Enrollment
479
Texas · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Pasadena, TX
Nelda Sullivan Middle
Federal NCES profile for Nelda Sullivan Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 483432012706
👥 S:T ratio 58
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 52
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Nelda Sullivan Middle earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of Texas schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Texas schools.
- #1 of 8
- elementary schools in Pasadena · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10.6:1
- small classes for Texas
- 84.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Nelda Sullivan Middle has class sizes smaller than 87% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Nelda Sullivan Middle ranks #1 of 8 elementary schools in Pasadena, TX.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
45.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.6:1
vs 14.7:1 Texas avg
-28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
84.8%
vs 61.9% Texas avg
+37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Nelda Sullivan Middle compares with Texas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Nelda Sullivan Middle
Nelda Sullivan Middle is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Pasadena, Texas, enrolling 479 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.6:1, Nelda Sullivan Middle is leaner than roughly 87% of Texas schools and 28% under the state's 14.7:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 84.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 479 students, its enrollment sits close to the Texas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 8,960 scored Texas schools.
Among 2,106 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Texas schools statewide, it ranks #46, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (96% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 9/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 240 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 24.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 104 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 479 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Pasadena Isd also operates Dobie H S (3,692 students) and Pasadena Memorial H S (3,177 students) alongside Nelda Sullivan 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 Nelda Sullivan Middle compares
Nelda Sullivan Middle on the metrics families compare, against Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.6:1 | ▼ 28% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 84.8% | ▲ 37% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 479 | top 53% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.6:1
Leaner classes than 85% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
479
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
84.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% above the Texas average of 61.9%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
10.6:1
students per teacher
- 28% below state mean
Top 13% in Texas - lower ratio than 87% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
23.2%
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.
Funding equity
$13,221
per pupil, district-wide
- below Texas avg of $13,644
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 240 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
79
in-school suspensions + 25 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 21.7 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 95.6%
White 2.9%
African American 1.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 95.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 8.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 8.5, Nelda Sullivan Middle is less mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pasadena Isd, which includes Nelda Sullivan Middle.
$13,221
Per student
-3%
vs Texas
Avg $13,644
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.7%
State 43.5%
Federal 24.8%
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 Nelda Sullivan Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dobie H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pasadena Memorial H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sam Rayburn H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pasadena H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Houston H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Nelda Sullivan Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,692
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 3,177
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 2,627
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 2,217
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 2,185
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Texas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~479 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Nelda Sullivan Middle's federal record.
- Compare Nelda Sullivan Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Pasadena Isd'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 Nelda Sullivan Middle
How many students attend Nelda Sullivan Middle?
Nelda Sullivan Middle has 479 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Pasadena, TX.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Nelda Sullivan Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Nelda Sullivan Middle is 10.6:1, which is 28% lower than the Texas average of 14.7:1 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 Nelda Sullivan Middle?
84.8% of students at Nelda Sullivan Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Nelda Sullivan Middle?
The largest demographic group at Nelda Sullivan Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 95.6% of enrollment, in Pasadena, TX.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Nelda Sullivan Middle?
Nelda Sullivan Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (higher 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 Nelda Sullivan Middle rank among elementary schools in Pasadena?
By Resource Investment Index, Nelda Sullivan Middle ranks #1 of 8 elementary schools in Pasadena, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Pasadena on the city page.
Is Nelda Sullivan Middle a good school?
Nelda Sullivan Middle earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of Texas schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Texas 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 Pasadena Isd?
Besides Nelda Sullivan Middle, Pasadena Isd also operates Dobie H S (3,692 students), Pasadena Memorial H S (3,177 students), and Sam Rayburn H S (2,627 students). See the Pasadena Isd 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.