Enrollment
729
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Lancaster, CA
Piute Middle
Federal NCES profile for Piute Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 062088002512
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Piute Middle earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of California schools.
- #1 of 7
- middle schools in Lancaster · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.4:1
- small classes for California
- 91.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Piute Middle has class sizes smaller than 82% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Piute Middle ranks #1 of 7 middle schools in Lancaster, CA.
School address
District: Lancaster Elementary · California
NCES ID 062088002512 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
91.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
+64% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Piute Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Piute Middle
Piute Middle is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Lancaster, California, enrolling 729 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 17.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 91.0% of students qualify for free meals, 64% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 729 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,090 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #87, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (64%) and African American (27%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 250 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 60.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Lancaster's middle schools, it stands alongside Amargosa Creek Middle (859 students): Piute Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.4:1 vs 18.3:1).
Lancaster Elementary also operates Amargosa Creek Middle (859 students) and New Vista Middle (835 students) alongside Piute 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 Piute Middle compares
Piute Middle on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.4:1 | ▼ 19% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 91.0% | ▲ 64% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 729 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.4:1
Leaner classes than 28% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
729
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
91.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 64% above the California average of 55.5%
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
17.4:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 18% in California - lower ratio than 82% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
60.5%
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
$16,048
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.9 FTE
Per 250 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 89 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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
Hispanic or Latino 63.6%
African American 26.7%
White 4.7%
Two or More 3.6%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 63.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.1, Piute Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lancaster Elementary, which includes Piute Middle.
$16,048
Per student
-3%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.4%
State 64.4%
Federal 19.3%
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 Piute Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amargosa Creek Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| New Vista Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Endeavour Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Monte Vista Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| El Dorado Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Piute Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 859
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 835
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 805
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 788
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 766
- Students per teacher
- 26.4:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar middle schools in Lancaster
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Amargosa Creek Middle
Standard public school
859 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
New Vista Middle
Standard public school
835 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Endeavour Middle
Standard public school
805 students 21.2:1 students per teacher
Joe Walker Middle
Standard public school
781 students 25.2:1 students per teacher
Gifford C. Cole Middle
Standard public school
697 students 20.5:1 students per teacher
Fulton and Alsbury Academy of Arts and Engineering
Standard public school
414 students 31.8:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~729 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Piute Middle's federal record.
- Compare Piute Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Lancaster Elementary'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 Piute Middle
How many students attend Piute Middle?
Piute Middle has 729 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Lancaster, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Piute Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Piute Middle is 17.4:1, which is 19% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 11% 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 Piute Middle?
91.0% of students at Piute Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Piute Middle?
The largest demographic group at Piute Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 63.6% of enrollment, in Lancaster, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Piute Middle?
Piute Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Piute Middle rank among middle schools in Lancaster?
By Resource Investment Index, Piute Middle ranks #1 of 7 middle schools in Lancaster, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Lancaster on the city page.
Is Piute Middle a good school?
Piute Middle earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of California 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 Lancaster Elementary?
Besides Piute Middle, Lancaster Elementary also operates Amargosa Creek Middle (859 students), New Vista Middle (835 students), and Endeavour Middle (805 students). See the Lancaster Elementary 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.