Enrollment
771
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Huntington Beach, CA
Isaac L. Sowers Middle
Federal NCES profile for Isaac L. Sowers Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 061803002225
👥 S:T ratio 9
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Isaac L. Sowers Middle earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #5 of 7
- middle schools in Huntington Beach · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22.7:1
- students per teacher
- 15.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Isaac L. Sowers Middle has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Isaac L. Sowers Middle ranks #5 of 7 middle schools in Huntington Beach, CA.
School address
District: Huntington Beach City Elementary · California
NCES ID 061803002225 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
15.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
-72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Isaac L. Sowers Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Isaac L. Sowers Middle
Isaac L. Sowers Middle is a lower-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Huntington Beach, California, enrolling 771 students.
At 22.7:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 15.8% free-meal eligibility runs 72% below the California average.
Enrollment of 771 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,040 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #498.
Its student body is led by White (59%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 771 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
14.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Huntington Beach's middle schools, it stands alongside Helen Stacey Middle (947 students): Isaac L. Sowers Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.7:1 vs 23.1:1).
Huntington Beach City Elementary also operates Ethel Dwyer Middle (884 students) and Agnes L. Smith Elementary (591 students) alongside Isaac L. Sowers 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 Isaac L. Sowers Middle compares
Isaac L. Sowers 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 | 22.7:1 | ▲ 6% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 15.8% | ▼ 72% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 771 | top 19% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.7:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
771
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
15.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% 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
22.7:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 59% in California - lower ratio than 41% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
14.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$14,654
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 771 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
12
in-school suspensions + 24 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.7 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 58.5%
Hispanic or Latino 15.6%
Two or More 12.8%
Asian 12.5%
African American 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 58.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.1, Isaac L. Sowers Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Huntington Beach City Elementary, which includes Isaac L. Sowers Middle.
$14,654
Per student
-11%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 79.5%
State 14.1%
Federal 6.5%
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 Isaac L. Sowers Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethel Dwyer Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Agnes L. Smith Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ralph E. Hawes Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Huntington Seacliff Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| John R. Peterson Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Isaac L. Sowers Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 884
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 591
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 516
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 495
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 477
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar middle schools in Huntington Beach
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Helen Stacey Middle
Standard public school
947 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Ethel Dwyer Middle
Standard public school
884 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
Mesa View Middle
Standard public school
817 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
Marine View Middle
Standard public school
736 students 32:1 students per teacher
Talbert (Samuel E.) Middle
Standard public school
690 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
Spring View Middle
Standard public school
487 students 19.5:1 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 (~771 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Isaac L. Sowers Middle's federal record.
- Compare Isaac L. Sowers Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Huntington Beach City Elementary'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 Isaac L. Sowers Middle
How many students attend Isaac L. Sowers Middle?
Isaac L. Sowers Middle has 771 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Huntington Beach, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Isaac L. Sowers Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Isaac L. Sowers Middle is 22.7:1, which is 6% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 45% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Isaac L. Sowers Middle?
15.8% of students at Isaac L. Sowers Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Isaac L. Sowers Middle?
The largest demographic group at Isaac L. Sowers Middle is White at 58.5% of enrollment, in Huntington Beach, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Isaac L. Sowers Middle?
Isaac L. Sowers Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 Isaac L. Sowers Middle rank among middle schools in Huntington Beach?
By Resource Investment Index, Isaac L. Sowers Middle ranks #5 of 7 middle schools in Huntington Beach, 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 Huntington Beach on the city page.
Is Isaac L. Sowers Middle a good school?
Isaac L. Sowers Middle earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California 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 Huntington Beach City Elementary?
Besides Isaac L. Sowers Middle, Huntington Beach City Elementary also operates Ethel Dwyer Middle (884 students), Agnes L. Smith Elementary (591 students), and Ralph E. Hawes Elementary (516 students). See the Huntington Beach City Elementary district page for the complete list.
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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.