?
By Resource Investment Index, Helms Middle ranks #2 of 10 public schools in San Pablo, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in San Pablo on the city page.
What other schools are in West Contra Costa Unified?
Besides Helms Middle, West Contra Costa Unified also operates El Cerrito High (1,460 students), Richmond High (1,280 students), and Pinole Valley High (1,245 students). See the West Contra Costa Unified district page for the complete list.