Enrollment
583
Ohio · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Columbus, OH
Norton Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Norton Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 390448001668
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Norton Middle School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Ohio median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Ohio schools.
- #22 of 29
- middle schools in Columbus · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.2:1
- students per teacher
- 62.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Norton Middle School has class sizes near the Ohio median. Computed live against every Ohio school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Norton Middle School ranks #22 of 29 middle schools in Columbus, OH.
School address
District: South-Western City · Ohio
NCES ID 390448001668 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.2:1
vs 18.2:1 Ohio avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.1%
vs 31.6% Ohio avg
+97% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Norton Middle School compares with Ohio and U.S. medians
What stands out at Norton Middle School
Norton Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Columbus, Ohio, enrolling 583 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 16.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Ohio schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 62.1% of students qualify for free meals, 97% above the Ohio average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 583 puts it in the larger third of Ohio schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,574 scored Ohio schools.
Among 161 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Ohio schools statewide, it ranks #117, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (35%) and Hispanic or Latino (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 73/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 583 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 53.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 212 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 583 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 8 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Columbus's middle schools, it stands alongside Woodward Park Middle School (836 students): Norton Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.2:1 vs 16.1:1).
South-Western City also operates Grove City High School (1,881 students) and Westland High School (1,853 students) alongside Norton 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 Norton Middle School compares
Norton Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Ohio and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Ohio | Ohio avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.2:1 | ▼ 11% | 18.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.1% | ▲ 97% | 31.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 583 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
583
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 97% above the Ohio average of 31.6%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 39% in Ohio - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
53.3%
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
$13,569
per pupil, district-wide
- below Ohio avg of $14,655
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 583 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
79
in-school suspensions + 133 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 36.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 8 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
White 35.2%
Hispanic or Latino 31.6%
African American 18.7%
Two or More 8.6%
Asian 6.0%
Largest group: White at 35.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.0, Norton Middle School is more mixed than the Ohio school average of 35.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South-Western City, which includes Norton Middle School.
$13,569
Per student
-7%
vs Ohio
Avg $14,655
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.8%
State 47.4%
Federal 13.8%
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 Norton Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grove City High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westland High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central Crossing High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Franklin Heights High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Buckeye Woods Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Norton Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,881
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,853
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,674
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 1,398
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 742
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar middle schools in Columbus
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Woodward Park Middle School
Standard public school
836 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Dominion Middle School
Standard public school
745 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Finland Middle School
Standard public school
673 students 18.7:1 students per teacher
Mccord Middle School
Standard public school
636 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
World Language Middle School
Standard public school
536 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Arts Impact Middle School (Aims)
Standard public school
507 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Ohio, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~583 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Norton Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Norton Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- South-Western City'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 Norton Middle School
How many students attend Norton Middle School?
Norton Middle School has 583 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Columbus, OH.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Norton Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Norton Middle School is 16.2:1, which is 11% lower than the Ohio average of 18.2:1 and 3% 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 Norton Middle School?
62.1% of students at Norton Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Ohio average of 31.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Norton Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Norton Middle School is White at 35.2% of enrollment, in Columbus, OH. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Norton Middle School?
Norton Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (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 Norton Middle School rank among middle schools in Columbus?
By Resource Investment Index, Norton Middle School ranks #22 of 29 middle schools in Columbus, OH. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Columbus on the city page.
Is Norton Middle School a good school?
Norton Middle School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Ohio median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Ohio 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 South-Western City?
Besides Norton Middle School, South-Western City also operates Grove City High School (1,881 students), Westland High School (1,853 students), and Central Crossing High School (1,674 students). See the South-Western City 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.