Enrollment
647
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Kent, WA
Meridian Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Meridian Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 530396000626
👥 S:T ratio 19
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Meridian Middle School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Washington schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #14 of 29
- public schools in Kent · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.2:1
- large classes for Washington
- 55.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Meridian Middle School has class sizes larger than 80% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Meridian Middle School ranks #14 of 29 public schools in Kent, WA.
School address
District: Kent School District · Washington
NCES ID 530396000626 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.2:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
55.4%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Meridian Middle School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Meridian Middle School
Meridian Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Kent, Washington, enrolling 647 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 55.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 647 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 378 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #216.
Its student body is led by Asian (31%) and Hispanic or Latino (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 78/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 324 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Kent's middle schools, it stands alongside Mill Creek Middle School (866 students): Meridian Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.2:1 vs 18.8:1).
Kent School District also operates Kentridge High School (2,186 students) and Kentwood High School (1,995 students) alongside Meridian 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 Meridian Middle School compares
Meridian Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.2:1 | ▲ 15% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.4% | ▲ 23% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 647 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.2:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
647
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
55.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% above the Washington average of 45.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
20.2:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 80% in Washington - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
23.2%
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
$17,678
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 324 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
26
in-school suspensions + 24 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.7 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
Asian 30.8%
Hispanic or Latino 22.4%
White 18.7%
African American 17.0%
Two or More 8.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.6%
Largest group: Asian at 30.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 78.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 78.3, Meridian Middle School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Kent School District, which includes Meridian Middle School.
$17,678
Per student
-9%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.5%
State 61.2%
Federal 13.2%
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 Meridian Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kentwood High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kent-Meridian High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Kentlake High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northwood Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Meridian Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,186
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,995
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,639
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,561
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 911
- Students per teacher
- 31.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar middle schools in Kent
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 Washington, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~647 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Meridian Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Meridian Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Kent 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 Meridian Middle School
How many students attend Meridian Middle School?
Meridian Middle School has 647 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Kent, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Meridian Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Meridian Middle School is 20.2:1, which is 15% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 29% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Meridian Middle School?
55.4% of students at Meridian Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Meridian Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Meridian Middle School is Asian at 30.8% of enrollment, in Kent, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 78.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Meridian Middle School?
Meridian Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Meridian Middle School rank among public schools in Kent?
By Resource Investment Index, Meridian Middle School ranks #14 of 29 public schools in Kent, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Kent on the city page.
Is Meridian Middle School a good school?
Meridian Middle School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Washington schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington 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 Kent School District?
Besides Meridian Middle School, Kent School District also operates Kentridge High School (2,186 students), Kentwood High School (1,995 students), and Kent-Meridian High School (1,639 students). See the Kent 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.