Enrollment
710
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Linden, NJ
Joseph E. Soehl Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Joseph E. Soehl Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 340861005560
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Joseph E. Soehl Middle School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Jersey median.
- #9 of 10
- public schools in Linden · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.8:1
- students per teacher
- 49.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Joseph E. Soehl Middle School has class sizes near the New Jersey median. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Joseph E. Soehl Middle School ranks #9 of 10 public schools in Linden, NJ.
School address
District: Linden Public School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 340861005560 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
60.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.8:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
49.8%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+68% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Joseph E. Soehl Middle School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Joseph E. Soehl Middle School
Joseph E. Soehl Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Linden, New Jersey, enrolling 710 students.
At 11.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the New Jersey median, within a few percentage points of the 11.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 49.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 710 puts it in the larger third of New Jersey schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Against 266 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #71.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (49%) and African American (34%) (diversity index 63/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 355 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
17.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 75 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Linden's middle schools, it stands alongside Myles J. Mcmanus Middle School (711 students): Joseph E. Soehl Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (11.8:1 vs 11.3:1).
Linden Public School District also operates Linden High School (1,934 students) and Myles J. Mcmanus Middle School (711 students) alongside Joseph E. Soehl 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 Joseph E. Soehl Middle School compares
Joseph E. Soehl Middle School on the metrics families compare, against New Jersey and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Jersey | New Jersey avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.8:1 | ▼ 0% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 49.8% | ▲ 68% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 710 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.8:1
Leaner classes than 77% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
710
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
49.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 68% above the New Jersey average of 29.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.8:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 58% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
17.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$23,906
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Jersey avg of $24,984
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 355 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
73
in-school suspensions + 63 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 75 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 48.9%
African American 33.9%
White 10.6%
Two or More 4.9%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 48.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.2, Joseph E. Soehl Middle School is more mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Linden Public School District, which includes Joseph E. Soehl Middle School.
$23,906
Per student
-4%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+44%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 53.6%
State 40.6%
Federal 5.8%
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 Joseph E. Soehl Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linden High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Myles J. Mcmanus Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Number 2 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Number 1 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Number 4 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Joseph E. Soehl Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,934
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 711
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 602
- Students per teacher
- 9.6:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 454
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 64/100
- Enrollment
- 447
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 64/100
Similar middle schools in Linden
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New Jersey, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~710 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Joseph E. Soehl Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Joseph E. Soehl Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Linden Public School District'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 Joseph E. Soehl Middle School
How many students attend Joseph E. Soehl Middle School?
Joseph E. Soehl Middle School has 710 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Linden, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Joseph E. Soehl Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Joseph E. Soehl Middle School is 11.8:1, which is 0% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 25% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Joseph E. Soehl Middle School?
49.8% of students at Joseph E. Soehl Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Joseph E. Soehl Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Joseph E. Soehl Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 48.9% of enrollment, in Linden, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Joseph E. Soehl Middle School?
Joseph E. Soehl Middle School 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 Joseph E. Soehl Middle School rank among public schools in Linden?
By Resource Investment Index, Joseph E. Soehl Middle School ranks #9 of 10 public schools in Linden, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Linden on the city page.
Is Joseph E. Soehl Middle School a good school?
Joseph E. Soehl Middle School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Jersey 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 Linden Public School District?
Besides Joseph E. Soehl Middle School, Linden Public School District also operates Linden High School (1,934 students), Myles J. Mcmanus Middle School (711 students), and Number 2 (602 students). See the Linden Public School District 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.