Enrollment
533
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Opelika, AL
Sanford Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Sanford Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 010207000793
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sanford Middle School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median.
- #5 of 7
- elementary schools in Opelika · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.7:1
- students per teacher
- 67.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Sanford Middle School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sanford Middle School ranks #5 of 7 elementary schools in Opelika, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.7:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.2%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sanford Middle School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sanford Middle School
Sanford Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Opelika, Alabama, enrolling 533 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 16.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 67.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 533 students, its enrollment sits close to the Alabama median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 430 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #284.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and African American (21%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 533 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 291 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 533 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Opelika's elementary schools, it stands alongside Southview Primary School (480 students): Sanford Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.7:1 vs 17.1:1).
Lee County also operates Smiths Station High School (1,588 students) and Smiths Station Junior High School (910 students) alongside Sanford 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 Sanford Middle School compares
Sanford Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.7:1 | ▼ 6% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.2% | ▲ 14% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 533 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.7:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
533
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.7:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 39% in Alabama - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
28.3%
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
$11,578
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $12,491
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 533 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
137
in-school suspensions + 154 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 25.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 54.6 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 59.5%
African American 20.5%
Hispanic or Latino 10.5%
Two or More 9.6%
Largest group: White at 59.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.4, Sanford Middle School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lee County, which includes Sanford Middle School.
$11,578
Per student
-7%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.3%
State 53.3%
Federal 14.4%
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 Sanford Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smiths Station High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Smiths Station Junior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Smiths Station Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Smiths Station Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Beauregard Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sanford Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,588
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 910
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 811
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 785
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 783
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Opelika
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Southview Primary School
Standard public school
480 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Northside School
Standard public school
464 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
Jeter Primary School
Standard public school
435 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Carver Primary School
Standard public school
414 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Morris Avenue Intermediate School
Standard public school
397 students 20.9:1 students per teacher
West Forest Intermediate School
Standard public school
393 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~533 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sanford Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Sanford Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Lee 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 Sanford Middle School
How many students attend Sanford Middle School?
Sanford Middle School has 533 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Opelika, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sanford Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sanford Middle School is 16.7:1, which is 6% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 6% higher 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 Sanford Middle School?
67.2% of students at Sanford Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sanford Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Sanford Middle School is White at 59.5% of enrollment, in Opelika, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sanford Middle School?
Sanford Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Sanford Middle School rank among elementary schools in Opelika?
By Resource Investment Index, Sanford Middle School ranks #5 of 7 elementary schools in Opelika, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Opelika on the city page.
Is Sanford Middle School a good school?
Sanford Middle School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. 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 Lee County?
Besides Sanford Middle School, Lee County also operates Smiths Station High School (1,588 students), Smiths Station Junior High School (910 students), and West Smiths Station Elementary School (811 students). See the Lee 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.