Enrollment
658
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Long Beach, CA
Stephens Middle
Federal NCES profile for Stephens Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 062250002759
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 63
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Stephens Middle earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of California schools.
- #4 of 14
- middle schools in Long Beach · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.4:1
- small classes for California
- 67.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Stephens Middle has class sizes smaller than 86% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Stephens Middle ranks #4 of 14 middle schools in Long Beach, CA.
School address
District: Long Beach Unified · California
NCES ID 062250002759 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
+22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Stephens Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Stephens Middle
Stephens Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Long Beach, California, enrolling 658 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 16.4:1, Stephens Middle is leaner than roughly 86% of California schools and 24% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 67.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 658 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,976 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #83, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (66%) and Asian (14%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 187 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 58.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 166 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 658 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Long Beach's middle schools, it stands alongside Hughes Middle (1,214 students): Stephens Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.4:1 vs 24.8:1).
Long Beach Unified also operates Polytechnic High (3,890 students) and Millikan High (3,408 students) alongside Stephens 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 Stephens Middle compares
Stephens 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 | 16.4:1 | ▼ 24% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.7% | ▲ 22% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 658 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.4:1
Leaner classes than 35% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
658
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.4:1
students per teacher
- 24% below state mean
Top 14% in California - lower ratio than 86% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
58.5%
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
$16,028
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors3.5 FTE
Per 187 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 166 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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 66.4%
Asian 14.4%
African American 11.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 3.5%
Two or More 3.0%
White 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 66.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.4, Stephens Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Long Beach Unified, which includes Stephens Middle.
$16,028
Per student
-3%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.5%
State 60.1%
Federal 15.4%
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 Stephens Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polytechnic High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Millikan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wilson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lakewood High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jordan High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Stephens Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,890
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 3,408
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 3,349
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,305
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 2,272
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar middle schools in Long Beach
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Hughes Middle
Standard public school
1,214 students 24.8:1 students per teacher
Stanford Middle
Standard public school
1,165 students 25.9:1 students per teacher
Jefferson Leadership Academies
Standard public school
1,004 students 25.1:1 students per teacher
Franklin Classical Middle
Standard public school
991 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
Marshall Academy of the Arts
Standard public school
940 students 24.7:1 students per teacher
Washington Middle
Standard public school
849 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
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 (~658 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Stephens Middle's federal record.
- Compare Stephens Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Long Beach 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 Stephens Middle
How many students attend Stephens Middle?
Stephens Middle has 658 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Long Beach, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Stephens Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Stephens Middle is 16.4:1, which is 24% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 4% higher 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 Stephens Middle?
67.7% of students at Stephens Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Stephens Middle?
The largest demographic group at Stephens Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 66.4% of enrollment, in Long Beach, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Stephens Middle?
Stephens Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Stephens Middle rank among middle schools in Long Beach?
By Resource Investment Index, Stephens Middle ranks #4 of 14 middle schools in Long Beach, 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 Long Beach on the city page.
Is Stephens Middle a good school?
Stephens Middle earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of California 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 Long Beach Unified?
Besides Stephens Middle, Long Beach Unified also operates Polytechnic High (3,890 students), Millikan High (3,408 students), and Wilson High (3,349 students). See the Long Beach 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.