Enrollment
709
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · National City, CA
National City Middle
Federal NCES profile for National City Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 063864006489
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 65
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
National City Middle earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #2 of 15
- public schools in National City · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 25.3:1
- large classes for California
- 84.4%
- free-lunch eligible
National City Middle has class sizes larger than 81% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, National City Middle ranks #2 of 15 public schools in National City, CA.
School address
District: Sweetwater Union High · California
NCES ID 063864006489 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
84.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
+52% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How National City Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at National City Middle
National City Middle is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in National City, California, enrolling 709 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.3:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 84.4% of students qualify for free meals, 52% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 709 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,612 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #241.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (89% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 21/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 177 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Sweetwater Union High also operates Eastlake High (2,557 students) and Otay Ranch Senior High (2,440 students) alongside National City Middle.
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 National City Middle compares
National City Middle on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 25.3:1 | ▲ 18% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 84.4% | ▲ 52% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 709 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.3:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
709
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
84.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 52% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
25.3:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 81% in California - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
23.3%
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
$13,859
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 177 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 49 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.9 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 88.6%
Asian 6.8%
White 2.1%
Two or More 1.7%
African American 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 88.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 21.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 21.0, National City Middle is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sweetwater Union High, which includes National City Middle.
$13,859
Per student
-16%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.2%
State 58.4%
Federal 9.4%
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 National City Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastlake High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Otay Ranch Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sweetwater High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Olympian High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bonita Vista Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to National City Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,557
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,440
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,290
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,289
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,960
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~709 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on National City Middle's federal record.
- Compare National City Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Sweetwater Union High'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 National City Middle
How many students attend National City Middle?
National City Middle has 709 students enrolled. It is a middle school in National City, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at National City Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at National City Middle is 25.3:1, which is 18% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 61% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at National City Middle?
84.4% of students at National City Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of National City Middle?
The largest demographic group at National City Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 88.6% of enrollment, in National City, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for National City Middle?
National City Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 National City Middle rank among public schools in National City?
By Resource Investment Index, National City Middle ranks #2 of 15 public schools in National City, 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 National City on the city page.
Is National City Middle a good school?
National City Middle earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California 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 Sweetwater Union High?
Besides National City Middle, Sweetwater Union High also operates Eastlake High (2,557 students), Otay Ranch Senior High (2,440 students), and Sweetwater High (2,290 students). See the Sweetwater Union High 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.