- Enrollment
- 1,536
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Ridgecrest, CA
Murray Middle
Federal NCES profile for Murray Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 063680006238
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 46
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Murray Middle earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #2 of 10
- public schools in Ridgecrest · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.4:1
- students per teacher
- 45.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Murray Middle has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Murray Middle ranks #2 of 10 public schools in Ridgecrest, CA.
School address
District: Sierra Sands Unified · California
NCES ID 063680006238 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-4 students YoY
Murray Middle held near 686 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-4 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 30.7 → 30.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-4 students YoY 063680006238 · Ridgecrest, CA Middle · MID · TRAD
643 enr · 21.4:1 · 45.1% lunch · RII 42
Nearest enrollment peer: Burroughs High (1,536 students)
Murray Middle held near 686 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-4 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 30.7 → 30.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Murray Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Burroughs High
Burroughs High
1,536 students
- This school
Murray Middle
643 students
- Las Flores Ele 526
Las Flores Elementary
526 students
- Faller Element 516
Faller Elementary
516 students
- James Monroe M 490
James Monroe Middle
490 students
- Richmond Eleme 364
Richmond Elementary
364 students
What this shows Murray Middle reports 643 students on the CCD universe file.
How Murray Middle compares
Murray 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 | 21.4:1 | ▼ 0% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.1% | ▼ 19% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 643 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.4:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
643
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
45.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.4:1
students per teacher
- 0% below state mean
Top 47% in California - lower ratio than 53% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
21.5%
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
$15,165
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 322 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
22
in-school suspensions + 113 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 21.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 43.4%
Hispanic or Latino 36.4%
African American 6.7%
Two or More 6.5%
Asian 5.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: White at 43.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.8, Murray Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Sierra Sands Unified reports $15,165 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Murray Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burroughs High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Las Flores Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Faller Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| James Monroe Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Richmond Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Murray Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 526
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 516
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 490
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 364
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar middle schools in Ridgecrest
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 (~643 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.4:1)
Frequently asked questions about Murray Middle
How many students attend Murray Middle?
Murray Middle has 643 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Ridgecrest, CA. CCD year-over-year: 690 (2022-23) → 686 (2023-24), nearly flat (-4).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Murray Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Murray Middle is 21.4:1, which is 0% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 36% 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 Murray Middle?
45.1% of students at Murray Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Murray Middle?
The largest demographic group at Murray Middle is White at 43.4% of enrollment, in Ridgecrest, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Murray Middle?
Murray Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Murray Middle rank among public schools in Ridgecrest?
By Resource Investment Index, Murray Middle ranks #2 of 10 public schools in Ridgecrest, 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 Ridgecrest on the city page.
What other schools are in Sierra Sands Unified?
Besides Murray Middle, Sierra Sands Unified also operates Burroughs High (1,536 students), Las Flores Elementary (526 students), and Faller Elementary (516 students). See the Sierra Sands Unified district page for the complete list.