Enrollment
507
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Miami, FL
W. R. Thomas Middle School
Federal NCES profile for W. R. Thomas Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120039000585
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
W. R. Thomas Middle School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Florida schools.
- #16 of 37
- middle schools in Miami · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.4:1
- students per teacher
- 59.3%
- free-lunch eligible
W. R. Thomas Middle School has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, W. R. Thomas Middle School ranks #16 of 37 middle schools in Miami, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.4:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.3%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How W. R. Thomas Middle School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at W. R. Thomas Middle School
W. R. Thomas Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Miami, Florida, enrolling 507 students.
At 16.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Florida median, within a few percentage points of the 17.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 59.3% lands close to the Florida typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 507 students, its enrollment sits close to the Florida median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 857 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #275.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (97% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 6/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 254 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 46.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 20 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Miami-Dade also operates John a. Ferguson Senior High (4,291 students) and Coral Reef Senior High School (3,399 students) alongside W. R. Thomas 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 W. R. Thomas Middle School compares
W. R. Thomas Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.4:1 | ▼ 8% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.3% | ▲ 14% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 507 | top 60% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.4:1
Leaner classes than 35% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
507
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% above the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.4:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 49% in Florida - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
46.9%
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
$12,258
per pupil, district-wide
- above Florida avg of $11,167
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 254 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
40
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 20 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
Hispanic or Latino 97.0%
White 1.4%
Asian 0.8%
African American 0.6%
Two or More 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 97.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 5.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 5.9, W. R. Thomas Middle School is less mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Miami-Dade, which includes W. R. Thomas Middle School.
$12,258
Per student
+10%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.2%
State 23.3%
Federal 19.5%
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 W. R. Thomas Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John a. Ferguson Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Coral Reef Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Dade Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Miami Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hialeah Gardens Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to W. R. Thomas Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 4,291
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 3,399
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 3,382
- Students per teacher
- 27.7:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 3,100
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 3,009
- Students per teacher
- 28.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Florida, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~507 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on W. R. Thomas Middle School's federal record.
- Compare W. R. Thomas Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Miami-Dade'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 W. R. Thomas Middle School
How many students attend W. R. Thomas Middle School?
W. R. Thomas Middle School has 507 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Miami, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at W. R. Thomas Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at W. R. Thomas Middle School is 16.4:1, which is 8% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 4% 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 W. R. Thomas Middle School?
59.3% of students at W. R. Thomas Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of W. R. Thomas Middle School?
The largest demographic group at W. R. Thomas Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 97.0% of enrollment, in Miami, FL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for W. R. Thomas Middle School?
W. R. Thomas Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 W. R. Thomas Middle School rank among middle schools in Miami?
By Resource Investment Index, W. R. Thomas Middle School ranks #16 of 37 middle schools in Miami, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Miami on the city page.
Is W. R. Thomas Middle School a good school?
W. R. Thomas Middle School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Florida 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 Miami-Dade?
Besides W. R. Thomas Middle School, Miami-Dade also operates John a. Ferguson Senior High (4,291 students), Coral Reef Senior High School (3,399 students), and South Dade Senior High School (3,382 students). See the Miami-Dade 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.