Enrollment
1,419
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Moreno Valley, CA
Vista Heights Middle
Federal NCES profile for Vista Heights Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 062580009159
👥 S:T ratio 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 5
📋 Attendance 13
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vista Heights Middle earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #6 of 8
- middle schools in Moreno Valley · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.5:1
- students per teacher
- 52.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Vista Heights Middle has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Heights Middle ranks #6 of 8 middle schools in Moreno Valley, CA.
School address
District: Moreno Valley Unified · California
NCES ID 062580009159 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
63.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
52.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
-6% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vista Heights Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vista Heights Middle
Vista Heights Middle is a higher-need, large middle school in Moreno Valley, California, enrolling 1,419 students.
At 22.5:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 52.3% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 93% of state schools at 1,419 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 435 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #296.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (71%) and African American (13%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 473 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Moreno Valley's middle schools, it stands alongside Sunnymead Middle (1,185 students): Vista Heights Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (22.5:1 vs 20.1:1).
Moreno Valley Unified also operates Valley View High (2,699 students) and Canyon Springs High (2,251 students) alongside Vista 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 Vista Heights Middle compares
Vista 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 | 22.5:1 | ▲ 5% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.3% | ▼ 6% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,419 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.5:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,419
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
52.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 6% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
22.5:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 58% in California - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
34.6%
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
$16,447
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 473 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 138 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 70.8%
African American 12.9%
White 7.6%
Two or More 4.4%
Asian 3.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 70.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.3, Vista Heights Middle is about as mixed as the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Moreno Valley Unified, which includes Vista Heights Middle.
$16,447
Per student
0%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.5%
State 70.3%
Federal 13.2%
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 Vista Heights Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valley View High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Canyon Springs High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Moreno Valley High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Vista Del Lago High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sunnymead Middle | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vista 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
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 2,251
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 2,103
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,924
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,185
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar middle schools in Moreno Valley
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Sunnymead Middle
Standard public school
1,185 students 20.1:1 students per teacher
Mountain View Middle
Standard public school
1,114 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
Badger Springs Middle
Standard public school
1,058 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Palm Middle
Standard public school
999 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Vista Verde Middle
Standard public school
900 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Landmark Middle
Standard public school
849 students 19.3:1 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 (~1,419 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vista Heights Middle's federal record.
- Compare Vista Heights Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Moreno Valley 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 Vista Heights Middle
How many students attend Vista Heights Middle?
Vista Heights Middle has 1,419 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Moreno Valley, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vista Heights Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Vista Heights Middle is 22.5:1, which is 5% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 43% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Vista Heights Middle?
52.3% of students at Vista Heights Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vista Heights Middle?
The largest demographic group at Vista Heights Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 70.8% of enrollment, in Moreno Valley, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vista Heights Middle?
Vista Heights Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower 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 Vista Heights Middle rank among middle schools in Moreno Valley?
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Heights Middle ranks #6 of 8 middle schools in Moreno Valley, 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 Moreno Valley on the city page.
Is Vista Heights Middle a good school?
Vista Heights Middle earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Moreno Valley Unified?
Besides Vista Heights Middle, Moreno Valley Unified also operates Valley View High (2,699 students), Canyon Springs High (2,251 students), and Moreno Valley High (2,103 students). See the Moreno Valley 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.