Enrollment
139
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Aurora, CO
South Middle School
Federal NCES profile for South Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 67/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 080234000079
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 86
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Middle School earns 67/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median.
- #1 of 16
- middle schools in Aurora · Resource Index
- 67
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.9:1
- students per teacher
- 80.6%
- free-lunch eligible
South Middle School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Middle School ranks #1 of 16 middle schools in Aurora, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080234000079 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
10.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.9:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
80.6%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+109% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Middle School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Middle School
South Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Aurora, Colorado, enrolling 139 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 80.6% of students qualify for free meals, 109% above the Colorado average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 139 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 97% of the 1,922 Colorado schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 40 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #5, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 70 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Discipline events run high: 111 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 139 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the Counties of Adams and a also operates Aurora Central Campus (2,468 students) and Rangeview High School (2,078 students) alongside South 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 Middle School compares
South Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.9:1 | ▼ 16% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 80.6% | ▲ 109% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 139 | top 84% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.9:1
Leaner classes than 58% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
139
Bigger than 14% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
80.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 109% above the Colorado average of 38.5%
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
13.9:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 31% in Colorado - lower ratio than 69% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Funding equity
$16,314
per pupil, district-wide
- above Colorado avg of $16,273
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 70 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 106 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 79.9 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.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the Counties of Adams and a, which includes South Middle School.
$16,314
Per student
+0%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-2%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.4%
State 41.1%
Federal 12.5%
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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora Central Campus | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rangeview High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gateway High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hinkley High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,468
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 2,078
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,045
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,748
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,527
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Colorado, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~139 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Middle School's federal record.
- Compare South Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the Counties of Adams and a'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 Middle School
How many students attend South Middle School?
South Middle School has 139 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Aurora, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Middle School is 13.9:1, which is 16% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 11% lower 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 Middle School?
80.6% of students at South Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Middle School?
South Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 67/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does South Middle School rank among middle schools in Aurora?
By Resource Investment Index, South Middle School ranks #1 of 16 middle schools in Aurora, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Aurora on the city page.
Is South Middle School a good school?
South Middle School earns 67/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado 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 Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the Counties of Adams and a?
Besides South Middle School, Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the Counties of Adams and a also operates Aurora Central Campus (2,468 students), Rangeview High School (2,078 students), and Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory (2,045 students). See the Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the Counties of Adams and a district page for the complete list.
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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.