Enrollment
382
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Union Springs, AL
South Highlands Middle School
Federal NCES profile for South Highlands Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 010048000221
👥 S:T ratio 27
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 24
📋 Attendance 81
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Highlands Middle School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Union Springs · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.2:1
- students per teacher
- 78.1%
- free-lunch eligible
South Highlands Middle School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Highlands Middle School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Union Springs, AL.
School address
District: Bullock County · Alabama
NCES ID 010048000221 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.2:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
78.1%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+33% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Highlands Middle School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Highlands Middle School
South Highlands Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Union Springs, Alabama, enrolling 382 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 78.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 382 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 314 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #120.
Its student body is led by African American (78%) and Hispanic or Latino (21%) (diversity index 35/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 382 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.6% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 34.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Bullock County also operates Union Springs Elementary School (497 students) and Bullock County High School (448 students) alongside South Highlands 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 South Highlands Middle School compares
South Highlands Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 78.1% | ▲ 33% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 382 | top 67% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.2:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
382
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
78.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 33% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 63% in Alabama - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
7.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$13,871
per pupil, district-wide
- above Alabama avg of $12,491
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 382 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 78.0%
Hispanic or Latino 21.2%
White 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 78.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.7, South Highlands Middle School is less mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bullock County, which includes South Highlands Middle School.
$13,871
Per student
+11%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 14.7%
State 50.8%
Federal 34.5%
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 Highlands Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union Springs Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bullock County High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Highlands Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 497
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 448
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~382 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Highlands Middle School's federal record.
- Compare South Highlands Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Bullock 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 South Highlands Middle School
How many students attend South Highlands Middle School?
South Highlands Middle School has 382 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Union Springs, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Highlands Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Highlands Middle School is 18.2:1, which is 3% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 16% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Highlands Middle School?
78.1% of students at South Highlands Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Highlands Middle School?
The largest demographic group at South Highlands Middle School is African American at 78.0% of enrollment, in Union Springs, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Highlands Middle School?
South Highlands Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Highlands Middle School rank among public schools in Union Springs?
By Resource Investment Index, South Highlands Middle School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Union Springs, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Union Springs on the city page.
Is South Highlands Middle School a good school?
South Highlands Middle School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama 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 Bullock County?
Besides South Highlands Middle School, Bullock County also operates Union Springs Elementary School (497 students) and Bullock County High School (448 students). See the Bullock 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.