Enrollment
870
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Riverside, CA
University Heights Middle
Federal NCES profile for University Heights Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 063315005160
👥 S:T ratio 3
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 30
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
University Heights Middle earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of California schools.
- #4 of 11
- middle schools in Riverside · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 24.2:1
- large classes for California
- 82.3%
- free-lunch eligible
University Heights Middle has class sizes larger than 73% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, University Heights Middle ranks #4 of 11 middle schools in Riverside, CA.
School address
District: Riverside Unified · California
NCES ID 063315005160 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
82.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
+48% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How University Heights Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at University Heights Middle
University Heights Middle is a high-poverty, large middle school in Riverside, California, enrolling 870 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.2:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 82.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 870 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,212 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #231.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (80% of enrollment) (diversity index 35/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 348 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Riverside's middle schools, it stands alongside Ysmael Villegas Middle (1,136 students): University Heights Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24.2:1 vs 21:1).
Riverside Unified also operates Martin Luther King Jr. High (2,699 students) and Polytechnic High (2,484 students) alongside University Heights 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 University Heights Middle compares
University Heights 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 | 24.2:1 | ▲ 13% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 82.3% | ▲ 48% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 870 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.2:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
870
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
82.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
24.2:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 73% in California - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
27.9%
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
$14,545
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
Counselors2.5 FTE
Per 348 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 69 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.9 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
Hispanic or Latino 80.2%
White 6.4%
African American 6.1%
Asian 3.8%
Two or More 2.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 80.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.7, University Heights Middle is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Riverside Unified, which includes University Heights Middle.
$14,545
Per student
-12%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.1%
State 64.5%
Federal 11.4%
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 University Heights Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther King Jr. High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Polytechnic High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ramona High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| John W. North High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Arlington High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to University Heights Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,699
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 2,484
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,142
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,011
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,920
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar middle schools in Riverside
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Ysmael Villegas Middle
Standard public school
1,136 students 21:1 students per teacher
Loma Vista Middle
Standard public school
1,027 students 22.3:1 students per teacher
Chemawa Middle
Standard public school
885 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Frank Augustus Miller Middle
Standard public school
844 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Matthew Gage Middle
Standard public school
840 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
Sierra Middle
Standard public school
829 students 23:1 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 (~870 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on University Heights Middle's federal record.
- Compare University Heights Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Riverside 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 University Heights Middle
How many students attend University Heights Middle?
University Heights Middle has 870 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Riverside, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at University Heights Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at University Heights Middle is 24.2:1, which is 13% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 54% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at University Heights Middle?
82.3% of students at University Heights Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of University Heights Middle?
The largest demographic group at University Heights Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 80.2% of enrollment, in Riverside, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for University Heights Middle?
University Heights Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 University Heights Middle rank among middle schools in Riverside?
By Resource Investment Index, University Heights Middle ranks #4 of 11 middle schools in Riverside, 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 Riverside on the city page.
Is University Heights Middle a good school?
University Heights Middle earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of 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 Riverside Unified?
Besides University Heights Middle, Riverside Unified also operates Martin Luther King Jr. High (2,699 students), Polytechnic High (2,484 students), and Ramona High (2,142 students). See the Riverside 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.