Enrollment
456
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Oroville, CA
Nelson Avenue Middle
Federal NCES profile for Nelson Avenue Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 063918006544
👥 S:T ratio 17
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 54
📋 Attendance 7
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Nelson Avenue Middle earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #9 of 27
- public schools in Oroville · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.7:1
- students per teacher
- 76.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Nelson Avenue Middle has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Nelson Avenue Middle ranks #9 of 27 public schools in Oroville, CA.
School address
District: Thermalito Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 063918006544 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
+38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Nelson Avenue Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Nelson Avenue Middle
Nelson Avenue Middle is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Oroville, California, enrolling 456 students.
At 20.7:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 76.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 456 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 2,127 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #910.
Its student body is led by White (36%) and Asian (36%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 228 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Oroville's middle schools, it stands alongside Ishi Hills Middle (294 students): Nelson Avenue Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.7:1 vs 19.6:1).
Thermalito Union Elementary also operates Sierra Avenue Elementary (365 students) and Plumas Avenue Elementary (322 students) alongside Nelson Avenue 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 Nelson Avenue Middle compares
Nelson Avenue 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 | 20.7:1 | ▼ 4% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.6% | ▲ 38% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 456 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.7:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
456
Bigger than 56% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
76.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
20.7:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 41% in California - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
37.3%
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
$16,669
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 228 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 37 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.4 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
White 35.5%
Asian 35.5%
Hispanic or Latino 15.6%
Two or More 9.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.2%
African American 1.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: Asian at 35.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.5, Nelson Avenue Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Thermalito Union Elementary, which includes Nelson Avenue Middle.
$16,669
Per student
+1%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+0%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 12.7%
State 64.1%
Federal 23.2%
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 Nelson Avenue Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Avenue Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Plumas Avenue Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Poplar Avenue Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Siskiyou Avenue Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Heritage Community Day | Smaller | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Nelson Avenue Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 365
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 322
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 321
- Students per teacher
- 29.2:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 46
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 8/100
- Enrollment
- 5
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 63/100
Similar middle schools in Oroville
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
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 (~456 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Nelson Avenue Middle's federal record.
- Compare Nelson Avenue Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Thermalito Union Elementary'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 Nelson Avenue Middle
How many students attend Nelson Avenue Middle?
Nelson Avenue Middle has 456 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Oroville, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Nelson Avenue Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Nelson Avenue Middle is 20.7:1, which is 4% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 32% 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 Nelson Avenue Middle?
76.6% of students at Nelson Avenue Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Nelson Avenue Middle?
The largest demographic group at Nelson Avenue Middle is Asian at 35.5% of enrollment, in Oroville, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Nelson Avenue Middle?
Nelson Avenue Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 Nelson Avenue Middle rank among public schools in Oroville?
By Resource Investment Index, Nelson Avenue Middle ranks #9 of 27 public schools in Oroville, 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 Oroville on the city page.
Is Nelson Avenue Middle a good school?
Nelson Avenue Middle earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools. 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 Thermalito Union Elementary?
Besides Nelson Avenue Middle, Thermalito Union Elementary also operates Sierra Avenue Elementary (365 students), Plumas Avenue Elementary (322 students), and Poplar Avenue Elementary (321 students). See the Thermalito Union Elementary 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.