Enrollment
535
Minnesota · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · South Saint Paul, MN
South St. Paul Middle School
Federal NCES profile for South St. Paul Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 273327005313
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South St. Paul Middle School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Minnesota median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota schools.
- #7 of 8
- public schools in South Saint Paul · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.2:1
- students per teacher
- 47.0%
- free-lunch eligible
South St. Paul Middle School has class sizes near the Minnesota median. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South St. Paul Middle School ranks #7 of 8 public schools in South Saint Paul, MN.
School address
District: South St. Paul Public School Dist · Minnesota
NCES ID 273327005313 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.2:1
vs 15.8:1 Minnesota avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
47.0%
vs 42.8% Minnesota avg
+10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South St. Paul Middle School compares with Minnesota and U.S. medians
What stands out at South St. Paul Middle School
South St. Paul Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in South Saint Paul, Minnesota, enrolling 535 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Minnesota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 47.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 535 puts it in the larger third of Minnesota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,334 scored Minnesota schools.
Among 297 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Minnesota schools statewide, it ranks #248, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (44%) and Hispanic or Latino (35%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 268 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 61.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 115 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 535 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
South St. Paul Public School Dist also operates South St. Paul High School (866 students) and Lincoln Center Elementary (670 students) alongside South St. Paul 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 St. Paul Middle School compares
South St. Paul Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 47.0% | ▲ 10% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 535 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
535
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
47.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% above the Minnesota average of 42.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 64% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
61.7%
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
$14,499
per pupil, district-wide
- below Minnesota avg of $15,270
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 268 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 112 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 21.5 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 43.7%
Hispanic or Latino 34.6%
African American 9.9%
Two or More 7.7%
Asian 3.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 43.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.2, South St. Paul Middle School is more mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South St. Paul Public School Dist, which includes South St. Paul Middle School.
$14,499
Per student
-5%
vs Minnesota
Avg $15,270
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.6%
State 62.3%
Federal 12.0%
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 St. Paul Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South St. Paul High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Center Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Kaposia Education Center Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| S St. Paul Community Lrng. Cntr. | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Early Childhood Special Ed Program | Smaller | Higher economic need | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to South St. Paul Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 866
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 670
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 620
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 99
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 68
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Minnesota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~535 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South St. Paul Middle School's federal record.
- Compare South St. Paul Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- South St. Paul Public School Dist'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 St. Paul Middle School
How many students attend South St. Paul Middle School?
South St. Paul Middle School has 535 students enrolled. It is a middle school in South Saint Paul, MN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South St. Paul Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at South St. Paul Middle School is 16.2:1, which is 3% higher than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South St. Paul Middle School?
47.0% of students at South St. Paul Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South St. Paul Middle School?
The largest demographic group at South St. Paul Middle School is White at 43.7% of enrollment, in South Saint Paul, MN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South St. Paul Middle School?
South St. Paul Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower 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 St. Paul Middle School rank among public schools in South Saint Paul?
By Resource Investment Index, South St. Paul Middle School ranks #7 of 8 public schools in South Saint Paul, MN. 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 Saint Paul on the city page.
Is South St. Paul Middle School a good school?
South St. Paul Middle School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Minnesota median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota 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 South St. Paul Public School Dist?
Besides South St. Paul Middle School, South St. Paul Public School Dist also operates South St. Paul High School (866 students), Lincoln Center Elementary (670 students), and Kaposia Education Center Elementary (620 students). See the South St. Paul Public School Dist district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Compare schools
Side-by-side comparison tool
Schools in Minnesota
All public schools in Minnesota
South St. Paul Public School Dist
All schools in this district
Schools in South Saint Paul
All schools in this city
School districts
Ranked by enrollment & spending
Rankings
Best schools by state & type
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.