- Enrollment
- 1,093
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Santa Cruz, CA
Mission Hill Middle
Federal NCES profile for Mission Hill Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 063560006065
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 32
📋 Attendance 47
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mission Hill Middle earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% of California schools.
- #2 of 3
- middle schools in Santa Cruz · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.9:1
- small classes for California
- 30.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Mission Hill Middle has class sizes smaller than 74% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mission Hill Middle ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Santa Cruz, CA.
School address
District: Santa Cruz City High · California
NCES ID 063560006065 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-44 students YoY
Mission Hill Middle shrank from 544 students in 2022-23 to 500 in 2023-24 (-8.1%).
Teacher FTE lost 27.8 → 25.4 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-44 students YoY 063560006065 · Santa Cruz, CA Middle · MID · TRAD
510 enr · 18.9:1 · 30.9% lunch · RII 33
Nearest enrollment peer: Santa Cruz High (1,093 students)
Mission Hill Middle shrank from 544 students in 2022-23 to 500 in 2023-24 (-8.1%). Teacher FTE lost 27.8 → 25.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Mission Hill Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Santa Cruz Hig
Santa Cruz High
1,093 students
- Soquel High
Soquel High
1,074 students
- Harbor High
Harbor High
1,013 students
- This school
Mission Hill Middle
510 students
- Branciforte Mi 409
Branciforte Middle
409 students
- Delta Charter 113
Delta Charter
113 students
What this shows Mission Hill Middle reports 510 students on the CCD universe file.
How Mission Hill Middle compares
Mission Hill Middle is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.9:1 | ▼ 12% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.9% | ▼ 44% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 510 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.9:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
510
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
30.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.9:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 26% in California - lower ratio than 74% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
21.2%
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.
Support staff
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 340 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 52.5%
Hispanic or Latino 32.5%
Two or More 10.6%
Asian 2.7%
African American 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: White at 52.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.7, Mission Hill Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
How Mission Hill Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Soquel High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harbor High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Branciforte Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Delta Charter | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mission Hill Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,074
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,013
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 409
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 113
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar middle schools in Santa Cruz
2 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 (~510 students)
Frequently asked questions about Mission Hill Middle
How many students attend Mission Hill Middle?
Mission Hill Middle has 510 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Santa Cruz, CA. CCD year-over-year: 544 (2022-23) → 500 (2023-24), down 44.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mission Hill Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Mission Hill Middle is 18.9:1, which is 12% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 20% 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 Mission Hill Middle?
30.9% of students at Mission Hill Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mission Hill Middle?
The largest demographic group at Mission Hill Middle is White at 52.5% of enrollment, in Santa Cruz, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mission Hill Middle?
Mission Hill Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical 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 Mission Hill Middle rank among middle schools in Santa Cruz?
By Resource Investment Index, Mission Hill Middle ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Santa Cruz, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Santa Cruz on the city page.
What other schools are in Santa Cruz City High?
Besides Mission Hill Middle, Santa Cruz City High also operates Santa Cruz High (1,093 students), Soquel High (1,074 students), and Harbor High (1,013 students). See the Santa Cruz City High district page for the complete list.