- Enrollment
- 2,012
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Arroyo Grande, CA
Mesa Middle
Federal NCES profile for Mesa Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 062308009910
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 5
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mesa Middle earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 73% of California schools.
- #8 of 8
- public schools in Arroyo Grande · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19:1
- small classes for California
- 57.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Mesa Middle has class sizes smaller than 73% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mesa Middle ranks #8 of 8 public schools in Arroyo Grande, CA.
School address
District: Lucia Mar Unified · California
NCES ID 062308009910 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+12 students YoY
Mesa Middle held near 477 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+12 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 25.7 → 25.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+12 students YoY 062308009910 · Arroyo Grande, CA Middle · SMALL · TRAD
474 enr · 19:1 · 57.6% lunch · RII 21
Nearest enrollment peer: Arroyo Grande High (2,012 students)
Mesa Middle held near 477 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+12 headcount). Teacher FTE held 25.7 → 25.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Mesa Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Arroyo Grande
Arroyo Grande High
2,012 students
- Nipomo High
Nipomo High
819 students
- Harloe Element 619
Harloe Elementary
619 students
- Dana Elementar 612
Dana Elementary
612 students
- Lange (Dorothe 577
Lange (Dorothea) Elementary
577 students
- This school 474
Mesa Middle
474 students
What this shows Mesa Middle reports 474 students on the CCD universe file.
How Mesa Middle compares
Mesa Middle held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19:1 | ▼ 12% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.6% | ▲ 4% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 474 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
474
Bigger than 58% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
57.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 27% in California - lower ratio than 73% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
29.3%
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
$15,856
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 474 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 24 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 65.6%
White 27.6%
Two or More 4.0%
Asian 1.9%
African American 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 65.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.1, Mesa Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Lucia Mar Unified reports $15,856 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Mesa Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arroyo Grande High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Nipomo High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Harloe Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dana Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lange (Dorothea) Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mesa Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 819
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 619
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 612
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 577
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar middle schools in Arroyo Grande
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~474 students)
Frequently asked questions about Mesa Middle
How many students attend Mesa Middle?
Mesa Middle has 474 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Arroyo Grande, CA. CCD year-over-year: 465 (2022-23) → 477 (2023-24), nearly flat (+12).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mesa Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Mesa Middle is 19:1, which is 12% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 21% 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 Mesa Middle?
57.6% of students at Mesa Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mesa Middle?
The largest demographic group at Mesa Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 65.6% of enrollment, in Arroyo Grande, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mesa Middle?
Mesa Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Mesa Middle rank among public schools in Arroyo Grande?
By Resource Investment Index, Mesa Middle ranks #8 of 8 public schools in Arroyo Grande, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Arroyo Grande on the city page.
What other schools are in Lucia Mar Unified?
Besides Mesa Middle, Lucia Mar Unified also operates Arroyo Grande High (2,012 students), Nipomo High (819 students), and Harloe Elementary (619 students). See the Lucia Mar Unified district page for the complete list.