Enrollment
1,080
New York · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Centereach, NY
Selden Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Selden Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 361920001745
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Selden Middle School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of New York schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New York schools.
- #3 of 8
- public schools in Centereach · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.2:1
- large classes for New York
- 35.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Selden Middle School has class sizes larger than 82% of New York schools. Computed live against every New York school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Selden Middle School ranks #3 of 8 public schools in Centereach, NY.
School address
District: Middle Country Central School District · New York
NCES ID 361920001745 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
76.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 11.8:1 New York avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.6%
vs 56.2% New York avg
-37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Selden Middle School compares with New York and U.S. medians
What stands out at Selden Middle School
Selden Middle School is a large middle school in Centereach, New York, enrolling 1,080 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.2:1 puts it in the larger third of New York schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 35.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in New York, bigger than 93% of state schools at 1,080 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 4,801 scored New York schools.
Among 291 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New York schools statewide, it ranks #250, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (41%) and Hispanic or Latino (38%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 360 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Middle Country Central School District also operates Newfield High School (1,553 students) and Centereach High School (1,467 students) alongside Selden 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 Selden Middle School compares
Selden Middle School on the metrics families compare, against New York and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New York | New York avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.2:1 | ▲ 20% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.6% | ▼ 37% | 56.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,080 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,080
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% below the New York average of 56.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 82% in New York - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
28.5%
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
$26,762
per pupil, district-wide
- above New York avg of $26,410
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 360 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
39
in-school suspensions + 103 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.1 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 41.0%
Hispanic or Latino 37.9%
Asian 10.0%
African American 7.9%
Two or More 3.2%
Largest group: White at 41.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.1, Selden Middle School is more mixed than the New York school average of 45.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Middle Country Central School District, which includes Selden Middle School.
$26,762
Per student
+1%
vs New York
Avg $26,410
+61%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 48.3%
State 47.9%
Federal 3.8%
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 Selden Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newfield High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Centereach High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dawnwood Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| New Lane Memorial Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Unity Drive Kindergarten-Pre K Center | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Selden Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,553
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,467
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 967
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 771
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 478
- Students per teacher
- 26.6:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New York, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,080 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Selden Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Selden Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Middle Country Central School District'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 Selden Middle School
How many students attend Selden Middle School?
Selden Middle School has 1,080 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Centereach, NY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Selden Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Selden Middle School is 14.2:1, which is 20% higher than the New York average of 11.8:1 and 10% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Selden Middle School?
35.6% of students at Selden Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New York average of 56.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Selden Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Selden Middle School is White at 41.0% of enrollment, in Centereach, NY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Selden Middle School?
Selden Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Selden Middle School rank among public schools in Centereach?
By Resource Investment Index, Selden Middle School ranks #3 of 8 public schools in Centereach, NY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Centereach on the city page.
Is Selden Middle School a good school?
Selden Middle School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of New York schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New York 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 Middle Country Central School District?
Besides Selden Middle School, Middle Country Central School District also operates Newfield High School (1,553 students), Centereach High School (1,467 students), and Dawnwood Middle School (967 students). See the Middle Country Central School District 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.