- Enrollment
- 2,012
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Arroyo Grande, CA
Paulding Middle
Federal NCES profile for Paulding Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 062308003528
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 47
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Paulding Middle earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 70% of California schools.
- #7 of 8
- public schools in Arroyo Grande · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.4:1
- small classes for California
- 33.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Paulding Middle has class sizes smaller than 70% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Paulding Middle ranks #7 of 8 public schools in Arroyo Grande, CA.
School address
District: Lucia Mar Unified · California
NCES ID 062308003528 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+26 students YoY
Paulding Middle held near 562 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+26 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 28.3 → 28.7 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+26 students YoY 062308003528 · Arroyo Grande, CA Middle · MID · TRAD
544 enr · 19.4:1 · 33.4% lunch · RII 25
Nearest enrollment peer: Arroyo Grande High (2,012 students)
Paulding Middle held near 562 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+26 headcount). Teacher FTE added 28.3 → 28.7 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Paulding Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Arroyo Grande
Arroyo Grande High
2,012 students
- Nipomo High
Nipomo High
819 students
- Harloe Element 619
Harloe Elementary
619 students
- Dana Elementar 612
Dana Elementary
612 students
- Lange (Dorothe 577
Lange (Dorothea) Elementary
577 students
- This school 544
Paulding Middle
544 students
What this shows Paulding Middle reports 544 students on the CCD universe file.
How Paulding Middle compares
Paulding Middle held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.4:1 | ▼ 10% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.4% | ▼ 40% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 544 | top 39% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.4:1
Leaner classes than 18% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
544
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
33.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
19.4:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 30% in California - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
21.3%
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
$15,856
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 544 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 42 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
Student demographics
White 49.7%
Hispanic or Latino 38.9%
Two or More 7.7%
Asian 2.6%
African American 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 49.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.5, Paulding Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Lucia Mar Unified reports $15,856 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Paulding Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arroyo Grande High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Nipomo High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Harloe Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dana Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lange (Dorothea) Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Paulding Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 819
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 619
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 612
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 577
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar middle schools in Arroyo Grande
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
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 (~544 students)
Frequently asked questions about Paulding Middle
How many students attend Paulding Middle?
Paulding Middle has 544 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Arroyo Grande, CA. CCD year-over-year: 536 (2022-23) → 562 (2023-24), nearly flat (+26).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Paulding Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Paulding Middle is 19.4:1, which is 10% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 24% 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 Paulding Middle?
33.4% of students at Paulding Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Paulding Middle?
The largest demographic group at Paulding Middle is White at 49.7% of enrollment, in Arroyo Grande, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Paulding Middle?
Paulding Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower 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 Paulding Middle rank among public schools in Arroyo Grande?
By Resource Investment Index, Paulding Middle ranks #7 of 8 public schools in Arroyo Grande, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Arroyo Grande on the city page.
What other schools are in Lucia Mar Unified?
Besides Paulding Middle, Lucia Mar Unified also operates Arroyo Grande High (2,012 students), Nipomo High (819 students), and Harloe Elementary (619 students). See the Lucia Mar Unified district page for the complete list.