Enrollment
568
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Salinas, CA
John Gutierrez Middle
Federal NCES profile for John Gutierrez Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 17/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 063579012689
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 25
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John Gutierrez Middle earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #7 of 8
- middle schools in Salinas · Resource Index
- 17
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.8:1
- students per teacher
- 57.2%
- free-lunch eligible
John Gutierrez Middle has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John Gutierrez Middle ranks #7 of 8 middle schools in Salinas, CA.
School address
District: Santa Rita Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 063579012689 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
+3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John Gutierrez Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at John Gutierrez Middle
John Gutierrez Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Salinas, California, enrolling 568 students.
At 21.8:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 57.2% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 568 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,733 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,310, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (90% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 18/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 568 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Salinas's middle schools, it stands alongside Harden Middle (1,101 students): John Gutierrez Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.8:1 vs 22:1).
Santa Rita Union Elementary also operates Gavilan View Middle (556 students) and Santa Rita Elementary (545 students) alongside John Gutierrez 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 John Gutierrez Middle compares
John Gutierrez 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 | 21.8:1 | ▲ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.2% | ▲ 3% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 568 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.8:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
568
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% 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
21.8:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 51% in California - lower ratio than 49% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
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
$14,415
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 568 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
13
in-school suspensions + 37 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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 90.3%
White 5.6%
Asian 1.6%
Two or More 1.2%
African American 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 90.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 18.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 18.1, John Gutierrez Middle is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Santa Rita Union Elementary, which includes John Gutierrez Middle.
$14,415
Per student
-13%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.0%
State 65.6%
Federal 12.5%
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 John Gutierrez Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gavilan View Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Santa Rita Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| La Joya Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| New Republic Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mckinnon | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John Gutierrez Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 556
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 545
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 498
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
- Enrollment
- 482
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 439
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
Similar middle schools in Salinas
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Harden Middle
Standard public school
1,101 students 22:1 students per teacher
La Paz Middle
Standard public school
1,099 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
Washington Middle
Standard public school
1,082 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
El Sausal Middle
Standard public school
1,067 students 22.7:1 students per teacher
Gavilan View Middle
Standard public school
556 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Buena Vista Middle
Standard public school
321 students 16.9:1 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 (~568 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John Gutierrez Middle's federal record.
- Compare John Gutierrez Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Santa Rita Union 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 John Gutierrez Middle
How many students attend John Gutierrez Middle?
John Gutierrez Middle has 568 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Salinas, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John Gutierrez Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at John Gutierrez Middle is 21.8:1, which is 1% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 39% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at John Gutierrez Middle?
57.2% of students at John Gutierrez Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John Gutierrez Middle?
The largest demographic group at John Gutierrez Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 90.3% of enrollment, in Salinas, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John Gutierrez Middle?
John Gutierrez Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 17/100 (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 John Gutierrez Middle rank among middle schools in Salinas?
By Resource Investment Index, John Gutierrez Middle ranks #7 of 8 middle schools in Salinas, 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 Salinas on the city page.
Is John Gutierrez Middle a good school?
John Gutierrez Middle earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less 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 Santa Rita Union Elementary?
Besides John Gutierrez Middle, Santa Rita Union Elementary also operates Gavilan View Middle (556 students), Santa Rita Elementary (545 students), and La Joya Elementary (498 students). See the Santa Rita Union Elementary 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.