- Enrollment
- 885
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Milton, WA
Surprise Lake Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Surprise Lake Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 530288000467
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 47
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Surprise Lake Middle School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Washington schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.1:1
- large classes for Washington
- 42.3%
- free-lunch eligible
- 613
- students enrolled
Surprise Lake Middle School has class sizes larger than 84% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Fife School District · Washington
NCES ID 530288000467 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+17 students YoY
Surprise Lake Middle School held near 667 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+17 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 29.7 → 28.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+17 students YoY 530288000467 · Milton, WA Middle · MID · TRAD
613 enr · 21.1:1 · 42.3% lunch · RII 43
Nearest enrollment peer: Fife High School (885 students)
Surprise Lake Middle School held near 667 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+17 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 29.7 → 28.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Washington schools → · Find another →
Surprise Lake Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Fife High Scho
Fife High School
885 students
- Fife Elementar
Fife Elementary School
866 students
- Columbia Junio
Columbia Junior High School
619 students
- This school
Surprise Lake Middle School
613 students
- Discovery Prim
Discovery Primary School
506 students
- Hedden Element
Hedden Elementary School
469 students
What this shows Surprise Lake Middle School reports 613 students on the CCD universe file.
How Surprise Lake Middle School compares
Surprise Lake Middle School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.1:1 | ▲ 20% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.3% | ▼ 6% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 613 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.1:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
613
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
42.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 6% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.1:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 84% in Washington - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
21.4%
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
$17,662
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $20,912
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 307 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 94 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 51 expulsions.
Student demographics
White 38.3%
Hispanic or Latino 25.0%
Two or More 12.5%
Asian 8.7%
African American 7.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 7.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 38.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.6, Surprise Lake Middle School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Fife School District reports $17,662 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Surprise Lake Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fife High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fife Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Columbia Junior High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Discovery Primary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hedden Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Surprise Lake Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 866
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 619
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 506
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 469
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~613 students)
Frequently asked questions about Surprise Lake Middle School
How many students attend Surprise Lake Middle School?
Surprise Lake Middle School has 613 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Milton, WA. CCD year-over-year: 650 (2022-23) → 667 (2023-24), nearly flat (+17).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Surprise Lake Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Surprise Lake Middle School is 21.1:1, which is 20% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Surprise Lake Middle School?
42.3% of students at Surprise Lake Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Surprise Lake Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Surprise Lake Middle School is White at 38.3% of enrollment, in Milton, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Surprise Lake Middle School?
Surprise Lake Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Fife School District?
Besides Surprise Lake Middle School, Fife School District also operates Fife High School (885 students), Fife Elementary School (866 students), and Columbia Junior High School (619 students). See the Fife School District district page for the complete list.