Enrollment
184
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Hartford, CT
M. L. King Jr. Middle School
Federal NCES profile for M. L. King Jr. Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 090192000369
👥 S:T ratio 68
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 63
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
M. L. King Jr. Middle School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% of Connecticut schools.
- #1 of 4
- middle schools in Hartford · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 8:1
- small classes for Connecticut
- 86.2%
- free-lunch eligible
M. L. King Jr. Middle School has class sizes smaller than 97% of Connecticut schools. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, M. L. King Jr. Middle School ranks #1 of 4 middle schools in Hartford, CT.
School address
District: Hartford School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090192000369 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
-34% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
86.2%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
+137% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How M. L. King Jr. Middle School compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at M. L. King Jr. Middle School
M. L. King Jr. Middle School is a high-poverty, small middle school in Hartford, Connecticut, enrolling 184 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8:1, M. L. King Jr. Middle School is leaner than roughly 97% of Connecticut schools and 34% under the state's 12.1:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 86.2% of students qualify for free meals, 137% above the Connecticut average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 94% of Connecticut schools, with 184 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,003 scored Connecticut schools.
Against 18 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #11.
Its student body is led by African American (55%) and Hispanic or Latino (40%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 184 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 58.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 132 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 184 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Hartford's middle schools, it stands alongside Mcdonough Middle School (301 students): M. L. King Jr. Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8:1 vs 13.1:1).
Hartford School District also operates Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy (925 students) and Weaver High School (721 students) alongside M. L. King Jr. 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 M. L. King Jr. Middle School compares
M. L. King Jr. Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Connecticut and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Connecticut | Connecticut avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 8:1 | ▼ 34% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 86.2% | ▲ 137% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 184 | top 94% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8:1
Leaner classes than 95% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
184
Bigger than 18% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
86.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 137% above the Connecticut average of 36.4%
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
8:1
students per teacher
- 34% below state mean
Top 3% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 97% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
58.7%
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
$25,530
per pupil, district-wide
- above Connecticut avg of $23,870
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 184 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
82
in-school suspensions + 50 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 44.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 71.7 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
African American 55.4%
Hispanic or Latino 39.7%
Asian 1.6%
Two or More 1.6%
White 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 55.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.5, M. L. King Jr. Middle School is more mixed than the Connecticut school average of 50.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hartford School District, which includes M. L. King Jr. Middle School.
$25,530
Per student
+7%
vs Connecticut
Avg $23,870
+54%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.1%
State 67.4%
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 M. L. King Jr. Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Weaver High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hartford Public High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dwight-Bellizzi Dual Language Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kennelly School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to M. L. King Jr. Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 925
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 721
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 698
- Students per teacher
- 7.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 651
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 628
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
Similar middle schools in Hartford
3 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 Connecticut, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~184 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on M. L. King Jr. Middle School's federal record.
- Compare M. L. King Jr. Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Hartford 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 M. L. King Jr. Middle School
How many students attend M. L. King Jr. Middle School?
M. L. King Jr. Middle School has 184 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Hartford, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at M. L. King Jr. Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at M. L. King Jr. Middle School is 8:1, which is 34% lower than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 49% lower 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 M. L. King Jr. Middle School?
86.2% of students at M. L. King Jr. Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of M. L. King Jr. Middle School?
The largest demographic group at M. L. King Jr. Middle School is African American at 55.4% of enrollment, in Hartford, CT. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for M. L. King Jr. Middle School?
M. L. King Jr. Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 M. L. King Jr. Middle School rank among middle schools in Hartford?
By Resource Investment Index, M. L. King Jr. Middle School ranks #1 of 4 middle schools in Hartford, CT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Hartford on the city page.
Is M. L. King Jr. Middle School a good school?
M. L. King Jr. Middle School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% of Connecticut 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 Hartford School District?
Besides M. L. King Jr. Middle School, Hartford School District also operates Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy (925 students), Weaver High School (721 students), and Hartford Public High School (698 students). See the Hartford 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.