Enrollment
178
Louisiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Natchitoches, LA
N.S.U. Middle Lab School
Federal NCES profile for N.S.U. Middle Lab 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 220114000838
👥 S:T ratio 11
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 99
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
N.S.U. Middle Lab School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Louisiana schools.
- #4 of 10
- public schools in Natchitoches · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 22.3:1
- large classes for Louisiana
- 33.1%
- free-lunch eligible
N.S.U. Middle Lab School has class sizes larger than 92% of Louisiana schools. Computed live against every Louisiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, N.S.U. Middle Lab School ranks #4 of 10 public schools in Natchitoches, LA.
School address
District: Natchitoches Parish · Louisiana
NCES ID 220114000838 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
8.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.3:1
vs 16.8:1 Louisiana avg
+33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.1%
vs 62.5% Louisiana avg
-47% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How N.S.U. Middle Lab School compares with Louisiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at N.S.U. Middle Lab School
N.S.U. Middle Lab School is a small middle school in Natchitoches, Louisiana, enrolling 178 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.3:1 is larger than about 92% of Louisiana schools and 33% above the 16.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 33.1% free-meal eligibility runs 47% below the Louisiana average.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 91% of Louisiana schools, with 178 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,330 scored Louisiana schools.
Against 18 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #11.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and African American (19%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 356 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 0.6% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 20.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Natchitoches's middle schools, it stands alongside Natchitoches Jr. High School (371 students): N.S.U. Middle Lab School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (22.3:1 vs 15.5:1).
Natchitoches Parish also operates Natchitoches Central High School (1,188 students) and L.P. Vaughn Elementary & Middle School (687 students) alongside N.S.U. Middle Lab 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 N.S.U. Middle Lab School compares
N.S.U. Middle Lab 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 | 22.3:1 | ▲ 33% | 16.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.1% | ▼ 47% | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 178 | top 91% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.3:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
178
Bigger than 17% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% below the Louisiana average of 62.5%
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
22.3:1
students per teacher
- 33% above state mean
Top 92% in Louisiana - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
0.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$15,353
per pupil, district-wide
- below Louisiana avg of $16,376
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.7 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 70.2%
African American 19.1%
Hispanic or Latino 5.1%
Two or More 3.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Asian 0.6%
Largest group: White at 70.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.6, N.S.U. Middle Lab School is more mixed than the Louisiana school average of 43.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Natchitoches Parish, which includes N.S.U. Middle Lab School.
$15,353
Per student
-6%
vs Louisiana
Avg $16,376
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.8%
State 36.4%
Federal 20.8%
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 N.S.U. Middle Lab School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natchitoches Central High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| L.P. Vaughn Elementary & Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Provencal Elementary & Junior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Natchitoches Magnet School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| East Natchitoches Elementary & Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to N.S.U. Middle Lab School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,188
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 687
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 444
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 66/100
- Enrollment
- 420
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 70/100
- Enrollment
- 383
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar middle schools in Natchitoches
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 Louisiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~178 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on N.S.U. Middle Lab School's federal record.
- Compare N.S.U. Middle Lab School against another school. Compare schools
- Natchitoches Parish'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 N.S.U. Middle Lab School
How many students attend N.S.U. Middle Lab School?
N.S.U. Middle Lab School has 178 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Natchitoches, LA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at N.S.U. Middle Lab School?
The student-teacher ratio at N.S.U. Middle Lab School is 22.3:1, which is 33% higher than the Louisiana average of 16.8:1 and 42% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at N.S.U. Middle Lab School?
33.1% of students at N.S.U. Middle Lab School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Louisiana average of 62.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of N.S.U. Middle Lab School?
The largest demographic group at N.S.U. Middle Lab School is White at 70.2% of enrollment, in Natchitoches, LA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for N.S.U. Middle Lab School?
N.S.U. Middle Lab 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 N.S.U. Middle Lab School rank among public schools in Natchitoches?
By Resource Investment Index, N.S.U. Middle Lab School ranks #4 of 10 public schools in Natchitoches, 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 Natchitoches on the city page.
Is N.S.U. Middle Lab School a good school?
N.S.U. Middle Lab School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Louisiana 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 Natchitoches Parish?
Besides N.S.U. Middle Lab School, Natchitoches Parish also operates Natchitoches Central High School (1,188 students), L.P. Vaughn Elementary & Middle School (687 students), and Provencal Elementary & Junior High School (444 students). See the Natchitoches Parish 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.