- Enrollment
- 1,607
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Buhl, AL
Sipsey Valley Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Sipsey Valley Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 010339002154
👥 S:T ratio 12
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sipsey Valley Middle School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Alabama schools.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in Buhl · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.1:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 56.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Sipsey Valley Middle School has class sizes larger than 94% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sipsey Valley Middle School ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Buhl, AL.
School address
District: Tuscaloosa County · Alabama
NCES ID 010339002154 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-12 students YoY
Sipsey Valley Middle School held near 544 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-12 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 26.8 → 27.9 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-12 students YoY 010339002154 · Buhl, AL Elementary · MID · TRAD
575 enr · 22.1:1 · 56.1% lunch · RII 31
Nearest enrollment peer: Tuscaloosa County High School (1,607 students)
Sipsey Valley Middle School held near 544 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-12 headcount). Teacher FTE added 26.8 → 27.9 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Alabama schools → · Find another →
Sipsey Valley Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Tuscaloosa Cou
Tuscaloosa County High School
1,607 students
- Hillcrest High
Hillcrest High School
1,434 students
- Brookwood High
Brookwood High School
1,076 students
- Lake View Elem
Lake View Elementary School
744 students
- Walker Element
Walker Elementary School
743 students
- This school 575
Sipsey Valley Middle School
575 students
What this shows Sipsey Valley Middle School reports 575 students on the CCD universe file.
How Sipsey Valley Middle School compares
Sipsey Valley Middle School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22.1:1 | ▲ 25% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.1% | ▼ 5% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 575 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.1:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
575
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
56.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
22.1:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 94% in Alabama - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
23.1%
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
$11,564
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $13,538
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 575 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
54
in-school suspensions + 38 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 68.3%
African American 17.6%
Hispanic or Latino 12.2%
Two or More 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 68.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.7, Sipsey Valley Middle School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Tuscaloosa County reports $11,564 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Sipsey Valley Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hillcrest High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Brookwood High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lake View Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Walker Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sipsey Valley Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,434
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,076
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 744
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 743
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Nationwide elementary 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 (~575 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.1:1)
Frequently asked questions about Sipsey Valley Middle School
How many students attend Sipsey Valley Middle School?
Sipsey Valley Middle School has 575 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Buhl, AL. CCD year-over-year: 556 (2022-23) → 544 (2023-24), nearly flat (-12).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sipsey Valley Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sipsey Valley Middle School is 22.1:1, which is 25% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 41% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sipsey Valley Middle School?
56.1% of students at Sipsey Valley Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sipsey Valley Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Sipsey Valley Middle School is White at 68.3% of enrollment, in Buhl, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sipsey Valley Middle School?
Sipsey Valley Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower 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 Sipsey Valley Middle School rank among public schools in Buhl?
By Resource Investment Index, Sipsey Valley Middle School ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Buhl, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Tuscaloosa County?
Besides Sipsey Valley Middle School, Tuscaloosa County also operates Tuscaloosa County High School (1,607 students), Hillcrest High School (1,434 students), and Brookwood High School (1,076 students). See the Tuscaloosa County district page for the complete list.