Enrollment
1,240
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Downey, CA
Sussman (Edward a.) Middle
Federal NCES profile for Sussman (Edward a.) Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 061146001275
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 17
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sussman (Edward a.) Middle earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #4 of 4
- middle schools in Downey · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 26.4:1
- large classes for California
- 67.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Sussman (Edward a.) Middle has class sizes larger than 87% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sussman (Edward a.) Middle ranks #4 of 4 middle schools in Downey, CA.
School address
District: Downey Unified · California
NCES ID 061146001275 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
26.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
+22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sussman (Edward a.) Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sussman (Edward a.) Middle
Sussman (Edward a.) Middle is a higher-need, large middle school in Downey, California, enrolling 1,240 students.
Class loads run heavy: 26.4:1 is larger than about 87% of California schools and 23% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 67.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 92% of state schools at 1,240 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 599 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #414.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (91% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 17/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 413 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 40.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Downey's middle schools, it stands alongside Stauffer (Mary R.) Middle (1,329 students): Sussman (Edward a.) Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (26.4:1 vs 24.2:1).
Downey Unified also operates Downey High (4,051 students) and Warren (Earl) High (3,609 students) alongside Sussman (Edward a.) 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 Sussman (Edward a.) Middle compares
Sussman (Edward a.) 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 | 26.4:1 | ▲ 23% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.6% | ▲ 22% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,240 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
26.4:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,240
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.6%
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
26.4:1
students per teacher
- 23% above state mean
Top 87% in California - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
40.3%
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
$15,382
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 413 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 118 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.5 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
Hispanic or Latino 91.1%
African American 3.1%
White 2.7%
Asian 2.0%
Two or More 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 91.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 16.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 16.8, Sussman (Edward a.) Middle is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Downey Unified, which includes Sussman (Edward a.) Middle.
$15,382
Per student
-7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.5%
State 67.1%
Federal 12.4%
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 Sussman (Edward a.) Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downey High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Warren (Earl) High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Stauffer (Mary R.) Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Doty (Wendy Lopour) Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Griffiths (Gordon) Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sussman (Edward a.) Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 4,051
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 3,609
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,329
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,304
- Students per teacher
- 26.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,264
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar middle schools in Downey
3 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 (~1,240 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~26.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sussman (Edward a.) Middle's federal record.
- Compare Sussman (Edward a.) Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Downey 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 Sussman (Edward a.) Middle
How many students attend Sussman (Edward a.) Middle?
Sussman (Edward a.) Middle has 1,240 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Downey, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sussman (Edward a.) Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Sussman (Edward a.) Middle is 26.4:1, which is 23% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 68% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sussman (Edward a.) Middle?
67.6% of students at Sussman (Edward a.) Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sussman (Edward a.) Middle?
The largest demographic group at Sussman (Edward a.) Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 91.1% of enrollment, in Downey, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sussman (Edward a.) Middle?
Sussman (Edward a.) Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (lower 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 Sussman (Edward a.) Middle rank among middle schools in Downey?
By Resource Investment Index, Sussman (Edward a.) Middle ranks #4 of 4 middle schools in Downey, 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 Downey on the city page.
Is Sussman (Edward a.) Middle a good school?
Sussman (Edward a.) Middle earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Downey Unified?
Besides Sussman (Edward a.) Middle, Downey Unified also operates Downey High (4,051 students), Warren (Earl) High (3,609 students), and Stauffer (Mary R.) Middle (1,329 students). See the Downey 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.