Enrollment
827
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Tucson, AZ
Lawrence W Cross Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Lawrence W Cross Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040068000028
👥 S:T ratio 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 6
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lawrence W Cross Middle School earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Arizona schools.
- #23 of 25
- middle schools in Tucson · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.4:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 18.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Lawrence W Cross Middle School has class sizes larger than 88% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lawrence W Cross Middle School ranks #23 of 25 middle schools in Tucson, AZ.
School address
District: Amphitheater Unified District (4406) · Arizona
NCES ID 040068000028 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.4:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lawrence W Cross Middle School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lawrence W Cross Middle School
Lawrence W Cross Middle School is a lower-poverty, large middle school in Tucson, Arizona, enrolling 827 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.4:1 is larger than about 88% of Arizona schools and 32% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 18.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 827 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Among 246 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #208, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (58%) and Hispanic or Latino (32%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 827 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Amphitheater Unified District (4406) spends $10,331 per pupil, 21% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Tucson's middle schools, it stands alongside Apollo Middle School (480 students): Lawrence W Cross Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (22.4:1 vs 14.1:1).
Amphitheater Unified District (4406) also operates Canyon Del Oro High School (1,758 students) and Ironwood Ridge High School (1,539 students) alongside Lawrence W Cross 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 Lawrence W Cross Middle School compares
Lawrence W Cross Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22.4:1 | ▲ 32% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.9% | ▼ 61% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 827 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.4:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
827
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
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
22.4:1
students per teacher
- 32% above state mean
Top 88% in Arizona - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
37.6%
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
$10,331
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arizona avg of $13,145
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 827 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
53
in-school suspensions + 42 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.5 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 57.7%
Hispanic or Latino 31.6%
Two or More 4.8%
Asian 2.3%
African American 2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 57.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.4, Lawrence W Cross Middle School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Amphitheater Unified District (4406), which includes Lawrence W Cross Middle School.
$10,331
Per student
-21%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-38%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.9%
State 27.9%
Federal 17.3%
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 Lawrence W Cross Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon Del Oro High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ironwood Ridge High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Amphitheater High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Richard B Wilson Jr School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Coronado K-8 School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lawrence W Cross Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,758
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,539
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 996
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 770
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 561
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar middle schools in Tucson
2 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 Arizona, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~827 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lawrence W Cross Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Lawrence W Cross Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Amphitheater Unified District (4406)'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 Lawrence W Cross Middle School
How many students attend Lawrence W Cross Middle School?
Lawrence W Cross Middle School has 827 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Tucson, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lawrence W Cross Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Lawrence W Cross Middle School is 22.4:1, which is 32% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 43% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lawrence W Cross Middle School?
18.9% of students at Lawrence W Cross Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lawrence W Cross Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Lawrence W Cross Middle School is White at 57.7% of enrollment, in Tucson, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lawrence W Cross Middle School?
Lawrence W Cross Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (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 Lawrence W Cross Middle School rank among middle schools in Tucson?
By Resource Investment Index, Lawrence W Cross Middle School ranks #23 of 25 middle schools in Tucson, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Tucson on the city page.
Is Lawrence W Cross Middle School a good school?
Lawrence W Cross Middle School earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Arizona 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 Amphitheater Unified District (4406)?
Besides Lawrence W Cross Middle School, Amphitheater Unified District (4406) also operates Canyon Del Oro High School (1,758 students), Ironwood Ridge High School (1,539 students), and Amphitheater High School (996 students). See the Amphitheater Unified District (4406) 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.