Enrollment
1,167
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Alpharetta, GA
Northwestern Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Northwestern Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 130228001631
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 22
📋 Attendance 76
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northwestern Middle School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median.
- #2 of 8
- middle schools in Alpharetta · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.8:1
- students per teacher
- 5.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Northwestern Middle School has class sizes near the Georgia median. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northwestern Middle School ranks #2 of 8 middle schools in Alpharetta, GA.
School address
District: Fulton County · Georgia
NCES ID 130228001631 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
79.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
5.4%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-91% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northwestern Middle School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northwestern Middle School
Northwestern Middle School is a lower-poverty, large middle school in Alpharetta, Georgia, enrolling 1,167 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 5.4% free-meal eligibility runs 91% below the Georgia average.
Enrollment of 1,167 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Among 137 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #14, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (65%) and Asian (12%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 389 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.5% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Alpharetta's middle schools, it stands alongside Desana Middle School (1,278 students): Northwestern Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.8:1 vs 18.5:1).
Fulton County also operates Westlake High School (2,056 students) and Roswell High School (2,035 students) alongside Northwestern 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 Northwestern Middle School compares
Northwestern Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Georgia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Georgia | Georgia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.8:1 | ▲ 3% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 5.4% | ▼ 91% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,167 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,167
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
5.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 91% below the Georgia average of 60.7%
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
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 61% in Georgia - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
9.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$13,999
per pupil, district-wide
- above Georgia avg of $13,863
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 389 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
47
in-school suspensions + 49 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.2 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 65.3%
Asian 11.6%
Hispanic or Latino 9.7%
African American 8.7%
Two or More 4.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 65.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.1, Northwestern Middle School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fulton County, which includes Northwestern Middle School.
$13,999
Per student
+1%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 61.5%
State 26.9%
Federal 11.6%
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 Northwestern Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westlake High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Roswell High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Alpharetta High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Milton High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Langston Hughes High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northwestern Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,056
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 2,035
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,024
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,999
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,891
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar middle schools in Alpharetta
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Desana Middle School
Standard public school
1,278 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Hopewell Middle School
Standard public school
1,265 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Autrey Mill Middle School
Standard public school
1,256 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Taylor Road Middle School
Standard public school
1,244 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Webb Bridge Middle School
Standard public school
1,228 students 15:1 students per teacher
Haynes Bridge Middle School
Standard public school
627 students 11.4:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Georgia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,167 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northwestern Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Northwestern Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Fulton 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 Northwestern Middle School
How many students attend Northwestern Middle School?
Northwestern Middle School has 1,167 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Alpharetta, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northwestern Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Northwestern Middle School is 14.8:1, which is 3% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northwestern Middle School?
5.4% of students at Northwestern Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northwestern Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Northwestern Middle School is White at 65.3% of enrollment, in Alpharetta, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northwestern Middle School?
Northwestern Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (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 Northwestern Middle School rank among middle schools in Alpharetta?
By Resource Investment Index, Northwestern Middle School ranks #2 of 8 middle schools in Alpharetta, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Alpharetta on the city page.
Is Northwestern Middle School a good school?
Northwestern Middle School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median. 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 Fulton County?
Besides Northwestern Middle School, Fulton County also operates Westlake High School (2,056 students), Roswell High School (2,035 students), and Alpharetta High School (2,024 students). See the Fulton 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.