Enrollment
601
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Walla Walla, WA
Pioneer Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Pioneer Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 530945001605
👥 S:T ratio 27
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 60
📋 Attendance 45
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pioneer Middle School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #4 of 10
- public schools in Walla Walla · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 18.2:1
- students per teacher
- 65.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Pioneer Middle School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pioneer Middle School ranks #4 of 10 public schools in Walla Walla, WA.
School address
District: Walla Walla Public Schools · Washington
NCES ID 530945001605 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.2:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.1%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pioneer Middle School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pioneer Middle School
Pioneer Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Walla Walla, Washington, enrolling 601 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 65.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 601 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 362 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #67.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (42%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 200 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.1% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Discipline events run high: 156 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 601 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Walla Walla Public Schools also operates Walla Walla High School (1,554 students) and Garrison Middle School (546 students) alongside Pioneer Middle 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 Pioneer Middle School compares
Pioneer Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.1% | ▲ 45% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 601 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.2:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
601
Bigger than 73% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% above the Washington average of 45.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 67% in Washington - lower ratio than 33% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
22.1%
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
$16,699
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 200 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
97
in-school suspensions + 59 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 26.0 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 51.4%
Hispanic or Latino 41.9%
Two or More 4.0%
Asian 1.8%
African American 0.8%
Largest group: White at 51.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.8, Pioneer Middle School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Walla Walla Public Schools, which includes Pioneer Middle School.
$16,699
Per student
-14%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 11.6%
State 76.2%
Federal 12.2%
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 Pioneer Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walla Walla High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Garrison Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Green Park Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Edison Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Prospect Point Elementary | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pioneer Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,554
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 546
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 526
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 464
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 414
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Washington, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~601 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pioneer Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Pioneer Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Walla Walla 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 Pioneer Middle School
How many students attend Pioneer Middle School?
Pioneer Middle School has 601 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Walla Walla, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pioneer Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Pioneer Middle School is 18.2:1, which is 3% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 16% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Pioneer Middle School?
65.1% of students at Pioneer Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pioneer Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Pioneer Middle School is White at 51.4% of enrollment, in Walla Walla, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pioneer Middle School?
Pioneer Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (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 Pioneer Middle School rank among public schools in Walla Walla?
By Resource Investment Index, Pioneer Middle School ranks #4 of 10 public schools in Walla Walla, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Walla Walla on the city page.
Is Pioneer Middle School a good school?
Pioneer Middle School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. 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 Walla Walla Public Schools?
Besides Pioneer Middle School, Walla Walla Public Schools also operates Walla Walla High School (1,554 students), Garrison Middle School (546 students), and Green Park Elementary School (526 students). See the Walla Walla 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.