Enrollment
1,974
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Lawrenceville, GA
Richards Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Richards Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 130255002004
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Richards Middle School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Georgia schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Georgia.
- #6 of 7
- middle schools in Lawrenceville · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.5:1
- large classes for Georgia
- 65.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Richards Middle School has class sizes larger than 70% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Richards Middle School ranks #6 of 7 middle schools in Lawrenceville, GA.
School address
District: Gwinnett County · Georgia
NCES ID 130255002004 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
127.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.6%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Richards Middle School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Richards Middle School
Richards Middle School is a higher-need, large middle school in Lawrenceville, Georgia, enrolling 1,974 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 65.6% lands close to the Georgia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Georgia, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,974 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 49 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #7.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (57%) and African American (27%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 395 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Discipline events run high: 713 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,974 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Lawrenceville's middle schools, it stands alongside Creekland Middle School (1,693 students): Richards Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.5:1 vs 14.5:1).
Gwinnett County also operates Brookwood High School (3,803 students) and Grayson High School (3,627 students) alongside Richards 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 Richards Middle School compares
Richards Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Georgia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Georgia | Georgia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.5:1 | ▲ 8% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.6% | ▲ 8% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,974 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,974
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% above the Georgia average of 60.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 70% in Georgia - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
23.3%
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
$13,113
per pupil, district-wide
- below Georgia avg of $13,863
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 395 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
433
in-school suspensions + 280 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 21.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 36.1 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 57.0%
African American 26.7%
Asian 8.4%
White 5.5%
Two or More 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 57.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.3, Richards Middle School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gwinnett County, which includes Richards Middle School.
$13,113
Per student
-5%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.3%
State 42.0%
Federal 13.7%
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 Richards Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brookwood High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Grayson High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Parkview High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Peachtree Ridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Archer High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Richards Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,803
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 3,627
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 3,216
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 3,155
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 3,058
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar middle schools in Lawrenceville
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Creekland Middle School
Standard public school
1,693 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Sweetwater Middle School
Standard public school
1,470 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Crews Middle School
Standard public school
1,443 students 17:1 students per teacher
Five Forks Middle School
Standard public school
1,239 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
Moore Middle School
Standard public school
971 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Jordan Middle School
Standard public school
757 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Georgia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,974 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Richards Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Richards Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Gwinnett County'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 Richards Middle School
How many students attend Richards Middle School?
Richards Middle School has 1,974 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Lawrenceville, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Richards Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Richards Middle School is 15.5:1, which is 8% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Richards Middle School?
65.6% of students at Richards Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Richards Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Richards Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 57.0% of enrollment, in Lawrenceville, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Richards Middle School?
Richards Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Richards Middle School rank among middle schools in Lawrenceville?
By Resource Investment Index, Richards Middle School ranks #6 of 7 middle schools in Lawrenceville, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Lawrenceville on the city page.
Is Richards Middle School a good school?
Richards Middle School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Georgia schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Georgia. 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 Gwinnett County?
Besides Richards Middle School, Gwinnett County also operates Brookwood High School (3,803 students), Grayson High School (3,627 students), and Parkview High School (3,216 students). See the Gwinnett County 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.