Enrollment
596
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Hercules, CA
Hercules Middle
Federal NCES profile for Hercules Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 063255010757
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 25
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hercules Middle earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #3 of 5
- public schools in Hercules · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 25.9:1
- large classes for California
- 24.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Hercules Middle has class sizes larger than 85% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hercules Middle ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Hercules, CA.
School address
District: West Contra Costa Unified · California
NCES ID 063255010757 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
-55% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hercules Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hercules Middle
Hercules Middle is a mid-sized middle school in Hercules, California, enrolling 596 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.9:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 24.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 596 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,383 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #658.
Its student body is led by Asian (39%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 298 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
West Contra Costa Unified also operates El Cerrito High (1,460 students) and Richmond High (1,280 students) alongside Hercules Middle.
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 Hercules Middle compares
Hercules Middle on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 25.9:1 | ▲ 20% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.7% | ▼ 55% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 596 | top 33% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.9:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
596
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% below the California average of 55.5%
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
25.9:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 85% in California - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
29.9%
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
$17,537
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 298 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 57 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.6 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
Asian 39.3%
Hispanic or Latino 26.0%
African American 14.8%
Two or More 11.6%
White 7.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Asian at 39.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.7, Hercules Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Contra Costa Unified, which includes Hercules Middle.
$17,537
Per student
+6%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.1%
State 46.9%
Federal 11.0%
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 Hercules Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Cerrito High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Richmond High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pinole Valley High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| De Anza High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hercules High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hercules Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,460
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- 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
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~596 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hercules Middle's federal record.
- Compare Hercules Middle against another school. Compare schools
- West Contra Costa Unified'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 Hercules Middle
How many students attend Hercules Middle?
Hercules Middle has 596 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Hercules, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hercules Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Hercules Middle is 25.9:1, which is 20% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 65% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hercules Middle?
24.7% of students at Hercules Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hercules Middle?
The largest demographic group at Hercules Middle is Asian at 39.3% of enrollment, in Hercules, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hercules Middle?
Hercules Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Hercules Middle rank among public schools in Hercules?
By Resource Investment Index, Hercules Middle ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Hercules, 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 Hercules on the city page.
Is Hercules Middle a good school?
Hercules Middle earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California 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 West Contra Costa Unified?
Besides Hercules 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.
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.