Enrollment
837
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · London, KY
South Laurel Middle School
Federal NCES profile for South Laurel Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 210321000858
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Laurel Middle School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median.
- #9 of 15
- public schools in London · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.1:1
- students per teacher
- 66.0%
- free-lunch eligible
South Laurel Middle School has class sizes near the Kentucky median. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Laurel Middle School ranks #9 of 15 public schools in London, KY.
School address
District: Laurel County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210321000858 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
52.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.0%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Laurel Middle School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Laurel Middle School
South Laurel Middle School is a higher-need, large middle school in London, Kentucky, enrolling 837 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 66.0% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Kentucky, bigger than 90% of state schools at 837 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 269 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #164.
Its student body is predominantly White (92% of enrollment) (diversity index 16/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 279 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 40.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 17.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 358 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 837 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among London's middle schools, it stands alongside North Laurel Middle School (970 students): South Laurel Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.1:1 vs 15.6:1).
Laurel County also operates North Laurel High School (1,252 students) and South Laurel High School (1,119 students) alongside South Laurel 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 Laurel Middle School compares
South Laurel Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.1:1 | ▲ 6% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.0% | ▲ 11% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 837 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
837
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% above the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 65% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
40.6%
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
$11,261
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kentucky avg of $13,211
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 279 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
271
in-school suspensions + 87 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 32.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 42.8 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
White 91.8%
Hispanic or Latino 4.1%
Two or More 1.7%
African American 1.3%
Asian 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 91.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 15.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 15.5, South Laurel Middle School is less mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Laurel County, which includes South Laurel Middle School.
$11,261
Per student
-15%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.5%
State 60.7%
Federal 17.9%
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 Laurel Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Laurel High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Laurel High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Laurel Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hunter Hills Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| London Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Laurel Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,252
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,119
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 970
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 617
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 592
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar middle schools in London
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 Kentucky, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~837 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Laurel Middle School's federal record.
- Compare South Laurel Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Laurel 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 Laurel Middle School
How many students attend South Laurel Middle School?
South Laurel Middle School has 837 students enrolled. It is a middle school in London, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Laurel Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Laurel Middle School is 16.1:1, which is 6% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Laurel Middle School?
66.0% of students at South Laurel Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Laurel Middle School?
The largest demographic group at South Laurel Middle School is White at 91.8% of enrollment, in London, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Laurel Middle School?
South Laurel Middle School 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 Laurel Middle School rank among public schools in London?
By Resource Investment Index, South Laurel Middle School ranks #9 of 15 public schools in London, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in London on the city page.
Is South Laurel Middle School a good school?
South Laurel Middle School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky 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 Laurel County?
Besides South Laurel Middle School, Laurel County also operates North Laurel High School (1,252 students), South Laurel High School (1,119 students), and North Laurel Middle School (970 students). See the Laurel 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.