Enrollment
830
Oregon · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Salem, OR
Houck Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Houck Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 411082000664
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Houck Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Oregon median.
- #3 of 11
- middle schools in Salem · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.4:1
- students per teacher
- 73.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Houck Middle School has class sizes near the Oregon median. Computed live against every Oregon school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Houck Middle School ranks #3 of 11 middle schools in Salem, OR.
School address
District: Salem-Keizer Sd 24j · Oregon
NCES ID 411082000664 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
45.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.4:1
vs 17.6:1 Oregon avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
73.7%
vs 52.8% Oregon avg
+40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Houck Middle School compares with Oregon and U.S. medians
What stands out at Houck Middle School
Houck Middle School is a higher-need, large middle school in Salem, Oregon, enrolling 830 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Oregon schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 73.7% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Oregon, bigger than 92% of state schools at 830 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,273 scored Oregon schools.
Against 98 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #33.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (71%) and White (17%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 277 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 75.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 429 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 830 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Salem's middle schools, it stands alongside Stephens Middle School (1,014 students): Houck Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.4:1 vs 19.5:1).
Salem-Keizer Sd 24j also operates Mckay High School (2,380 students) and South Salem High School (2,195 students) alongside Houck 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 Houck Middle School compares
Houck Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Oregon and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Oregon | Oregon avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.4:1 | ▲ 5% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 73.7% | ▲ 40% | 52.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 830 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.4:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
830
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
73.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% above the Oregon average of 52.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.4:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 65% in Oregon - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
75.5%
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
$15,528
per pupil, district-wide
- below Oregon avg of $18,086
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 277 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
224
in-school suspensions + 205 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 27.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 51.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 expulsions.
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 70.8%
White 16.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 4.5%
Two or More 4.2%
Asian 2.3%
African American 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 70.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.6, Houck Middle School is about as mixed as the Oregon school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Salem-Keizer Sd 24j, which includes Houck Middle School.
$15,528
Per student
-14%
vs Oregon
Avg $18,086
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.2%
State 61.3%
Federal 11.5%
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 Houck Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mckay High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Salem High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Salem High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mcnary High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sprague High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Houck Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,380
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 2,195
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 2,107
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,995
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,712
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar middle schools in Salem
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Stephens Middle School
Standard public school
1,014 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Waldo Middle School
Standard public school
997 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Judson Middle School
Standard public school
811 students 23.9:1 students per teacher
Crossler Middle School
Standard public school
804 students 22.3:1 students per teacher
Leslie Middle School
Standard public school
735 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Parrish Middle School
Standard public school
691 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Oregon, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~830 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Houck Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Houck Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Salem-Keizer Sd 24j'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 Houck Middle School
How many students attend Houck Middle School?
Houck Middle School has 830 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Salem, OR.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Houck Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Houck Middle School is 18.4:1, which is 5% higher than the Oregon average of 17.6:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Houck Middle School?
73.7% of students at Houck Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Oregon average of 52.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Houck Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Houck Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 70.8% of enrollment, in Salem, OR.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Houck Middle School?
Houck Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Houck Middle School rank among middle schools in Salem?
By Resource Investment Index, Houck Middle School ranks #3 of 11 middle schools in Salem, OR. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Salem on the city page.
Is Houck Middle School a good school?
Houck Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Oregon median. 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 Salem-Keizer Sd 24j?
Besides Houck Middle School, Salem-Keizer Sd 24j also operates Mckay High School (2,380 students), South Salem High School (2,195 students), and North Salem High School (2,107 students). See the Salem-Keizer Sd 24j 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.