Enrollment
993
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Arlington, VA
Swanson Middle
Federal NCES profile for Swanson Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 65/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 510027000107
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 60
📋 Attendance 87
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Swanson Middle earns 65/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median.
- #2 of 6
- middle schools in Arlington · Resource Index
- 65
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.6:1
- students per teacher
- 17.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Swanson Middle has class sizes near the Virginia median. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Swanson Middle ranks #2 of 6 middle schools in Arlington, VA.
School address
District: Arlington County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510027000107 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
68.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
17.6%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-69% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Swanson Middle compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Swanson Middle
Swanson Middle is a lower-poverty, large middle school in Arlington, Virginia, enrolling 993 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 17.6% free-meal eligibility runs 69% below the Virginia average.
Enrollment of 993 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 98% of the 1,868 Virginia schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 247 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #4, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%) (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 199 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance holds up well here: only 5.3% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Arlington County Public Schools spends $21,782 per pupil, 49% above the Virginia average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Arlington's middle schools, it stands alongside Jefferson Middle (1,120 students): Swanson Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.6:1 vs 13.7:1).
Arlington County Public Schools also operates Washington-Liberty High (3,044 students) and Wakefield High (2,646 students) alongside Swanson 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 Swanson Middle compares
Swanson Middle on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.6:1 | ▲ 5% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 17.6% | ▼ 69% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 993 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
993
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
17.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 69% below the Virginia average of 57.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 63% in Virginia - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
5.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$21,782
per pupil, district-wide
- above Virginia avg of $14,649
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 199 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 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 53.4%
Hispanic or Latino 23.4%
Two or More 8.7%
Asian 8.1%
African American 6.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 53.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.2, Swanson Middle is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Arlington County Public Schools, which includes Swanson Middle.
$21,782
Per student
+49%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
+31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 79.4%
State 12.4%
Federal 8.2%
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 Swanson Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Liberty High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wakefield High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Yorktown High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jefferson Middle | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gunston Middle | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Swanson Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,044
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 2,646
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 2,593
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
- Enrollment
- 1,120
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 65/100
- Enrollment
- 1,072
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 65/100
Similar middle schools in Arlington
5 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Jefferson Middle
Standard public school
1,120 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Gunston Middle
Standard public school
1,072 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Kenmore Middle
Standard public school
1,053 students 14:1 students per teacher
Dorothy Hamm Middle
Standard public school
989 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Williamsburg Middle
Standard public school
856 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~993 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Swanson Middle's federal record.
- Compare Swanson Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Arlington County Public 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 Swanson Middle
How many students attend Swanson Middle?
Swanson Middle has 993 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Arlington, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Swanson Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Swanson Middle is 14.6:1, which is 5% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 7% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Swanson Middle?
17.6% of students at Swanson Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Swanson Middle?
The largest demographic group at Swanson Middle is White at 53.4% of enrollment, in Arlington, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Swanson Middle?
Swanson Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 65/100 (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 Swanson Middle rank among middle schools in Arlington?
By Resource Investment Index, Swanson Middle ranks #2 of 6 middle schools in Arlington, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Arlington on the city page.
Is Swanson Middle a good school?
Swanson Middle earns 65/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia 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 Arlington County Public Schools?
Besides Swanson Middle, Arlington County Public Schools also operates Washington-Liberty High (3,044 students), Wakefield High (2,646 students), and Yorktown High (2,593 students). See the Arlington County Public 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.