Enrollment
280
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Independence, VA
Independence Middle
Federal NCES profile for Independence Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 510169002189
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Independence Middle earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Virginia schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Virginia schools.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in Independence · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.5:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 88.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Independence Middle has class sizes larger than 87% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Independence Middle ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Independence, VA.
School address
District: Grayson County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510169002189 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.5:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
88.2%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+53% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Independence Middle compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Independence Middle
Independence Middle is a high-poverty, small middle school in Independence, Virginia, enrolling 280 students.
Class loads run heavy: 16.5:1 is larger than about 87% of Virginia schools and 19% above the 13.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 88.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 280 puts it in the smaller third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 236 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #108.
Its student body is predominantly White (85% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 26/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 280 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
15.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 24.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Grayson County Public Schools also operates Grayson County High (461 students) and Independence Elementary (287 students) alongside Independence 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 Independence Middle compares
Independence Middle on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.5:1 | ▲ 19% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 88.2% | ▲ 53% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 280 | top 87% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.5:1
Leaner classes than 34% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
280
Bigger than 29% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
88.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 53% above the Virginia average of 57.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.5:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 87% in Virginia - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
15.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,452
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 280 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.1 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
White 85.4%
Hispanic or Latino 10.7%
Two or More 2.9%
African American 1.1%
Largest group: White at 85.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 25.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 25.8, Independence Middle is less mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Grayson County Public Schools, which includes Independence Middle.
$14,452
Per student
-1%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.6%
State 48.0%
Federal 24.5%
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 Independence Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grayson County High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Independence Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Fries Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Grayson Highlands | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Fairview Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Independence Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 461
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 62/100
- Enrollment
- 287
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 231
- Students per teacher
- 8.9:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 156
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 62/100
- Enrollment
- 146
- Students per teacher
- 9.7:1
- Resource Index
- 64/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~280 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Independence Middle's federal record.
- Compare Independence Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Grayson County Public Schools'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 Independence Middle
How many students attend Independence Middle?
Independence Middle has 280 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Independence, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Independence Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Independence Middle is 16.5:1, which is 19% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 5% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Independence Middle?
88.2% of students at Independence Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Independence Middle?
The largest demographic group at Independence Middle is White at 85.4% of enrollment, in Independence, VA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Independence Middle?
Independence Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (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 Independence Middle rank among public schools in Independence?
By Resource Investment Index, Independence Middle ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Independence, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Independence on the city page.
Is Independence Middle a good school?
Independence Middle earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Virginia schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Virginia 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 Grayson County Public Schools?
Besides Independence Middle, Grayson County Public Schools also operates Grayson County High (461 students), Independence Elementary (287 students), and Fries Elementary (231 students). See the Grayson County Public Schools 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.