Enrollment
841
Louisiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Zachary, LA
Northwestern Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Northwestern Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 220003900406
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 90
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northwestern Middle School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Louisiana median.
- #1 of 7
- public schools in Zachary · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.5:1
- students per teacher
- 48.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Northwestern Middle School has class sizes near the Louisiana median. Computed live against every Louisiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northwestern Middle School ranks #1 of 7 public schools in Zachary, LA.
School address
District: Zachary Community School District · Louisiana
NCES ID 220003900406 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 16.8:1 Louisiana avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.6%
vs 62.5% Louisiana avg
-22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northwestern Middle School compares with Louisiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northwestern Middle School
Northwestern Middle School is a large middle school in Zachary, Louisiana, enrolling 841 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Louisiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 48.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Louisiana, bigger than 90% of state schools at 841 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,330 scored Louisiana schools.
Against 264 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #100.
Its student body is led by African American (61%) and White (30%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 841 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 3.9% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Zachary Community School District spends $12,545 per pupil, 23% below the Louisiana average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Zachary Community School District also operates Zachary High School (1,726 students) and Copper Mill Elementary/Middle School (837 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 Louisiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Louisiana | Louisiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.5:1 | ▲ 4% | 16.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.6% | ▼ 22% | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 841 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
841
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% below the Louisiana average of 62.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 63% in Louisiana - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
3.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$12,545
per pupil, district-wide
- below Louisiana avg of $16,376
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 841 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
108
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 12.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
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
African American 61.1%
White 30.1%
Hispanic or Latino 3.6%
Two or More 3.6%
Asian 1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 61.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.3, Northwestern Middle School is more mixed than the Louisiana school average of 43.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Zachary Community School District, which includes Northwestern Middle School.
$12,545
Per student
-23%
vs Louisiana
Avg $16,376
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.8%
State 44.5%
Federal 9.7%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zachary High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Copper Mill Elementary/Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Zachary Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rollins Place Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northwestern Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower 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
- 1,726
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 837
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 778
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 774
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 337
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Louisiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~841 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northwestern Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Northwestern Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Zachary Community 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 Northwestern Middle School
How many students attend Northwestern Middle School?
Northwestern Middle School has 841 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Zachary, LA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northwestern Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Northwestern Middle School is 17.5:1, which is 4% higher than the Louisiana average of 16.8:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northwestern Middle School?
48.6% of students at Northwestern Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Louisiana average of 62.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northwestern Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Northwestern Middle School is African American at 61.1% of enrollment, in Zachary, LA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northwestern Middle School?
Northwestern Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 Northwestern Middle School rank among public schools in Zachary?
By Resource Investment Index, Northwestern Middle School ranks #1 of 7 public schools in Zachary, LA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Zachary on the city page.
Is Northwestern Middle School a good school?
Northwestern Middle School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Louisiana 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 Zachary Community School District?
Besides Northwestern Middle School, Zachary Community School District also operates Zachary High School (1,726 students), Copper Mill Elementary/Middle School (837 students), and Zachary Elementary School (778 students). See the Zachary Community 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.