- Enrollment
- 815
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Laguna Beach, CA
Thurston Middle
Federal NCES profile for Thurston Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 062037002455
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 Attendance 58
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thurston Middle earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of California schools.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in Laguna Beach · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.9:1
- small classes for California
- 16.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Thurston Middle has class sizes smaller than 87% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thurston Middle ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Laguna Beach, CA.
School address
District: Laguna Beach Unified · California
NCES ID 062037002455 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-18 students YoY
Thurston Middle held near 519 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-18 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 33.6 → 32.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-18 students YoY 062037002455 · Laguna Beach, CA Middle · MID · TRAD
524 enr · 15.9:1 · 16.4% lunch · RII 53
Nearest enrollment peer: Laguna Beach High (815 students)
Thurston Middle held near 519 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-18 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 33.6 → 32.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Thurston Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Laguna Beach H
Laguna Beach High
815 students
- Top of the Wor
Top of the World Elementary
536 students
- This school
Thurston Middle
524 students
- El Morro Eleme
El Morro Elementary
404 students
What this shows Thurston Middle reports 524 students on the CCD universe file.
How Thurston Middle compares
Thurston Middle held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.9:1 | ▼ 26% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 16.4% | ▼ 70% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 524 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
524
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
16.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 70% below the California average of 55.5%
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
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 26% below state mean
Top 13% in California - lower ratio than 87% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
16.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$30,217
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 262 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 23 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Student demographics
White 70.4%
Hispanic or Latino 12.4%
Two or More 9.9%
Asian 5.5%
African American 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 70.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.6, Thurston Middle is about as mixed as the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Laguna Beach Unified reports $30,217 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Thurston Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laguna Beach High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Top of the World Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| El Morro Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thurston Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 536
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 404
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
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 (~524 students)
Frequently asked questions about Thurston Middle
How many students attend Thurston Middle?
Thurston Middle has 524 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Laguna Beach, CA. CCD year-over-year: 537 (2022-23) → 519 (2023-24), nearly flat (-18).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thurston Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Thurston Middle is 15.9:1, which is 26% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 1% 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 Thurston Middle?
16.4% of students at Thurston Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thurston Middle?
The largest demographic group at Thurston Middle is White at 70.4% of enrollment, in Laguna Beach, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thurston Middle?
Thurston Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (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 Thurston Middle rank among public schools in Laguna Beach?
By Resource Investment Index, Thurston Middle ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Laguna Beach, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Laguna Beach Unified?
Besides Thurston Middle, Laguna Beach Unified also operates Laguna Beach High (815 students), Top of the World Elementary (536 students), and El Morro Elementary (404 students). See the Laguna Beach Unified district page for the complete list.