Enrollment
751
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Newcastle, WA
Vera Risdon Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Vera Risdon Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 530723003603
👥 S:T ratio 19
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vera Risdon Middle School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Washington schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington schools.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Newcastle · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.3:1
- large classes for Washington
- 32.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Vera Risdon Middle School has class sizes larger than 80% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vera Risdon Middle School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Newcastle, WA.
School address
District: Renton School District · Washington
NCES ID 530723003603 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.3:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.4%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vera Risdon Middle School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vera Risdon Middle School
Vera Risdon Middle School is a large middle school in Newcastle, Washington, enrolling 751 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 32.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 751 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Among 356 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #273, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Asian (28%) and Hispanic or Latino (27%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 76/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 250 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
17.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 12 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Renton School District also operates Hazen Senior High School (1,796 students) and Renton Senior High School (1,208 students) alongside Vera Risdon 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 Vera Risdon Middle School compares
Vera Risdon Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.3:1 | ▲ 15% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.4% | ▼ 28% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 751 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.3:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
751
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
20.3:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 80% in Washington - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
17.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$17,639
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 250 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
60
in-school suspensions + 39 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 12 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
Asian 27.9%
Hispanic or Latino 27.3%
White 25.5%
Two or More 11.9%
African American 6.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Asian at 27.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 76.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 76.4, Vera Risdon Middle School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Renton School District, which includes Vera Risdon Middle School.
$17,639
Per student
-9%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.7%
State 56.5%
Federal 9.8%
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 Vera Risdon Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hazen Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Renton Senior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lindbergh Senior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Nelsen Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mcknight Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vera Risdon Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,796
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,208
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,201
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 913
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 811
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Washington, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~751 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vera Risdon Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Vera Risdon Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Renton School District'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 Vera Risdon Middle School
How many students attend Vera Risdon Middle School?
Vera Risdon Middle School has 751 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Newcastle, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vera Risdon Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Vera Risdon Middle School is 20.3:1, which is 15% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 29% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Vera Risdon Middle School?
32.4% of students at Vera Risdon Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vera Risdon Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Vera Risdon Middle School is Asian at 27.9% of enrollment, in Newcastle, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 76.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vera Risdon Middle School?
Vera Risdon Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Vera Risdon Middle School rank among public schools in Newcastle?
By Resource Investment Index, Vera Risdon Middle School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Newcastle, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Newcastle on the city page.
Is Vera Risdon Middle School a good school?
Vera Risdon Middle School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Washington schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Washington 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 Renton School District?
Besides Vera Risdon Middle School, Renton School District also operates Hazen Senior High School (1,796 students), Renton Senior High School (1,208 students), and Lindbergh Senior High School (1,201 students). See the Renton School District 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.