Enrollment
866
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Chula Vista, CA
Hilltop Middle
Federal NCES profile for Hilltop Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 063864006483
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 64
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hilltop Middle earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of California schools.
- #4 of 7
- middle schools in Chula Vista · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.5:1
- large classes for California
- 60.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Hilltop Middle has class sizes larger than 82% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hilltop Middle ranks #4 of 7 middle schools in Chula Vista, CA.
School address
District: Sweetwater Union High · California
NCES ID 063864006483 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
+9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hilltop Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hilltop Middle
Hilltop Middle is a higher-need, large middle school in Chula Vista, California, enrolling 866 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.5:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 60.3% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 866 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 1,205 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #347.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (85% of enrollment) (diversity index 27/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 180 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Chula Vista's middle schools, it stands alongside Rancho Del Rey Middle (1,705 students): Hilltop Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (25.5:1 vs 28:1).
Sweetwater Union High also operates Eastlake High (2,557 students) and Otay Ranch Senior High (2,440 students) alongside Hilltop 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 Hilltop Middle compares
Hilltop 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 | 25.5:1 | ▲ 19% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.3% | ▲ 9% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 866 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.5:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
866
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% 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
25.5:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 82% in California - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
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
$13,859
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.8 FTE
Per 180 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 80 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.4 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
Hispanic or Latino 85.2%
White 7.2%
Two or More 3.1%
Asian 2.8%
African American 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 85.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 26.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 26.7, Hilltop Middle is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sweetwater Union High, which includes Hilltop Middle.
$13,859
Per student
-16%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.2%
State 58.4%
Federal 9.4%
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 Hilltop Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastlake High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Otay Ranch Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sweetwater High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Olympian High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bonita Vista Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hilltop Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,557
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,440
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,290
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,289
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,960
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar middle schools in Chula Vista
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Rancho Del Rey Middle
Standard public school
1,705 students 28:1 students per teacher
Eastlake Middle
Standard public school
1,613 students 28.3:1 students per teacher
Bonita Vista Middle
Standard public school
972 students 29.5:1 students per teacher
Castle Park Middle
Standard public school
703 students 20.1:1 students per teacher
Chula Vista Middle
Standard public school
678 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
High Tech Middle Chula Vista
Standard public school
335 students 22.3:1 students per teacher
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 (~866 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hilltop Middle's federal record.
- Compare Hilltop Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Sweetwater Union High'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 Hilltop Middle
How many students attend Hilltop Middle?
Hilltop Middle has 866 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Chula Vista, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hilltop Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Hilltop Middle is 25.5:1, which is 19% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 62% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hilltop Middle?
60.3% of students at Hilltop Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hilltop Middle?
The largest demographic group at Hilltop Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 85.2% of enrollment, in Chula Vista, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hilltop Middle?
Hilltop Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower 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 Hilltop Middle rank among middle schools in Chula Vista?
By Resource Investment Index, Hilltop Middle ranks #4 of 7 middle schools in Chula Vista, 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 Chula Vista on the city page.
Is Hilltop Middle a good school?
Hilltop Middle earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of 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 Sweetwater Union High?
Besides Hilltop Middle, Sweetwater Union High also operates Eastlake High (2,557 students), Otay Ranch Senior High (2,440 students), and Sweetwater High (2,290 students). See the Sweetwater Union High 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.