Enrollment
487
Texas · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Temple, TX
Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy
Federal NCES profile for Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 484233004815
👥 S:T ratio 12
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Texas schools.
- #12 of 12
- schools in Temple · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.1:1
- large classes for Texas
- 85.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy has class sizes larger than 95% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy ranks #12 of 12 schools in Temple, TX.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.1:1
vs 14.7:1 Texas avg
+50% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
85.6%
vs 61.9% Texas avg
+38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy compares with Texas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy
Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Temple, Texas, enrolling 487 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.1:1 is larger than about 95% of Texas schools and 50% above the 14.7:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 85.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 487 students, its enrollment sits close to the Texas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 8,960 Texas schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 2,088 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Texas schools statewide, it ranks #2,010, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (52%) and African American (26%) (diversity index 65/100).
Its district draws 19.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Temple Isd also operates Temple H S (2,320 students) and Thornton El (763 students) alongside Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy.
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 Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy compares
Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy on the metrics families compare, against Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22.1:1 | ▲ 50% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 85.6% | ▲ 38% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 487 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.1:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
487
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
85.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% above the Texas average of 61.9%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
22.1:1
students per teacher
- 50% above state mean
Top 95% in Texas - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Funding equity
$11,894
per pupil, district-wide
- below Texas avg of $13,644
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 51.5%
African American 26.1%
White 13.3%
Two or More 5.5%
Asian 2.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 51.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.5, Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy is more mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Temple Isd, which includes Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy.
$11,894
Per student
-13%
vs Texas
Avg $13,644
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.7%
State 37.6%
Federal 19.7%
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 Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temple H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Thornton El | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Travis Science Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bonham Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lamar Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,320
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 763
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 686
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 627
- Students per teacher
- 11.6:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 553
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Texas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~487 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy's federal record.
- Compare Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Temple Isd'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 Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy
How many students attend Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy?
Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy has 487 students enrolled. It is a public school in Temple, TX.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy is 22.1:1, which is 50% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 41% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy?
85.6% of students at Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy?
The largest demographic group at Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 51.5% of enrollment, in Temple, TX. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy?
Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy rank among schools in Temple?
By Resource Investment Index, Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy ranks #12 of 12 schools in Temple, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Temple on the city page.
Is Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy a good school?
Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Texas 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 Temple Isd?
Besides Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy, Temple Isd also operates Temple H S (2,320 students), Thornton El (763 students), and Travis Science Academy (686 students). See the Temple Isd 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.