Enrollment
1,565
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Murrieta, CA
Thompson Middle
Federal NCES profile for Thompson Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 14/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 060002903649
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 26
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thompson Middle earns 14/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #4 of 5
- middle schools in Murrieta · Resource Index
- 14
- Resource Index · Lower
- 27.5:1
- large classes for California
- 30.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Thompson Middle has class sizes larger than 91% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thompson Middle ranks #4 of 5 middle schools in Murrieta, CA.
School address
District: Murrieta Valley Unified · California
NCES ID 060002903649 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
57.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
27.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
-45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thompson Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thompson Middle
Thompson Middle is a large middle school in Murrieta, California, enrolling 1,565 students.
Class loads run heavy: 27.5:1 is larger than about 91% of California schools and 28% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 30.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 94% of state schools at 1,565 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 390 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #379, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (42%) and Hispanic or Latino (39%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 783 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Murrieta's middle schools, it stands alongside Dorothy Mcelhinney Middle (1,451 students): Thompson Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (27.5:1 vs 27.9:1).
Murrieta Valley Unified also operates Vista Murrieta High (3,328 students) and Murrieta Valley High (2,104 students) alongside Thompson 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 Thompson Middle compares
Thompson 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 | 27.5:1 | ▲ 28% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.6% | ▼ 45% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,565 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
27.5:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,565
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
27.5:1
students per teacher
- 28% above state mean
Top 91% in California - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
29.8%
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
$13,483
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 783 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
19
in-school suspensions + 49 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 42.0%
Hispanic or Latino 38.8%
Two or More 9.3%
Asian 6.0%
African American 3.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 42.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.0, Thompson Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Murrieta Valley Unified, which includes Thompson Middle.
$13,483
Per student
-18%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.5%
State 57.2%
Federal 9.3%
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 Thompson Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vista Murrieta High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Murrieta Valley High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Murrieta Mesa High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Dorothy Mcelhinney Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Shivela Middle | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thompson Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,328
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 2,104
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 2,066
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 1,451
- Students per teacher
- 27.9:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,282
- Students per teacher
- 26.2:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
Similar middle schools in Murrieta
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Dorothy Mcelhinney Middle
Standard public school
1,451 students 27.9:1 students per teacher
Shivela Middle
Standard public school
1,282 students 26.2:1 students per teacher
Bella Vista Middle
Standard public school
1,249 students 22.7:1 students per teacher
Warm Springs Middle
Standard public school
755 students 21:1 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 (~1,565 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~27.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thompson Middle's federal record.
- Compare Thompson Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Murrieta Valley 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 Thompson Middle
How many students attend Thompson Middle?
Thompson Middle has 1,565 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Murrieta, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thompson Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Thompson Middle is 27.5:1, which is 28% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 75% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thompson Middle?
30.6% of students at Thompson Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thompson Middle?
The largest demographic group at Thompson Middle is White at 42.0% of enrollment, in Murrieta, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thompson Middle?
Thompson Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 14/100 (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 Thompson Middle rank among middle schools in Murrieta?
By Resource Investment Index, Thompson Middle ranks #4 of 5 middle schools in Murrieta, 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 Murrieta on the city page.
Is Thompson Middle a good school?
Thompson Middle earns 14/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of California schools. It is also more 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 Murrieta Valley Unified?
Besides Thompson Middle, Murrieta Valley Unified also operates Vista Murrieta High (3,328 students), Murrieta Valley High (2,104 students), and Murrieta Mesa High (2,066 students). See the Murrieta Valley 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.