- Enrollment
- 2,072
- Students per teacher
- 9.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Cambridge, MA
Vassal Lane Upper School
Federal NCES profile for Vassal Lane Upper School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 250327002756
👥 S:T ratio 72
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 70
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vassal Lane Upper School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 96% of Massachusetts schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Massachusetts schools.
- #2 of 4
- middle schools in Cambridge · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 7.1:1
- small classes for Massachusetts
- 298
- students enrolled
Vassal Lane Upper School has class sizes smaller than 96% of Massachusetts schools. Computed live against every Massachusetts school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vassal Lane Upper School ranks #2 of 4 middle schools in Cambridge, MA.
School address
District: Cambridge · Massachusetts
NCES ID 250327002756 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-15 students YoY
Vassal Lane Upper School shrank from 273 students in 2022-23 to 258 in 2023-24 (-5.5%).
Teacher FTE added 42.7 → 43.2 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-15 students YoY 250327002756 · Cambridge, MA Middle · SMALL · TRAD
298 enr · 7.1:1 · RII 52
Nearest enrollment peer: Cambridge Rindge and Latin (2,072 students)
Vassal Lane Upper School shrank from 273 students in 2022-23 to 258 in 2023-24 (-5.5%). Teacher FTE added 42.7 → 43.2 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Massachusetts schools → · Find another →
Vassal Lane Upper School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Cambridge Rind
Cambridge Rindge and Latin
2,072 students
- Amigos School 413
Amigos School
413 students
- King Open 391
King Open
391 students
- Graham and Par 367
Graham and Parks
367 students
- Maria L. Baldw 360
Maria L. Baldwin
360 students
- This school 298
Vassal Lane Upper School
298 students
What this shows Vassal Lane Upper School reports 298 students on the CCD universe file.
How Vassal Lane Upper School compares
Vassal Lane Upper School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Massachusetts and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Massachusetts | Massachusetts avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 7.1:1 | ▼ 42% | 12.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 298 | top 71% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
7.1:1
Leaner classes than 96% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
298
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
7.1:1
students per teacher
- 42% below state mean
Top 4% in Massachusetts - lower ratio than 96% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
24.8%
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
$39,949
per pupil, district-wide
- above Massachusetts avg of $23,695
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 149 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.
Student demographics
White 35.6%
African American 27.2%
Asian 17.4%
Hispanic or Latino 12.4%
Two or More 7.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 35.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.9, Vassal Lane Upper School is more mixed than the Massachusetts school average of 47.3.
Programs
District finance for Cambridge reports $39,949 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Vassal Lane Upper School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge Rindge and Latin | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Amigos School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| King Open | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Graham and Parks | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Maria L. Baldwin | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vassal Lane Upper School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 413
- Students per teacher
- 10.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 391
- Students per teacher
- 10:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 367
- Students per teacher
- 10.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 360
- Students per teacher
- 10.3:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar middle schools in Cambridge
3 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
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 (~298 students)
Frequently asked questions about Vassal Lane Upper School
How many students attend Vassal Lane Upper School?
Vassal Lane Upper School has 298 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Cambridge, MA. CCD year-over-year: 273 (2022-23) → 258 (2023-24), down 15.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vassal Lane Upper School?
The student-teacher ratio at Vassal Lane Upper School is 7.1:1, which is 42% lower than the Massachusetts average of 12.3:1 and 55% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vassal Lane Upper School?
The largest demographic group at Vassal Lane Upper School is White at 35.6% of enrollment, in Cambridge, MA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vassal Lane Upper School?
Vassal Lane Upper School has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (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 Vassal Lane Upper School rank among middle schools in Cambridge?
By Resource Investment Index, Vassal Lane Upper School ranks #2 of 4 middle schools in Cambridge, MA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Cambridge on the city page.
What other schools are in Cambridge?
Besides Vassal Lane Upper School, Cambridge also operates Cambridge Rindge and Latin (2,072 students), Amigos School (413 students), and King Open (391 students). See the Cambridge district page for the complete list.