- Enrollment
- 2,699
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Riverside, CA
Sierra Middle
Federal NCES profile for Sierra Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 063315005158
👥 S:T ratio 8
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 32
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sierra Middle earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #3 of 11
- middle schools in Riverside · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 23:1
- students per teacher
- 74.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Sierra Middle has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sierra Middle ranks #3 of 11 middle schools in Riverside, CA.
School address
District: Riverside Unified · California
NCES ID 063315005158 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+5 students YoY
Sierra Middle held near 835 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+5 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 36.1 → 37.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+5 students YoY 063315005158 · Riverside, CA Middle · MID · TRAD
829 enr · 23:1 · 74.6% lunch · RII 36
Nearest enrollment peer: Martin Luther King Jr. High (2,699 students)
Sierra Middle held near 835 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+5 headcount). Teacher FTE added 36.1 → 37.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Sierra Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Martin Luther
Martin Luther King Jr. High
2,699 students
- Polytechnic Hi
Polytechnic High
2,484 students
- Ramona High
Ramona High
2,142 students
- John W. North
John W. North High
2,011 students
- Arlington High
Arlington High
1,920 students
- This school 829
Sierra Middle
829 students
What this shows Sierra Middle reports 829 students on the CCD universe file.
How Sierra Middle compares
Sierra Middle held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 23:1 | ▲ 7% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.6% | ▲ 34% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 829 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
829
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
74.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
23:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 62% in California - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
27.3%
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
$16,986
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.5 FTE
Per 332 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 99 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 83.3%
White 7.6%
African American 5.6%
Two or More 1.7%
Asian 1.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 83.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 29.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 29.7, Sierra Middle is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Riverside Unified reports $16,986 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Sierra Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther King Jr. High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Polytechnic High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ramona High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| John W. North High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Arlington High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sierra Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,484
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,142
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,011
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,920
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar middle schools in Riverside
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Ysmael Villegas Middle
Standard public school
1,136 students 21:1 students per teacher
Loma Vista Middle
Standard public school
1,027 students 22.3:1 students per teacher
Chemawa Middle
Standard public school
885 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
University Heights Middle
Standard public school
870 students 24.2:1 students per teacher
Frank Augustus Miller Middle
Standard public school
844 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Matthew Gage Middle
Standard public school
840 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~829 students)
Frequently asked questions about Sierra Middle
How many students attend Sierra Middle?
Sierra Middle has 829 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Riverside, CA. CCD year-over-year: 830 (2022-23) → 835 (2023-24), nearly flat (+5).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sierra Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Sierra Middle is 23:1, which is 7% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 46% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sierra Middle?
74.6% of students at Sierra Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sierra Middle?
The largest demographic group at Sierra Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 83.3% of enrollment, in Riverside, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sierra Middle?
Sierra Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Sierra Middle rank among middle schools in Riverside?
By Resource Investment Index, Sierra Middle ranks #3 of 11 middle schools in Riverside, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Riverside on the city page.
What other schools are in Riverside Unified?
Besides Sierra Middle, Riverside Unified also operates Martin Luther King Jr. High (2,699 students), Polytechnic High (2,484 students), and Ramona High (2,142 students). See the Riverside Unified district page for the complete list.