Enrollment
713
Arkansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Van Buren, AR
Northridge Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Northridge Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 051341000393
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 2
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northridge Middle School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Arkansas schools.
- #5 of 10
- public schools in Van Buren · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.6:1
- large classes for Arkansas
- 31.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Northridge Middle School has class sizes larger than 77% of Arkansas schools. Computed live against every Arkansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northridge Middle School ranks #5 of 10 public schools in Van Buren, AR.
School address
District: Van Buren School District · Arkansas
NCES ID 051341000393 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.6:1
vs 13.6:1 Arkansas avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
31.2%
vs 59.2% Arkansas avg
-47% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northridge Middle School compares with Arkansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northridge Middle School
Northridge Middle School is a large middle school in Van Buren, Arkansas, enrolling 713 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Arkansas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 31.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 713 puts it in the larger third of Arkansas schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,066 scored Arkansas schools.
Among 192 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arkansas schools statewide, it ranks #163, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 357 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 194 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 713 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Van Buren School District also operates Van Buren High School (1,232 students) and Butterfield Junior High School (557 students) alongside Northridge Middle School.
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 Northridge Middle School compares
Northridge Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Arkansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arkansas | Arkansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.6:1 | ▲ 22% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 31.2% | ▼ 47% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 713 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.6:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
713
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
31.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% below the Arkansas average of 59.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.6:1
students per teacher
- 22% above state mean
Top 77% in Arkansas - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
39.4%
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
$11,226
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arkansas avg of $12,251
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 357 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
110
in-school suspensions + 84 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 15.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 27.2 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 70.3%
Hispanic or Latino 16.1%
Two or More 8.1%
Asian 2.5%
African American 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 70.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.2, Northridge Middle School is more mixed than the Arkansas school average of 40.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Van Buren School District, which includes Northridge Middle School.
$11,226
Per student
-8%
vs Arkansas
Avg $12,251
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.9%
State 49.4%
Federal 21.6%
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 Northridge Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Van Buren High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Butterfield Junior High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Van Buren Freshman Academy | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| J. J. Izard Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| James R. Tate Elem. School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northridge Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,232
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 557
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 468
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 466
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 459
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Arkansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~713 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northridge Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Northridge Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Van Buren School District'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 Northridge Middle School
How many students attend Northridge Middle School?
Northridge Middle School has 713 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Van Buren, AR.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northridge Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Northridge Middle School is 16.6:1, which is 22% higher than the Arkansas average of 13.6:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northridge Middle School?
31.2% of students at Northridge Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arkansas average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northridge Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Northridge Middle School is White at 70.3% of enrollment, in Van Buren, AR.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northridge Middle School?
Northridge Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Northridge Middle School rank among public schools in Van Buren?
By Resource Investment Index, Northridge Middle School ranks #5 of 10 public schools in Van Buren, AR. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Van Buren on the city page.
Is Northridge Middle School a good school?
Northridge Middle School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Arkansas 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 Van Buren School District?
Besides Northridge Middle School, Van Buren School District also operates Van Buren High School (1,232 students), Butterfield Junior High School (557 students), and Van Buren Freshman Academy (468 students). See the Van Buren School District 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.