Enrollment
1,444
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Alabaster, AL
Thompson Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Thompson Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 010019001184
👥 S:T ratio 29
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 4
📋 Attendance 58
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thompson Middle School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also one of the largest schools in Alabama.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Alabaster · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.8:1
- students per teacher
- 44.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Thompson Middle School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thompson Middle School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Alabaster, AL.
School address
District: Alabaster City · Alabama
NCES ID 010019001184 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
81.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.8:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.4%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thompson Middle School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thompson Middle School
Thompson Middle School is a large middle school in Alabaster, Alabama, enrolling 1,444 students.
At 17.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Alabama median, within a few percentage points of the 17.7:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 44.4% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Alabama, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,444 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 74 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #21.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 481 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
16.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Discipline events run high: 517 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,444 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 21 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Alabaster City also operates Thompson High School (2,060 students) and Creek View Elementary School (958 students) alongside Thompson Middle School.
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 School compares
Thompson Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.8:1 | ▲ 1% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.4% | ▼ 24% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,444 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.8:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,444
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.8:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 56% in Alabama - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
16.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,376
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $12,491
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 481 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
342
in-school suspensions + 175 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 23.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 35.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 21 expulsions.
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 50.8%
Hispanic or Latino 23.2%
African American 22.8%
Two or More 1.9%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 50.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.6, Thompson Middle School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Alabaster City, which includes Thompson Middle School.
$12,376
Per student
-1%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.8%
State 50.3%
Federal 9.9%
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 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thompson High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Creek View Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Meadow View Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Thompson Intermediate School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thompson Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,060
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 958
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 953
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 901
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,444 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thompson Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Thompson Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Alabaster City'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 School
How many students attend Thompson Middle School?
Thompson Middle School has 1,444 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Alabaster, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thompson Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Thompson Middle School is 17.8:1, which is 1% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thompson Middle School?
44.4% of students at Thompson Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thompson Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Thompson Middle School is White at 50.8% of enrollment, in Alabaster, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thompson Middle School?
Thompson Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical 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 School rank among public schools in Alabaster?
By Resource Investment Index, Thompson Middle School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Alabaster, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Alabaster on the city page.
Is Thompson Middle School a good school?
Thompson Middle School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also one of the largest schools in Alabama. 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 Alabaster City?
Besides Thompson Middle School, Alabaster City also operates Thompson High School (2,060 students), Creek View Elementary School (958 students), and Meadow View Elementary School (953 students). See the Alabaster City 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.