Enrollment
488
Nebraska · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Ralston, NE
Ralston Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Ralston Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 317590001540
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 2
📋 Attendance 13
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ralston Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nebraska median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Nebraska schools.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Ralston · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.8:1
- students per teacher
- 50.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Ralston Middle School has class sizes near the Nebraska median. Computed live against every Nebraska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ralston Middle School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Ralston, NE.
School address
District: Ralston Public Schools · Nebraska
NCES ID 317590001540 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.8:1
vs 13.5:1 Nebraska avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.2%
vs 30.9% Nebraska avg
+62% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ralston Middle School compares with Nebraska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ralston Middle School
Ralston Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Ralston, Nebraska, enrolling 488 students.
At 12.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Nebraska median, within a few percentage points of the 13.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 50.2% of students qualify for free meals, 62% above the Nebraska average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 488 puts it in the larger third of Nebraska schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 1,003 Nebraska schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 82 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Nebraska schools statewide, it ranks #77, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (45%) and White (39%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 63/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 488 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Ralston Public Schools spends $12,318 per pupil, 30% below the Nebraska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 183 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 488 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Ralston Public Schools also operates Ralston High School (1,024 students) and Mockingbird Elementary School (473 students) alongside Ralston 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 Ralston Middle School compares
Ralston Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Nebraska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nebraska | Nebraska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.8:1 | ▼ 5% | 13.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.2% | ▲ 62% | 30.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 488 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.8:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
488
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 62% above the Nebraska average of 30.9%
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
12.8:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 49% in Nebraska - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
34.6%
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
$12,318
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nebraska avg of $17,680
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 488 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
101
in-school suspensions + 82 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 20.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 37.5 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
Hispanic or Latino 45.3%
White 39.1%
Two or More 8.0%
African American 6.6%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 45.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.1, Ralston Middle School is more mixed than the Nebraska school average of 34.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Ralston Public Schools, which includes Ralston Middle School.
$12,318
Per student
-30%
vs Nebraska
Avg $17,680
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 61.3%
State 28.8%
Federal 9.9%
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 Ralston Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ralston High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mockingbird Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Blumfield Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Meadows Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wildewood Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ralston Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,024
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 473
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 373
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 330
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 303
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Nebraska, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~488 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ralston Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Ralston Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Ralston 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 Ralston Middle School
How many students attend Ralston Middle School?
Ralston Middle School has 488 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Ralston, NE.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ralston Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ralston Middle School is 12.8:1, which is 5% lower than the Nebraska average of 13.5:1 and 18% 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 Ralston Middle School?
50.2% of students at Ralston Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nebraska average of 30.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ralston Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Ralston Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 45.3% of enrollment, in Ralston, NE. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ralston Middle School?
Ralston Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Ralston Middle School rank among public schools in Ralston?
By Resource Investment Index, Ralston Middle School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Ralston, NE. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Ralston on the city page.
Is Ralston Middle School a good school?
Ralston Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nebraska median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Nebraska 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 Ralston Public Schools?
Besides Ralston Middle School, Ralston Public Schools also operates Ralston High School (1,024 students), Mockingbird Elementary School (473 students), and Blumfield Elementary School (373 students). See the Ralston 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.