- Enrollment
- 1,847
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Huntsville, AL
Ronald Mcnair 78
Federal NCES profile for Ronald Mcnair 78, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 010180002379
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 22
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ronald Mcnair 78 earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Alabama schools.
- #10 of 11
- middle schools in Huntsville · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.7:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 87.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Ronald Mcnair 78 has class sizes larger than 93% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ronald Mcnair 78 ranks #10 of 11 middle schools in Huntsville, AL.
School address
District: Huntsville City · Alabama
NCES ID 010180002379 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-3 students YoY
Ronald Mcnair 78 held near 411 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-3 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 18.3 → 20.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-3 students YoY 010180002379 · Huntsville, AL Middle · SMALL · TRAD
390 enr · 21.7:1 · 87.2% lunch · RII 26
Nearest enrollment peer: Virgil Grissom High School (1,847 students)
Ronald Mcnair 78 held near 411 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-3 headcount). Teacher FTE added 18.3 → 20.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Alabama schools → · Find another →
Ronald Mcnair 78 in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Virgil Grissom
Virgil Grissom High School
1,847 students
- Huntsville Hig
Huntsville High School
1,807 students
- Providence Ele
Providence Elementary
1,152 students
- Goldsmithschif
Goldsmithschiffman Elementary
935 students
- Columbia High
Columbia High School
916 students
- This school 390
Ronald Mcnair 78
390 students
What this shows Ronald Mcnair 78 reports 390 students on the CCD universe file.
How Ronald Mcnair 78 compares
Ronald Mcnair 78 held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.7:1 | ▲ 23% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 87.2% | ▲ 48% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 390 | top 66% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.7:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
390
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
87.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
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
21.7:1
students per teacher
- 23% above state mean
Top 93% in Alabama - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
42.3%
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
$13,146
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $13,538
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 390 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
48
in-school suspensions + 139 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 12.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 47.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 30 expulsions.
Student demographics
African American 66.7%
Hispanic or Latino 24.9%
White 3.8%
Two or More 3.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 66.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.0, Ronald Mcnair 78 is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Huntsville City reports $13,146 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Ronald Mcnair 78 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virgil Grissom High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Huntsville High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Providence Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Goldsmithschiffman Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Columbia High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ronald Mcnair 78's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,807
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,152
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 935
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 916
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar middle schools in Huntsville
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Monrovia Middle School
Standard public school
988 students 19.8:1 students per teacher
Williams Middle School
Standard public school
659 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
Whitesburg Middle School
Standard public school
535 students 19.1:1 students per teacher
Huntsville Junior High School
Standard public school
530 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Challenger Middle School
Standard public school
425 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Morris Middle School
Standard public school
397 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
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 (~390 students)
Frequently asked questions about Ronald Mcnair 78
How many students attend Ronald Mcnair 78?
Ronald Mcnair 78 has 390 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Huntsville, AL. CCD year-over-year: 414 (2022-23) → 411 (2023-24), nearly flat (-3).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ronald Mcnair 78?
The student-teacher ratio at Ronald Mcnair 78 is 21.7:1, which is 23% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ronald Mcnair 78?
87.2% of students at Ronald Mcnair 78 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ronald Mcnair 78?
The largest demographic group at Ronald Mcnair 78 is African American at 66.7% of enrollment, in Huntsville, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ronald Mcnair 78?
Ronald Mcnair 78 has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower 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 Ronald Mcnair 78 rank among middle schools in Huntsville?
By Resource Investment Index, Ronald Mcnair 78 ranks #10 of 11 middle schools in Huntsville, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Huntsville on the city page.
What other schools are in Huntsville City?
Besides Ronald Mcnair 78, Huntsville City also operates Virgil Grissom High School (1,847 students), Huntsville High School (1,807 students), and Providence Elementary (1,152 students). See the Huntsville City district page for the complete list.