Enrollment
622
Nevada · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Sparks, NV
Sparks Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Sparks Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 320048000247
👥 S:T ratio 17
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 59
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sparks Middle School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nevada median.
- #4 of 5
- middle schools in Sparks · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.7:1
- students per teacher
- 95.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Sparks Middle School has class sizes near the Nevada median. Computed live against every Nevada school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sparks Middle School ranks #4 of 5 middle schools in Sparks, NV.
School address
District: Washoe County School District · Nevada
NCES ID 320048000247 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.7:1
vs 20.5:1 Nevada avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
95.9%
vs 76.8% Nevada avg
+25% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sparks Middle School compares with Nevada and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sparks Middle School
Sparks Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Sparks, Nevada, enrolling 622 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Nevada schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 95.9% lands close to the Nevada typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 622 puts it in the larger third of Nevada schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 733 scored Nevada schools.
Against 261 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #32.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (79%) and White (11%) (diversity index 36/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 207 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Washoe County School District spends $10,957 per pupil, 33% below the Nevada average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Washoe County School District also operates North Valleys High School (2,307 students) and Spanish Springs High School (2,131 students) alongside Sparks 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 Sparks Middle School compares
Sparks Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Nevada and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nevada | Nevada avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.7:1 | ▲ 1% | 20.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 95.9% | ▲ 25% | 76.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 622 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.7:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
622
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
95.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% above the Nevada average of 76.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
20.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 65% in Nevada - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
42.8%
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
$10,957
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nevada avg of $16,454
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 207 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 104 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 79.4%
White 10.5%
Two or More 3.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.4%
African American 2.3%
Asian 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 79.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.6, Sparks Middle School is less mixed than the Nevada school average of 56.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Washoe County School District, which includes Sparks Middle School.
$10,957
Per student
-33%
vs Nevada
Avg $16,454
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.8%
State 68.2%
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 Sparks Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Valleys High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spanish Springs High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Edward C. Reed High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Procter R. Hug High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Reno High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sparks Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,307
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,131
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 2,092
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,008
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,741
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Nevada, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~622 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sparks Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Sparks Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Washoe County School District'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 Sparks Middle School
How many students attend Sparks Middle School?
Sparks Middle School has 622 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Sparks, NV.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sparks Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sparks Middle School is 20.7:1, which is 1% higher than the Nevada average of 20.5:1 and 32% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sparks Middle School?
95.9% of students at Sparks Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nevada average of 76.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sparks Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Sparks Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 79.4% of enrollment, in Sparks, NV.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sparks Middle School?
Sparks Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 Sparks Middle School rank among middle schools in Sparks?
By Resource Investment Index, Sparks Middle School ranks #4 of 5 middle schools in Sparks, NV. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Sparks on the city page.
Is Sparks Middle School a good school?
Sparks Middle School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nevada 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 Washoe County School District?
Besides Sparks Middle School, Washoe County School District also operates North Valleys High School (2,307 students), Spanish Springs High School (2,131 students), and Edward C. Reed High School (2,092 students). See the Washoe County School District 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.