Enrollment
876
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Hinesville, GA
Snelson-Golden Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Snelson-Golden Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 130330001007
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 12
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Snelson-Golden Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Georgia schools.
- #5 of 10
- public schools in Hinesville · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.9:1
- large classes for Georgia
- 66.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Snelson-Golden Middle School has class sizes larger than 75% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Snelson-Golden Middle School ranks #5 of 10 public schools in Hinesville, GA.
School address
District: Liberty County · Georgia
NCES ID 130330001007 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
55.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.7%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Snelson-Golden Middle School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Snelson-Golden Middle School
Snelson-Golden Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Hinesville, Georgia, enrolling 876 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 66.7% lands close to the Georgia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 876 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Among 274 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #228, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (64%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 438 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 231 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 876 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Hinesville's middle schools, it stands alongside Lewis Frasier Middle School (828 students): Snelson-Golden Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.9:1 vs 16.9:1).
Liberty County also operates Bradwell Institute (1,900 students) and Liberty County High School (1,192 students) alongside Snelson-Golden 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 Snelson-Golden Middle School compares
Snelson-Golden Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Georgia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Georgia | Georgia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.9:1 | ▲ 10% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.7% | ▲ 10% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 876 | top 26% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
876
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% above the Georgia average of 60.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 75% in Georgia - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
33.3%
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
$12,299
per pupil, district-wide
- below Georgia avg of $13,863
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 438 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
83
in-school suspensions + 148 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 26.4 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
African American 63.8%
Hispanic or Latino 12.7%
White 11.3%
Two or More 10.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.0%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 63.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.4, Snelson-Golden Middle School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Liberty County, which includes Snelson-Golden Middle School.
$12,299
Per student
-11%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.2%
State 53.5%
Federal 19.3%
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 Snelson-Golden Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bradwell Institute | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Liberty County High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Button Gwinnett Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lewis Frasier Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Taylors Creek Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Snelson-Golden Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,900
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,192
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,162
- Students per teacher
- 30.6:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 828
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 765
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar middle schools in Hinesville
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Georgia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~876 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Snelson-Golden Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Snelson-Golden Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Liberty 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 Snelson-Golden Middle School
How many students attend Snelson-Golden Middle School?
Snelson-Golden Middle School has 876 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Hinesville, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Snelson-Golden Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Snelson-Golden Middle School is 15.9:1, which is 10% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Snelson-Golden Middle School?
66.7% of students at Snelson-Golden Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Snelson-Golden Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Snelson-Golden Middle School is African American at 63.8% of enrollment, in Hinesville, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Snelson-Golden Middle School?
Snelson-Golden Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Snelson-Golden Middle School rank among public schools in Hinesville?
By Resource Investment Index, Snelson-Golden Middle School ranks #5 of 10 public schools in Hinesville, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Hinesville on the city page.
Is Snelson-Golden Middle School a good school?
Snelson-Golden Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Georgia 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 Liberty County?
Besides Snelson-Golden Middle School, Liberty County also operates Bradwell Institute (1,900 students), Liberty County High School (1,192 students), and Button Gwinnett Elementary School (1,162 students). See the Liberty 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.