Enrollment
548
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Yuma, AZ
Ron Watson Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Ron Watson Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040960002427
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ron Watson Middle School earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Arizona schools.
- #4 of 7
- middle schools in Yuma · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.1:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 48.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Ron Watson Middle School has class sizes larger than 81% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ron Watson Middle School ranks #4 of 7 middle schools in Yuma, AZ.
School address
District: Yuma Elementary District (4499) · Arizona
NCES ID 040960002427 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.1:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ron Watson Middle School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ron Watson Middle School
Ron Watson Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Yuma, Arizona, enrolling 548 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 48.9% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 548 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Among 351 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #264, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (64%) and White (31%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 548 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 51.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Yuma Elementary District (4499) spends $9,775 per pupil, 26% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 32.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Yuma Elementary District (4499) also operates Castle Dome Middle School (939 students) and Mary a Otondo Elementary School (893 students) alongside Ron Watson 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 Ron Watson Middle School compares
Ron Watson Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.1:1 | ▲ 24% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.9% | ▲ 1% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 548 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.1:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
548
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 1% above the Arizona average of 48.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.1:1
students per teacher
- 24% above state mean
Top 81% in Arizona - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
51.3%
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
$9,775
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arizona avg of $13,145
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 548 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 68 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.8 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 64.4%
White 31.4%
Two or More 1.6%
African American 1.3%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 64.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.6, Ron Watson Middle School is about as mixed as the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Yuma Elementary District (4499), which includes Ron Watson Middle School.
$9,775
Per student
-26%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.6%
State 45.2%
Federal 32.3%
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 Ron Watson Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castle Dome Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mary a Otondo Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Desert Mesa Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sunrise Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| R Pete Woodard Jr High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ron Watson Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 939
- Students per teacher
- 26.1:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 893
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 8/100
- Enrollment
- 876
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 655
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 614
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Arizona, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~548 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ron Watson Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Ron Watson Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Yuma Elementary District (4499)'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 Ron Watson Middle School
How many students attend Ron Watson Middle School?
Ron Watson Middle School has 548 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Yuma, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ron Watson Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ron Watson Middle School is 21.1:1, which is 24% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ron Watson Middle School?
48.9% of students at Ron Watson Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ron Watson Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Ron Watson Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 64.4% of enrollment, in Yuma, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ron Watson Middle School?
Ron Watson Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (lower 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 Ron Watson Middle School rank among middle schools in Yuma?
By Resource Investment Index, Ron Watson Middle School ranks #4 of 7 middle schools in Yuma, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Yuma on the city page.
Is Ron Watson Middle School a good school?
Ron Watson Middle School earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Arizona 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 Yuma Elementary District (4499)?
Besides Ron Watson Middle School, Yuma Elementary District (4499) also operates Castle Dome Middle School (939 students), Mary a Otondo Elementary School (893 students), and Desert Mesa Elementary School (876 students). See the Yuma Elementary District (4499) 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.