Enrollment
128
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Philadelphia, PA
Middle Years Alternative
Federal NCES profile for Middle Years Alternative, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 421899007223
👥 S:T ratio 57
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 74
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Middle Years Alternative earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of Pennsylvania schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Pennsylvania.
- #6 of 9
- middle schools in Philadelphia · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.7:1
- small classes for Pennsylvania
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Middle Years Alternative has class sizes smaller than 87% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Middle Years Alternative ranks #6 of 9 middle schools in Philadelphia, PA.
School address
District: Philadelphia City Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 421899007223 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
12.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.7:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
-21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Middle Years Alternative compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Middle Years Alternative
Middle Years Alternative is a high-poverty, small middle school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, enrolling 128 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.7:1, Middle Years Alternative is leaner than roughly 87% of Pennsylvania schools and 21% under the state's 13.6:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 100.0% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 95% of Pennsylvania schools, with 128 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Among 55 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #40, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (79%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%) (diversity index 36/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 128 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 46.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 34 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 128 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Philadelphia's middle schools, it stands alongside Baldi C C a Ms (1,510 students): Middle Years Alternative is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.7:1 vs 17.8:1).
Philadelphia City Sd also operates Northeast Hs (3,463 students) and Lincoln Hs (2,472 students) alongside Middle Years Alternative.
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 Middle Years Alternative compares
Middle Years Alternative on the metrics families compare, against Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.7:1 | ▼ 21% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 72% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 128 | top 95% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.7:1
Leaner classes than 85% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
128
Bigger than 13% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% above the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
10.7:1
students per teacher
- 21% below state mean
Top 13% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 87% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
46.9%
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
$17,892
per pupil, district-wide
- below Pennsylvania avg of $17,970
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 128 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
17
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 26.6 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
African American 78.9%
Hispanic or Latino 12.5%
Two or More 4.7%
Asian 2.3%
White 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Largest group: African American at 78.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.9, Middle Years Alternative is about as mixed as the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Philadelphia City Sd, which includes Middle Years Alternative.
$17,892
Per student
0%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.0%
State 39.7%
Federal 23.3%
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 Middle Years Alternative Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northeast Community Propel Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mayfair Sch | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Middle Years Alternative's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,463
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,472
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,329
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,783
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 1,763
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar middle schools in Philadelphia
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Baldi C C a Ms
Standard public school
1,510 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Castor Gardens Ms
Standard public school
1,318 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Harding Warren G Ms
Standard public school
570 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Feltonville Sch of Arts & Sciences
Standard public school
543 students 16:1 students per teacher
Wagner Gen Louis Ms
Standard public school
296 students 11.4:1 students per teacher
Clemente Roberto Ms
Standard public school
259 students 28.8:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Pennsylvania, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~128 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Middle Years Alternative's federal record.
- Compare Middle Years Alternative against another school. Compare schools
- Philadelphia City Sd'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 Middle Years Alternative
How many students attend Middle Years Alternative?
Middle Years Alternative has 128 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Philadelphia, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Middle Years Alternative?
The student-teacher ratio at Middle Years Alternative is 10.7:1, which is 21% lower than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 32% 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 Middle Years Alternative?
100.0% of students at Middle Years Alternative are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Middle Years Alternative?
The largest demographic group at Middle Years Alternative is African American at 78.9% of enrollment, in Philadelphia, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Middle Years Alternative?
Middle Years Alternative 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 Middle Years Alternative rank among middle schools in Philadelphia?
By Resource Investment Index, Middle Years Alternative ranks #6 of 9 middle schools in Philadelphia, PA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Philadelphia on the city page.
Is Middle Years Alternative a good school?
Middle Years Alternative earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of Pennsylvania schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Pennsylvania. 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 Philadelphia City Sd?
Besides Middle Years Alternative, Philadelphia City Sd also operates Northeast Hs (3,463 students), Lincoln Hs (2,472 students), and Central Hs (2,329 students). See the Philadelphia City Sd 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.