Enrollment
784
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Gilroy, CA
South Valley Middle
Federal NCES profile for South Valley Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 061518001918
👥 S:T ratio 8
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 22
📋 Attendance 35
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Valley Middle earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #2 of 3
- middle schools in Gilroy · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 23.1:1
- students per teacher
- 48.4%
- free-lunch eligible
South Valley Middle has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Valley Middle ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Gilroy, CA.
School address
District: Gilroy Unified · California
NCES ID 061518001918 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
-13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Valley Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Valley Middle
South Valley Middle is a mid-sized middle school in Gilroy, California, enrolling 784 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 23.1:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 48.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 784 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,171 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #280.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (81% of enrollment) (diversity index 34/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 392 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Gilroy's middle schools, it stands alongside Solorsano Middle (749 students): South Valley Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (23.1:1 vs 21.4:1).
Gilroy Unified also operates Christopher High (1,630 students) and Gilroy High (1,618 students) alongside South Valley 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 Valley Middle compares
South Valley 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 | 23.1:1 | ▲ 7% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.4% | ▼ 13% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 784 | top 18% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.1:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
784
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
23.1:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 63% in California - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
25.9%
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
$14,495
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 392 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
12
in-school suspensions + 80 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 expulsions.
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 80.5%
Two or More 7.4%
Asian 5.5%
White 5.2%
African American 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 80.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.1, South Valley Middle is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gilroy Unified, which includes South Valley Middle.
$14,495
Per student
-12%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.6%
State 47.7%
Federal 9.7%
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 Valley Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christopher High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gilroy High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Las Animas Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Solorsano Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Luigi Aprea Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Valley Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,630
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 1,618
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 800
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 749
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 722
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar middle schools in Gilroy
2 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 (~784 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Valley Middle's federal record.
- Compare South Valley Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Gilroy 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 Valley Middle
How many students attend South Valley Middle?
South Valley Middle has 784 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Gilroy, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Valley Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at South Valley Middle is 23.1:1, which is 7% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 47% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Valley Middle?
48.4% of students at South Valley Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Valley Middle?
The largest demographic group at South Valley Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 80.5% of enrollment, in Gilroy, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Valley Middle?
South Valley Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Valley Middle rank among middle schools in Gilroy?
By Resource Investment Index, South Valley Middle ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Gilroy, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Gilroy on the city page.
Is South Valley Middle a good school?
South Valley Middle earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California 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 Gilroy Unified?
Besides South Valley Middle, Gilroy Unified also operates Christopher High (1,630 students), Gilroy High (1,618 students), and Las Animas Elementary (800 students). See the Gilroy 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.