Enrollment
252
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Gadsden, AL
Litchfield Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Litchfield Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 010162000552
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Litchfield Middle School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of Alabama schools.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in Gadsden · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.8:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 86.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Litchfield Middle School has class sizes smaller than 75% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Litchfield Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Gadsden, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
86.3%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+47% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Litchfield Middle School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Litchfield Middle School
Litchfield Middle School is a high-poverty, small middle school in Gadsden, Alabama, enrolling 252 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 86.3% of students qualify for free meals, 47% above the Alabama average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 252 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 125 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #79.
Its student body is led by African American (60%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 252 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 115 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 252 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Gadsden's middle schools, it stands alongside Gadsden Middle School (438 students): Litchfield Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.8:1 vs 19:1).
Gadsden City also operates Gadsden City High School (1,361 students) and Gadsden Middle School (438 students) alongside Litchfield 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 Litchfield Middle School compares
Litchfield Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.8:1 | ▼ 11% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 86.3% | ▲ 47% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 252 | top 87% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
252
Bigger than 26% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
86.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 25% in Alabama - lower ratio than 75% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
25.4%
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
$12,669
per pupil, district-wide
- above Alabama avg of $12,491
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 252 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
30
in-school suspensions + 85 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 45.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 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
African American 59.9%
Hispanic or Latino 31.0%
White 7.9%
Two or More 1.2%
Largest group: African American at 59.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.9, Litchfield Middle School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gadsden City, which includes Litchfield Middle School.
$12,669
Per student
+1%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.6%
State 57.1%
Federal 24.3%
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 Litchfield Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gadsden City High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gadsden Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Adams Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| W E Striplin Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Floyd Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Litchfield Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,361
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 438
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 433
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 400
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 384
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar middle schools in Gadsden
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 Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~252 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Litchfield Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Litchfield Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Gadsden City'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 Litchfield Middle School
How many students attend Litchfield Middle School?
Litchfield Middle School has 252 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Gadsden, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Litchfield Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Litchfield Middle School is 15.8:1, which is 11% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Litchfield Middle School?
86.3% of students at Litchfield Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Litchfield Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Litchfield Middle School is African American at 59.9% of enrollment, in Gadsden, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Litchfield Middle School?
Litchfield Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Litchfield Middle School rank among middle schools in Gadsden?
By Resource Investment Index, Litchfield Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Gadsden, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Gadsden on the city page.
Is Litchfield Middle School a good school?
Litchfield Middle School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of Alabama 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 Gadsden City?
Besides Litchfield Middle School, Gadsden City also operates Gadsden City High School (1,361 students), Gadsden Middle School (438 students), and Adams Elementary School (433 students). See the Gadsden City 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.