Enrollment
264
Tennessee · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Chattanooga, TN
Orchard Knob Middle
Federal NCES profile for Orchard Knob Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 470159000801
👥 S:T ratio 65
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Orchard Knob Middle earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 95% of Tennessee schools.
- #3 of 8
- middle schools in Chattanooga · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 8.8:1
- small classes for Tennessee
- 264
- students enrolled
Orchard Knob Middle has class sizes smaller than 95% of Tennessee schools. Computed live against every Tennessee school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Orchard Knob Middle ranks #3 of 8 middle schools in Chattanooga, TN.
School address
District: Hamilton County · Tennessee
NCES ID 470159000801 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8.8:1
vs 15.3:1 Tennessee avg
-42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Orchard Knob Middle compares with Tennessee and U.S. medians
What stands out at Orchard Knob Middle
Orchard Knob Middle is a mid-sized middle school in Chattanooga, Tennessee, enrolling 264 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8.8:1, Orchard Knob Middle is leaner than roughly 95% of Tennessee schools and 42% under the state's 15.3:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Enrollment of 264 puts it in the smaller third of Tennessee schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,838 scored Tennessee schools.
Its student body is led by African American (60%) and Hispanic or Latino (27%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 264 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 78.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 107 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 264 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Chattanooga's middle schools, it stands alongside East Ridge Middle School (591 students): Orchard Knob Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8.8:1 vs 12.1:1).
Hamilton County also operates Signal Mountain Middle/High School (1,396 students) and The Howard School (1,329 students) alongside Orchard Knob Middle.
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 Orchard Knob Middle compares
Orchard Knob Middle on the metrics families compare, against Tennessee and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Tennessee | Tennessee avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 8.8:1 | ▼ 42% | 15.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 264 | top 82% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.8:1
Leaner classes than 93% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
264
Bigger than 27% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
8.8:1
students per teacher
- 42% below state mean
Top 5% in Tennessee - lower ratio than 95% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
78.8%
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
$12,002
per pupil, district-wide
- above Tennessee avg of $10,822
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 264 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
31
in-school suspensions + 76 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 40.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 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 59.5%
Hispanic or Latino 26.5%
Two or More 9.8%
White 4.2%
Largest group: African American at 59.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.4, Orchard Knob Middle is more mixed than the Tennessee school average of 38.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hamilton County, which includes Orchard Knob Middle.
$12,002
Per student
+11%
vs Tennessee
Avg $10,822
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.2%
State 31.6%
Federal 21.1%
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 Orchard Knob Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signal Mountain Middle/High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| The Howard School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Hamilton High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ooltewah High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Brainerd Elementary | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Orchard Knob Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,396
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 1,329
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,293
- Students per teacher
- 68.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,233
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,177
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar middle schools in Chattanooga
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
East Ridge Middle School
Standard public school
591 students 12.1:1 students per teacher
East Lake Academy of Fine Arts
Standard public school
549 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Red Bank Middle School
Standard public school
533 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Tyner Middle Academy
Standard public school
401 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Dalewood Middle School
Standard public school
290 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Chattanooga Charter School of Excellence Middle
Standard public school
250 students 27.8:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Tennessee, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~264 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~8.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Orchard Knob Middle's federal record.
- Compare Orchard Knob Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Hamilton 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 Orchard Knob Middle
How many students attend Orchard Knob Middle?
Orchard Knob Middle has 264 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Chattanooga, TN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Orchard Knob Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Orchard Knob Middle is 8.8:1, which is 42% lower than the Tennessee average of 15.3:1 and 44% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Orchard Knob Middle?
The largest demographic group at Orchard Knob Middle is African American at 59.5% of enrollment, in Chattanooga, TN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Orchard Knob Middle?
Orchard Knob Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Orchard Knob Middle rank among middle schools in Chattanooga?
By Resource Investment Index, Orchard Knob Middle ranks #3 of 8 middle schools in Chattanooga, TN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Chattanooga on the city page.
Is Orchard Knob Middle a good school?
Orchard Knob Middle earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 95% of Tennessee 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 Hamilton County?
Besides Orchard Knob Middle, Hamilton County also operates Signal Mountain Middle/High School (1,396 students), The Howard School (1,329 students), and East Hamilton High School (1,293 students). See the Hamilton 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.