Enrollment
350
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Lynden, WA
Meridian Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Meridian Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 530501000767
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 59
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Meridian Middle School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #1 of 7
- public schools in Lynden · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.9:1
- students per teacher
- 38.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Meridian Middle School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Meridian Middle School ranks #1 of 7 public schools in Lynden, WA.
School address
District: Meridian School District · Washington
NCES ID 530501000767 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.0%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-16% 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 mid-sized middle school in Lynden, Washington, enrolling 350 students.
At 15.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Washington median, within a few percentage points of the 17.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 38.0% lands close to the Washington typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 350 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 392 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #125.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%) (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 304 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
16.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Meridian School District spends $15,650 per pupil, 20% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Meridian School District also operates Irene Reither Elementary School (765 students) and Meridian High School (534 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 | 15.9:1 | ▼ 10% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.0% | ▼ 16% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 350 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
350
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 45% in Washington - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
16.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$15,650
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.1 FTE
Per 304 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.6 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 59.6%
Hispanic or Latino 25.2%
Asian 7.2%
Two or More 6.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
African American 0.6%
Largest group: White at 59.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.2, 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 Meridian School District, which includes Meridian Middle School.
$15,650
Per student
-20%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.5%
State 64.1%
Federal 13.5%
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 Meridian Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irene Reither Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Meridian High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Meridian Parent Partnership Program | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Meridian Special Programs | Smaller | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
| Meridian Impact Re-Engagement | Smaller | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
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
- 765
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 534
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 208
- Students per teacher
- 29.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 26
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 21
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 30/100
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 (~350 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Meridian Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Meridian Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Meridian 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 350 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Lynden, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Meridian Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Meridian Middle School is 15.9:1, which is 10% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 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 Meridian Middle School?
38.0% 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 White at 59.6% of enrollment, in Lynden, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Meridian Middle School?
Meridian Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (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 Meridian Middle School rank among public schools in Lynden?
By Resource Investment Index, Meridian Middle School ranks #1 of 7 public schools in Lynden, 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 Lynden on the city page.
Is Meridian Middle School a good school?
Meridian Middle School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington 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 Meridian School District?
Besides Meridian Middle School, Meridian School District also operates Irene Reither Elementary School (765 students), Meridian High School (534 students), and Meridian Parent Partnership Program (208 students). See the Meridian 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.