- Enrollment
- 1,846
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Burien, WA
Sylvester Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Sylvester Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 60/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 530354000554
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 61
📋 Attendance 76
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sylvester Middle School earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #2 of 10
- public schools in Burien · Resource Index
- 60
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.1:1
- students per teacher
- 42.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Sylvester Middle School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sylvester Middle School ranks #2 of 10 public schools in Burien, WA.
School address
District: Highline School District · Washington
NCES ID 530354000554 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-71 students YoY
Sylvester Middle School shrank from 619 students in 2022-23 to 548 in 2023-24 (-11.5%).
Teacher FTE lost 34.9 → 29.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-71 students YoY 530354000554 · Burien, WA Middle · MID · TRAD
582 enr · 17.1:1 · 42.0% lunch · RII 60
Nearest enrollment peer: Mount Rainier High School (1,846 students)
Sylvester Middle School shrank from 619 students in 2022-23 to 548 in 2023-24 (-11.5%). Teacher FTE lost 34.9 → 29.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Washington schools → · Find another →
Sylvester Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier High School
1,846 students
- Highline High
Highline High School
1,423 students
- Evergreen High
Evergreen High School
1,080 students
- Glacier Middle
Glacier Middle School
803 students
- Cascade Middle 671
Cascade Middle School
671 students
- This school 582
Sylvester Middle School
582 students
What this shows Sylvester Middle School reports 582 students on the CCD universe file.
How Sylvester Middle School compares
Sylvester Middle School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.1:1 | ▼ 3% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.0% | ▼ 7% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 582 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.1:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
582
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
42.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 7% 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
17.1:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 57% in Washington - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
9.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$20,594
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $20,912
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 194 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
63
in-school suspensions + 36 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 37.4%
Hispanic or Latino 32.6%
Two or More 9.8%
African American 8.4%
Asian 8.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.6%
Largest group: White at 37.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.0, Sylvester Middle School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Highline School District reports $20,594 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Sylvester Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Rainier High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Highline High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Evergreen High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glacier Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cascade Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sylvester Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,423
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,080
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 803
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 671
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
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 (~582 students)
Frequently asked questions about Sylvester Middle School
How many students attend Sylvester Middle School?
Sylvester Middle School has 582 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Burien, WA. CCD year-over-year: 619 (2022-23) → 548 (2023-24), down 71.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sylvester Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sylvester Middle School is 17.1:1, which is 3% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 9% 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 Sylvester Middle School?
42.0% of students at Sylvester Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sylvester Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Sylvester Middle School is White at 37.4% of enrollment, in Burien, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sylvester Middle School?
Sylvester Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 60/100 (higher 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).
How does Sylvester Middle School rank among public schools in Burien?
By Resource Investment Index, Sylvester Middle School ranks #2 of 10 public schools in Burien, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Burien on the city page.
What other schools are in Highline School District?
Besides Sylvester Middle School, Highline School District also operates Mount Rainier High School (1,846 students), Highline High School (1,423 students), and Evergreen High School (1,080 students). See the Highline School District district page for the complete list.