Enrollment
782
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Salina, KS
Salina South Middle
Federal NCES profile for Salina South Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 201137000520
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Salina South Middle earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kansas median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kansas schools.
- #5 of 14
- public schools in Salina · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.5:1
- students per teacher
- 51.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Salina South Middle has class sizes near the Kansas median. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Salina South Middle ranks #5 of 14 public schools in Salina, KS.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
58.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.5:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
51.5%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
+21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Salina South Middle compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Salina South Middle
Salina South Middle is a higher-need, large middle school in Salina, Kansas, enrolling 782 students.
At 13.5:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Kansas median, within a few percentage points of the 13.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 51.5% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Kansas, bigger than 93% of state schools at 782 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,346 scored Kansas schools.
Against 74 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #24.
Its student body is led by White (52%) and Hispanic or Latino (33%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 261 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Salina spends $18,628 per pupil, 20% above the Kansas average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Salina's middle schools, it stands alongside Lakewood Middle School (647 students): Salina South Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.5:1 vs 12:1).
Salina also operates Salina High South (1,046 students) and Salina High Central (934 students) alongside Salina South 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 Salina South Middle compares
Salina South Middle on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.5:1 | ▼ 2% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 51.5% | ▲ 21% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 782 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.5:1
Leaner classes than 62% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
782
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
51.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% above the Kansas average of 42.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.5:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 53% in Kansas - lower ratio than 47% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
32.9%
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
$18,628
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kansas avg of $15,487
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 261 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
103
in-school suspensions + 52 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.8 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
White 51.8%
Hispanic or Latino 33.4%
Two or More 9.7%
Asian 2.9%
African American 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 51.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.9, Salina South Middle is more mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Salina, which includes Salina South Middle.
$18,628
Per student
+20%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
+12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.2%
State 52.9%
Federal 13.8%
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 Salina South Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salina High South | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Salina High Central | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lakewood Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Meadowlark Ridge Elem | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Stewart Elem | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Salina South Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,046
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 934
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 647
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 431
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 406
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar middle schools in Salina
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~782 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Salina South Middle's federal record.
- Compare Salina South Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Salina'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 Salina South Middle
How many students attend Salina South Middle?
Salina South Middle has 782 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Salina, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Salina South Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Salina South Middle is 13.5:1, which is 2% lower than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 14% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Salina South Middle?
51.5% of students at Salina South Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Salina South Middle?
The largest demographic group at Salina South Middle is White at 51.8% of enrollment, in Salina, KS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Salina South Middle?
Salina South Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Salina South Middle rank among public schools in Salina?
By Resource Investment Index, Salina South Middle ranks #5 of 14 public schools in Salina, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Salina on the city page.
Is Salina South Middle a good school?
Salina South Middle earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kansas median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kansas 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 Salina?
Besides Salina South Middle, Salina also operates Salina High South (1,046 students), Salina High Central (934 students), and Lakewood Middle School (647 students). See the Salina 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.