Enrollment
394
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Northport, AL
Northside Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Northside Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 010339002087
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 60
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northside Middle School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Alabama schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #5 of 14
- public schools in Northport · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.8:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 35.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Northside Middle School has class sizes larger than 71% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northside Middle School ranks #5 of 14 public schools in Northport, AL.
School address
District: Tuscaloosa County · Alabama
NCES ID 010339002087 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.8:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.8%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northside Middle School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northside Middle School
Northside Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Northport, Alabama, enrolling 394 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 35.8% free-meal eligibility runs 39% below the Alabama average.
With 394 students, its enrollment sits close to the Alabama median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 161 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #52.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 17/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 394 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
16.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Discipline events run high: 84 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 394 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Northport's middle schools, it stands alongside Echols Middle School (738 students): Northside Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.8:1 vs 17.6:1).
Tuscaloosa County also operates Tuscaloosa County High School (1,607 students) and Hillcrest High School (1,434 students) alongside Northside 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 Northside Middle School compares
Northside Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.8:1 | ▲ 6% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.8% | ▼ 39% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 394 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.8:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
394
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.8:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 71% in Alabama - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
16.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,186
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $12,491
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 394 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
38
in-school suspensions + 46 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 21.3 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 90.9%
Hispanic or Latino 4.8%
African American 2.0%
Two or More 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 90.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.1, Northside Middle School is less mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tuscaloosa County, which includes Northside Middle School.
$11,186
Per student
-10%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.0%
State 58.1%
Federal 14.9%
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 Northside Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa County High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hillcrest High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Brookwood High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lake View Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Walker Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northside Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,607
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,434
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,076
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 744
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 743
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar middle schools in Northport
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 Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~394 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northside Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Northside Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Tuscaloosa County'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 Northside Middle School
How many students attend Northside Middle School?
Northside Middle School has 394 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Northport, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northside Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Northside Middle School is 18.8:1, which is 6% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northside Middle School?
35.8% of students at Northside Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northside Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Northside Middle School is White at 90.9% of enrollment, in Northport, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northside Middle School?
Northside Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Northside Middle School rank among public schools in Northport?
By Resource Investment Index, Northside Middle School ranks #5 of 14 public schools in Northport, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Northport on the city page.
Is Northside Middle School a good school?
Northside Middle School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Alabama schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama 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 Tuscaloosa County?
Besides Northside Middle School, Tuscaloosa County also operates Tuscaloosa County High School (1,607 students), Hillcrest High School (1,434 students), and Brookwood High School (1,076 students). See the Tuscaloosa County 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.