Enrollment
1,760
Texas · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Missouri City, TX
Ronald Thornton Middle
Federal NCES profile for Ronald Thornton Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 481965012242
👥 S:T ratio 8
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 72
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ronald Thornton Middle earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of Texas schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Texas.
- #5 of 5
- middle schools in Missouri City · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22.9:1
- large classes for Texas
- 36.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Ronald Thornton Middle has class sizes larger than 96% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ronald Thornton Middle ranks #5 of 5 middle schools in Missouri City, TX.
School address
District: Fort Bend Isd · Texas
NCES ID 481965012242 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
77.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.9:1
vs 14.7:1 Texas avg
+56% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.3%
vs 61.9% Texas avg
-41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ronald Thornton Middle compares with Texas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ronald Thornton Middle
Ronald Thornton Middle is a large middle school in Missouri City, Texas, enrolling 1,760 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.9:1 is larger than about 96% of Texas schools and 56% above the 14.7:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 36.3% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Texas, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,760 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 8,960 scored Texas schools.
Against 228 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #148.
Its student body is led by African American (39%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 73/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 607 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
11.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Fort Bend Isd spends $10,893 per pupil, 20% below the Texas average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Fort Bend Isd also operates William B Travis H S (3,114 students) and Lawrence E Elkins H S (2,848 students) alongside Ronald Thornton 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 Ronald Thornton Middle compares
Ronald Thornton Middle on the metrics families compare, against Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22.9:1 | ▲ 56% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.3% | ▼ 41% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,760 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.9:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,760
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% below the Texas average of 61.9%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
22.9:1
students per teacher
- 56% above state mean
Top 96% in Texas - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
11.1%
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
$10,893
per pupil, district-wide
- below Texas avg of $13,644
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.9 FTE
Per 607 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
106
in-school suspensions + 87 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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
African American 39.1%
Hispanic or Latino 25.3%
White 20.6%
Asian 8.8%
Two or More 5.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 39.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.0, Ronald Thornton Middle is more mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fort Bend Isd, which includes Ronald Thornton Middle.
$10,893
Per student
-20%
vs Texas
Avg $13,644
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 58.4%
State 26.9%
Federal 14.7%
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 Ronald Thornton Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| William B Travis H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lawrence E Elkins H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ridge Point H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Stephen F Austin H S | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Clements H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ronald Thornton Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,114
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,848
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,816
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,655
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,641
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Texas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,760 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ronald Thornton Middle's federal record.
- Compare Ronald Thornton Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Fort Bend Isd'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 Ronald Thornton Middle
How many students attend Ronald Thornton Middle?
Ronald Thornton Middle has 1,760 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Missouri City, TX.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ronald Thornton Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Ronald Thornton Middle is 22.9:1, which is 56% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 46% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ronald Thornton Middle?
36.3% of students at Ronald Thornton Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ronald Thornton Middle?
The largest demographic group at Ronald Thornton Middle is African American at 39.1% of enrollment, in Missouri City, TX. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ronald Thornton Middle?
Ronald Thornton Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Ronald Thornton Middle rank among middle schools in Missouri City?
By Resource Investment Index, Ronald Thornton Middle ranks #5 of 5 middle schools in Missouri City, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Missouri City on the city page.
Is Ronald Thornton Middle a good school?
Ronald Thornton Middle earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of Texas schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Texas. 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 Fort Bend Isd?
Besides Ronald Thornton Middle, Fort Bend Isd also operates William B Travis H S (3,114 students), Lawrence E Elkins H S (2,848 students), and Ridge Point H S (2,816 students). See the Fort Bend Isd 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.