Enrollment
1,192
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · South Gate, CA
South Gate Middle
Federal NCES profile for South Gate Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 062271003363
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 52
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Gate Middle earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #6 of 27
- public schools in South Gate · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.6:1
- small classes for California
- 89.8%
- free-lunch eligible
South Gate Middle has class sizes smaller than 75% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Gate Middle ranks #6 of 27 public schools in South Gate, CA.
School address
District: Los Angeles Unified · California
NCES ID 062271003363 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
64.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.6:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
89.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
+62% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Gate Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Gate Middle
South Gate Middle is a high-poverty, large middle school in South Gate, California, enrolling 1,192 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 18.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 89.8% of students qualify for free meals, 62% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 92% of state schools at 1,192 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 362 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #68.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (97% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 6/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 238 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 45.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Los Angeles Unified spends $21,940 per pupil, 33% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among South Gate's middle schools, it stands alongside Southeast Middle (1,215 students): South Gate Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.6:1 vs 24.3:1).
Los Angeles Unified also operates Grover Cleveland Charter High (2,719 students) and North Hollywood Senior High (2,444 students) alongside South Gate 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 South Gate Middle compares
South Gate Middle on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.6:1 | ▼ 13% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 89.8% | ▲ 62% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,192 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.6:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,192
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
89.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 62% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.6:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 25% in California - lower ratio than 75% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
45.6%
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
$21,940
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 238 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 96.8%
White 2.4%
Asian 0.3%
Two or More 0.3%
African American 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 96.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 6.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 6.2, South Gate Middle is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Los Angeles Unified, which includes South Gate Middle.
$21,940
Per student
+33%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.3%
State 54.5%
Federal 19.2%
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 South Gate Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grover Cleveland Charter High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Hollywood Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Phineas Banning Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| San Pedro Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Venice Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Gate Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,719
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,444
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,422
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,398
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,293
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar middle schools in South Gate
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 California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,192 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Gate Middle's federal record.
- Compare South Gate Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Los Angeles Unified'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 South Gate Middle
How many students attend South Gate Middle?
South Gate Middle has 1,192 students enrolled. It is a middle school in South Gate, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Gate Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at South Gate Middle is 18.6:1, which is 13% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 18% 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 South Gate Middle?
89.8% of students at South Gate Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Gate Middle?
The largest demographic group at South Gate Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 96.8% of enrollment, in South Gate, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Gate Middle?
South Gate Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 South Gate Middle rank among public schools in South Gate?
By Resource Investment Index, South Gate Middle ranks #6 of 27 public schools in South Gate, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in South Gate on the city page.
Is South Gate Middle a good school?
South Gate Middle earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California 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 Los Angeles Unified?
Besides South Gate Middle, Los Angeles Unified also operates Grover Cleveland Charter High (2,719 students), North Hollywood Senior High (2,444 students), and Phineas Banning Senior High (2,422 students). See the Los Angeles Unified 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.