Enrollment
1,181
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Semmes, AL
Semmes Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Semmes Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 20/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 010237000955
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Semmes Middle School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also one of the largest schools in Alabama.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Semmes · Resource Index
- 20
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.4:1
- students per teacher
- 61.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Semmes Middle School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Semmes Middle School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Semmes, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
68.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.4:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
61.8%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+5% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Semmes Middle School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Semmes Middle School
Semmes Middle School is a higher-need, large middle school in Semmes, Alabama, enrolling 1,181 students.
At 17.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Alabama median, within a few percentage points of the 17.7:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 61.8% lands close to the Alabama typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Alabama, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,181 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 1,365 Alabama schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 142 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #133, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (61%) and African American (24%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 394 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 69.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 443 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,181 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Mobile County also operates Baker High School (2,271 students) and Mary G Montgomery High School (1,888 students) alongside Semmes 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 Semmes Middle School compares
Semmes 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 | 17.4:1 | ▼ 2% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 61.8% | ▲ 5% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,181 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.4:1
Leaner classes than 28% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,181
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
61.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% 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
17.4:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 50% in Alabama - lower ratio than 50% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
69.1%
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
$12,163
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 394 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
129
in-school suspensions + 314 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 37.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 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
White 61.0%
African American 24.1%
Hispanic or Latino 10.4%
Two or More 3.6%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 61.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.8, Semmes Middle School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mobile County, which includes Semmes Middle School.
$12,163
Per student
-3%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.3%
State 49.5%
Federal 24.2%
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 Semmes Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baker High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mary G Montgomery High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Alma Bryant High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Wp Davidson High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bernice J Causey Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Semmes Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,271
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,888
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 1,624
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 1,470
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 1,339
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
Similar middle 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 (~1,181 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Semmes Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Semmes Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Mobile 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 Semmes Middle School
How many students attend Semmes Middle School?
Semmes Middle School has 1,181 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Semmes, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Semmes Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Semmes Middle School is 17.4:1, which is 2% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 11% 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 Semmes Middle School?
61.8% of students at Semmes Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Semmes Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Semmes Middle School is White at 61.0% of enrollment, in Semmes, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Semmes Middle School?
Semmes Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 20/100 (lower 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 Semmes Middle School rank among public schools in Semmes?
By Resource Investment Index, Semmes Middle School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Semmes, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Semmes on the city page.
Is Semmes Middle School a good school?
Semmes Middle School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also one of the largest schools in Alabama. 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 Mobile County?
Besides Semmes Middle School, Mobile County also operates Baker High School (2,271 students), Mary G Montgomery High School (1,888 students), and Alma Bryant High School (1,624 students). See the Mobile 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.