Enrollment
452
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Madera, CA
Ranchos Middle
Federal NCES profile for Ranchos Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 060006810543
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ranchos Middle earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of California schools.
- #2 of 5
- middle schools in Madera · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 30.1:1
- large classes for California
- 37.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Ranchos Middle has class sizes larger than 96% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ranchos Middle ranks #2 of 5 middle schools in Madera, CA.
School address
District: Golden Valley Unified · California
NCES ID 060006810543 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
30.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+40% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
37.5%
vs 55.5% California avg
-32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ranchos Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ranchos Middle
Ranchos Middle is a mid-sized middle school in Madera, California, enrolling 452 students.
Class loads run heavy: 30.1:1 is larger than about 96% of California schools and 40% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 37.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 452 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,263 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #564.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (51%) and White (35%) (diversity index 61/100).
14.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Golden Valley Unified spends $12,451 per pupil, 25% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Madera's middle schools, it stands alongside Thomas Jefferson Middle (948 students): Ranchos Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (30.1:1 vs 19.3:1).
Golden Valley Unified also operates Liberty High (748 students) and Stone Creek Elementary (672 students) alongside Ranchos 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 Ranchos Middle compares
Ranchos 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 | 30.1:1 | ▲ 40% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.5% | ▼ 32% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 452 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
30.1:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
452
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
37.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% 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
30.1:1
students per teacher
- 40% above state mean
Top 96% in California - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
14.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$12,451
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.1 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 33 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 50.7%
White 35.2%
Asian 7.7%
African American 2.9%
Two or More 2.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 50.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.1, Ranchos Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Golden Valley Unified, which includes Ranchos Middle.
$12,451
Per student
-25%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.5%
State 49.2%
Federal 8.4%
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 Ranchos Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Stone Creek Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Webster Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sierra View Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Freedom Home | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ranchos Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 748
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 672
- Students per teacher
- 42:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 634
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 365
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 53
- Students per teacher
- 53:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
Similar middle schools in Madera
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Thomas Jefferson Middle
Standard public school
948 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Martin Luther King Jr. Middle
Standard public school
865 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Jack G. Desmond Middle
Standard public school
838 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Sherman Thomas Stem Academy
Standard public school
75 students 37.5:1 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 (~452 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~30.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ranchos Middle's federal record.
- Compare Ranchos Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Golden Valley Unified'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 Ranchos Middle
How many students attend Ranchos Middle?
Ranchos Middle has 452 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Madera, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ranchos Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Ranchos Middle is 30.1:1, which is 40% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 92% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ranchos Middle?
37.5% of students at Ranchos Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ranchos Middle?
The largest demographic group at Ranchos Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 50.7% of enrollment, in Madera, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ranchos Middle?
Ranchos Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ranchos Middle rank among middle schools in Madera?
By Resource Investment Index, Ranchos Middle ranks #2 of 5 middle schools in Madera, 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 Madera on the city page.
Is Ranchos Middle a good school?
Ranchos Middle earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% 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 Golden Valley Unified?
Besides Ranchos Middle, Golden Valley Unified also operates Liberty High (748 students), Stone Creek Elementary (672 students), and Webster Elementary (634 students). See the Golden Valley Unified 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.