- Enrollment
- 674
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Hutchinson, KS
Prairie Hills Middle
Federal NCES profile for Prairie Hills Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 200420001585
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Prairie Hills Middle earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Kansas schools.
- #4 of 4
- middle schools in Hutchinson · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.6:1
- large classes for Kansas
- 28.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Prairie Hills Middle has class sizes larger than 85% of Kansas schools. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Hills Middle ranks #4 of 4 middle schools in Hutchinson, KS.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-31 students YoY
Prairie Hills Middle shrank from 550 students in 2022-23 to 519 in 2023-24 (-5.6%).
Teacher FTE added 32.8 → 34.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-31 students YoY 200420001585 · Hutchinson, KS Middle · MID · TRAD
532 enr · 16.6:1 · 28.4% lunch · RII 35
Nearest enrollment peer: Buhler High (674 students)
Prairie Hills Middle shrank from 550 students in 2022-23 to 519 in 2023-24 (-5.6%). Teacher FTE added 32.8 → 34.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Kansas schools → · Find another →
Prairie Hills Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Buhler High
Buhler High
674 students
- This school
Prairie Hills Middle
532 students
- Plum Creek Ele
Plum Creek Elementary
448 students
- Union Valley E
Union Valley Elem
435 students
- Buhler Grade S 241
Buhler Grade School
241 students
- Ad Astra Virtu 171
Ad Astra Virtual Academy
171 students
What this shows Prairie Hills Middle reports 532 students on the CCD universe file.
How Prairie Hills Middle compares
Prairie Hills Middle is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.6:1 | ▲ 20% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.4% | ▼ 33% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 532 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.6:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
532
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
28.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 33% 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
16.6:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 85% in Kansas - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
25.8%
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
$11,534
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kansas avg of $15,788
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 532 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
125
in-school suspensions + 39 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 23.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 30.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 85.0%
Hispanic or Latino 9.8%
African American 2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Two or More 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: White at 85.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 26.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 26.7, Prairie Hills Middle is less mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Buhler reports $11,534 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Prairie Hills Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buhler High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Plum Creek Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Union Valley Elem | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Buhler Grade School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ad Astra Virtual Academy | Smaller | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Prairie Hills Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 448
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 435
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 241
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 171
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar middle schools in Hutchinson
3 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 (~532 students)
Frequently asked questions about Prairie Hills Middle
How many students attend Prairie Hills Middle?
Prairie Hills Middle has 532 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Hutchinson, KS. CCD year-over-year: 550 (2022-23) → 519 (2023-24), down 31.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Prairie Hills Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Prairie Hills Middle is 16.6:1, which is 20% higher than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Prairie Hills Middle?
28.4% of students at Prairie Hills Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Prairie Hills Middle?
The largest demographic group at Prairie Hills Middle is White at 85.0% of enrollment, in Hutchinson, KS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Prairie Hills Middle?
Prairie Hills Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Prairie Hills Middle rank among middle schools in Hutchinson?
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Hills Middle ranks #4 of 4 middle schools in Hutchinson, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Hutchinson on the city page.
What other schools are in Buhler?
Besides Prairie Hills Middle, Buhler also operates Buhler High (674 students), Plum Creek Elementary (448 students), and Union Valley Elem (435 students). See the Buhler district page for the complete list.