Enrollment
176
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Selma, AL
Tipton Durant Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Tipton Durant Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 010111000408
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 65
📋 Attendance 22
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Tipton Durant Middle School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also one of the smallest schools in Alabama.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in Selma · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.6:1
- students per teacher
- 90.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Tipton Durant Middle School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Tipton Durant Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Selma, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
10.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.6:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
90.3%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+54% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Tipton Durant Middle School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Tipton Durant Middle School
Tipton Durant Middle School is a high-poverty, small middle school in Selma, Alabama, enrolling 176 students.
At 17.6:1, 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 is high: 90.3% of students qualify for free meals, 54% above the Alabama average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 95% of Alabama schools, with 176 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 60 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #23.
Its student body is predominantly African American (93% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 14/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 176 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Dallas County spends $15,350 per pupil, 23% above the Alabama average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 27.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Selma's middle schools, it stands alongside The Rbhudson Steam Academy (279 students): Tipton Durant Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.6:1 vs 13.9:1).
Dallas County also operates Valley Grande Elementary School (353 students) and Dallas County High School (334 students) alongside Tipton Durant 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 Tipton Durant Middle School compares
Tipton Durant 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 | 17.6:1 | ▼ 1% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 90.3% | ▲ 54% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 176 | top 95% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.6:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
176
Bigger than 17% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
90.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 54% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.6:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 54% in Alabama - lower ratio than 46% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
31.3%
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
$15,350
per pupil, district-wide
- above Alabama avg of $12,491
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 176 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
African American 92.6%
Two or More 4.0%
Hispanic or Latino 2.3%
White 1.1%
Largest group: African American at 92.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 14.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 14.0, Tipton Durant Middle School is less mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dallas County, which includes Tipton Durant Middle School.
$15,350
Per student
+23%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 15.5%
State 57.5%
Federal 27.0%
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 Tipton Durant Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valley Grande Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dallas County High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Southside High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Brantley Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Keith Middlehigh School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Tipton Durant Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 353
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 334
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 285
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 204
- Students per teacher
- 25.5:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 188
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar middle schools in Selma
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
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 (~176 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Tipton Durant Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Tipton Durant Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Dallas County'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 Tipton Durant Middle School
How many students attend Tipton Durant Middle School?
Tipton Durant Middle School has 176 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Selma, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Tipton Durant Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Tipton Durant Middle School is 17.6:1, which is 1% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 12% 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 Tipton Durant Middle School?
90.3% of students at Tipton Durant Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Tipton Durant Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Tipton Durant Middle School is African American at 92.6% of enrollment, in Selma, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Tipton Durant Middle School?
Tipton Durant Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Tipton Durant Middle School rank among middle schools in Selma?
By Resource Investment Index, Tipton Durant Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Selma, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Selma on the city page.
Is Tipton Durant Middle School a good school?
Tipton Durant Middle School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. It is also one of the smallest 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 Dallas County?
Besides Tipton Durant Middle School, Dallas County also operates Valley Grande Elementary School (353 students), Dallas County High School (334 students), and Southside High School (285 students). See the Dallas County 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.