Enrollment
531
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Lynchburg, VA
Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation
Federal NCES profile for Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 510234000955
👥 S:T ratio 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 23
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of Virginia schools.
- #2 of 4
- middle schools in Lynchburg · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.3:1
- small classes for Virginia
- 95.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation has class sizes smaller than 86% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation ranks #2 of 4 middle schools in Lynchburg, VA.
School address
District: Lynchburg City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510234000955 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.3:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
95.1%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+65% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation
Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Lynchburg, Virginia, enrolling 531 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.3:1, Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation is leaner than roughly 86% of Virginia schools and 19% under the state's 13.9:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 95.1% of students qualify for free meals, 65% above the Virginia average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 531 students, its enrollment sits close to the Virginia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 329 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #129.
Its student body is led by African American (47%) and White (31%) (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 266 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 189 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 531 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Lynchburg's middle schools, it stands alongside Brookville Middle (648 students): Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.3:1 vs 12:1).
Lynchburg City Public Schools also operates E.C. Glass High (1,220 students) and Heritage High (1,113 students) alongside Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation.
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 Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation compares
Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.3:1 | ▼ 19% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 95.1% | ▲ 65% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 531 | top 53% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.3:1
Leaner classes than 81% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
531
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
95.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 65% above the Virginia average of 57.6%
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
11.3:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 14% in Virginia - lower ratio than 86% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
30.9%
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
$15,211
per pupil, district-wide
- above Virginia avg of $14,649
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 266 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
69
in-school suspensions + 120 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 35.6 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
African American 46.9%
White 31.1%
Hispanic or Latino 12.4%
Two or More 8.9%
Asian 0.8%
Largest group: African American at 46.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.0, Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lynchburg City Public Schools, which includes Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation.
$15,211
Per student
+4%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.2%
State 50.0%
Federal 16.8%
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 Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| E.C. Glass High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Heritage High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sandusky Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Linkhorne Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Heritage Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,220
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,113
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 583
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 519
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 448
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar middle schools in Lynchburg
3 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 Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~531 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation's federal record.
- Compare Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation against another school. Compare schools
- Lynchburg City Public Schools'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 Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation
How many students attend Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation?
Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation has 531 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Lynchburg, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation?
The student-teacher ratio at Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation is 11.3:1, which is 19% lower than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 28% 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 Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation?
95.1% of students at Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation?
The largest demographic group at Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation is African American at 46.9% of enrollment, in Lynchburg, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation?
Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (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 Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation rank among middle schools in Lynchburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation ranks #2 of 4 middle schools in Lynchburg, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Lynchburg on the city page.
Is Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation a good school?
Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of Virginia 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 Lynchburg City Public Schools?
Besides Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation, Lynchburg City Public Schools also operates E.C. Glass High (1,220 students), Heritage High (1,113 students), and Sandusky Middle (583 students). See the Lynchburg City Public Schools 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.