Enrollment
953
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Stafford, VA
Shirley C. Heim Middle
Federal NCES profile for Shirley C. Heim Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 510366002781
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 52
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Shirley C. Heim Middle earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median.
- #5 of 5
- middle schools in Stafford · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.2:1
- students per teacher
- 50.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Shirley C. Heim Middle has class sizes near the Virginia median. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Shirley C. Heim Middle ranks #5 of 5 middle schools in Stafford, VA.
School address
District: Stafford County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510366002781 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
72.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.2:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.4%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Shirley C. Heim Middle compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Shirley C. Heim Middle
Shirley C. Heim Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Stafford, Virginia, enrolling 953 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 50.4% lands close to the Virginia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 953 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 155 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #58.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (40%) and White (26%) (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 318 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Stafford's middle schools, it stands alongside Rodney E. Thompson Middle (1,063 students): Shirley C. Heim Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.2:1 vs 15.9:1).
Stafford County Public Schools also operates Mountain View High (2,233 students) and Brooke Point High (2,199 students) alongside Shirley C. Heim 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 Shirley C. Heim Middle compares
Shirley C. Heim Middle on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.2:1 | ▼ 5% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.4% | ▼ 13% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 953 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.2:1
Leaner classes than 65% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
953
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% below the Virginia average of 57.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.2:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 40% in Virginia - lower ratio than 60% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
19.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,415
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
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 318 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
57
in-school suspensions + 94 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 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
Hispanic or Latino 39.8%
White 26.0%
African American 20.7%
Two or More 7.1%
Asian 6.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 39.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.2, Shirley C. Heim Middle is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Stafford County Public Schools, which includes Shirley C. Heim Middle.
$12,415
Per student
-15%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.8%
State 52.1%
Federal 11.1%
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 Shirley C. Heim Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain View High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Brooke Point High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Stafford Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Colonial Forge High | Larger | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
| North Stafford High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Shirley C. Heim Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,233
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 2,199
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 2,198
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 2,122
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 1,982
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar middle schools in Stafford
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Rodney E. Thompson Middle
Standard public school
1,063 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
H.H. Poole Middle
Standard public school
995 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Stafford Middle
Standard public school
961 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Andrew G. Wright Middle
Standard public school
851 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~953 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Shirley C. Heim Middle's federal record.
- Compare Shirley C. Heim Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Stafford County Public Schools'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 Shirley C. Heim Middle
How many students attend Shirley C. Heim Middle?
Shirley C. Heim Middle has 953 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Stafford, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Shirley C. Heim Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Shirley C. Heim Middle is 13.2:1, which is 5% lower than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 16% 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 Shirley C. Heim Middle?
50.4% of students at Shirley C. Heim Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Shirley C. Heim Middle?
The largest demographic group at Shirley C. Heim Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 39.8% of enrollment, in Stafford, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Shirley C. Heim Middle?
Shirley C. Heim Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher 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 Shirley C. Heim Middle rank among middle schools in Stafford?
By Resource Investment Index, Shirley C. Heim Middle ranks #5 of 5 middle schools in Stafford, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Stafford on the city page.
Is Shirley C. Heim Middle a good school?
Shirley C. Heim Middle earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia 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 Stafford County Public Schools?
Besides Shirley C. Heim Middle, Stafford County Public Schools also operates Mountain View High (2,233 students), Brooke Point High (2,199 students), and Stafford Senior High (2,198 students). See the Stafford County Public Schools 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.