Enrollment
469
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Muncie, IN
Southside Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Southside Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 180732001252
👥 S:T ratio 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 6
📋 Attendance 83
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southside Middle School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 92% of Indiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in Muncie · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.2:1
- small classes for Indiana
- 82.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Southside Middle School has class sizes smaller than 92% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southside Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Muncie, IN.
School address
District: Muncie Community Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 180732001252 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.2:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-30% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
82.6%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+67% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southside Middle School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southside Middle School
Southside Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Muncie, Indiana, enrolling 469 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.2:1, Southside Middle School is leaner than roughly 92% of Indiana schools and 30% under the state's 15.9:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 82.6% of students qualify for free meals, 67% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 469 students, its enrollment sits close to the Indiana median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Among 250 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #10, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (56%) and African American (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 469 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.0% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 24.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 143 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 469 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Muncie's middle schools, it stands alongside Northside Middle School (630 students): Southside Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.2:1 vs 14.3:1).
Muncie Community Schools also operates Muncie Central High School (1,337 students) and Northside Middle School (630 students) alongside Southside 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 Southside Middle School compares
Southside Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Indiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Indiana | Indiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.2:1 | ▼ 30% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 82.6% | ▲ 67% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 469 | top 47% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.2:1
Leaner classes than 82% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
469
Bigger than 58% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
82.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 67% above the Indiana average of 49.5%
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
11.2:1
students per teacher
- 30% below state mean
Top 8% in Indiana - lower ratio than 92% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
7.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$12,524
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 469 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
86
in-school suspensions + 57 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 18.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 30.5 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 56.3%
African American 22.4%
Two or More 14.1%
Hispanic or Latino 6.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 56.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.9, Southside Middle School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Muncie Community Schools, which includes Southside Middle School.
$12,524
Per student
+4%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.7%
State 55.6%
Federal 24.8%
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 Southside Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muncie Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northside Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West View Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Washington Academy | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South View Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southside Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,337
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 630
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 538
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 492
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 470
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar middle schools in Muncie
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 Indiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~469 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southside Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Southside Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Muncie Community Schools'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 Southside Middle School
How many students attend Southside Middle School?
Southside Middle School has 469 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Muncie, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southside Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southside Middle School is 11.2:1, which is 30% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 29% 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 Southside Middle School?
82.6% of students at Southside Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southside Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Southside Middle School is White at 56.3% of enrollment, in Muncie, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southside Middle School?
Southside Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher 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 Southside Middle School rank among middle schools in Muncie?
By Resource Investment Index, Southside Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Muncie, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Muncie on the city page.
Is Southside Middle School a good school?
Southside Middle School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 92% of Indiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana 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 Muncie Community Schools?
Besides Southside Middle School, Muncie Community Schools also operates Muncie Central High School (1,337 students), Northside Middle School (630 students), and West View Elementary School (538 students). See the Muncie Community Schools 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.