- Enrollment
- 567
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Paola, KS
Paola Middle
Federal NCES profile for Paola Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 201050000776
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 17
📋 Attendance 52
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Paola Middle earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kansas median.
- #4 of 4
- public schools in Paola · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.9:1
- students per teacher
- 27.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Paola Middle has class sizes near the Kansas median. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Paola Middle ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Paola, KS.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+1 students YoY
Paola Middle held near 431 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+1 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 32.0 → 31.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+1 students YoY 201050000776 · Paola, KS Middle · SMALL · TRAD
413 enr · 12.9:1 · 27.4% lunch · RII 47
Nearest enrollment peer: Paola High (567 students)
Paola Middle held near 431 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+1 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 32.0 → 31.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Kansas schools → · Find another →
Paola Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Paola High
Paola High
567 students
- This school
Paola Middle
413 students
- Cottonwood Ele
Cottonwood Elem
379 students
- Sunflower Elem
Sunflower Elem
373 students
What this shows Paola Middle reports 413 students on the CCD universe file.
How Paola Middle compares
Paola Middle held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.9:1 | ▼ 7% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.4% | ▼ 36% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 413 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.9:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
413
Bigger than 49% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
27.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% below the Kansas average of 42.7%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.9:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 44% in Kansas - lower ratio than 56% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
19.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$22,404
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kansas avg of $15,788
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 413 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 87.7%
Hispanic or Latino 5.6%
Two or More 4.4%
African American 1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Asian 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 87.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 22.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 22.6, Paola Middle is less mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Paola reports $22,404 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Paola Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paola High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cottonwood Elem | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sunflower Elem | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Paola Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 379
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 373
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~413 students)
Frequently asked questions about Paola Middle
How many students attend Paola Middle?
Paola Middle has 413 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Paola, KS. CCD year-over-year: 430 (2022-23) → 431 (2023-24), nearly flat (+1).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Paola Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Paola Middle is 12.9:1, which is 7% lower than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 18% lower 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 Paola Middle?
27.4% of students at Paola Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Paola Middle?
The largest demographic group at Paola Middle is White at 87.7% of enrollment, in Paola, KS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Paola Middle?
Paola Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Paola Middle rank among public schools in Paola?
By Resource Investment Index, Paola Middle ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Paola, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Paola?
Besides Paola Middle, Paola also operates Paola High (567 students), Cottonwood Elem (379 students), and Sunflower Elem (373 students). See the Paola district page for the complete list.