Enrollment
997
Oregon · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Salem, OR
Waldo Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Waldo Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 411082000814
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Waldo Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Oregon median.
- #3 of 11
- middle schools in Salem · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.1:1
- students per teacher
- 72.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Waldo Middle School has class sizes near the Oregon median. Computed live against every Oregon school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Waldo Middle School ranks #3 of 11 middle schools in Salem, OR.
School address
District: Salem-Keizer Sd 24j · Oregon
NCES ID 411082000814 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
62.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 17.6:1 Oregon avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
72.7%
vs 52.8% Oregon avg
+38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Waldo Middle School compares with Oregon and U.S. medians
What stands out at Waldo Middle School
Waldo Middle School is a higher-need, large middle school in Salem, Oregon, enrolling 997 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 16.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Oregon schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 72.7% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Oregon, bigger than 93% of state schools at 997 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,273 scored Oregon schools.
Against 53 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #16.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (72%) and White (12%) (diversity index 46/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 332 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 66.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 313 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 997 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Salem's middle schools, it stands alongside Stephens Middle School (1,014 students): Waldo Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.1:1 vs 19.5:1).
Salem-Keizer Sd 24j also operates Mckay High School (2,380 students) and South Salem High School (2,195 students) alongside Waldo 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 Waldo Middle School compares
Waldo Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Oregon and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Oregon | Oregon avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.1:1 | ▼ 9% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.7% | ▲ 38% | 52.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 997 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
997
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
72.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% above the Oregon average of 52.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 38% in Oregon - lower ratio than 62% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
66.4%
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
$15,528
per pupil, district-wide
- below Oregon avg of $18,086
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 332 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
149
in-school suspensions + 164 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 31.4 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 71.9%
White 12.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 8.6%
Two or More 3.4%
Asian 2.5%
African American 1.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 71.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.8, Waldo Middle School is about as mixed as the Oregon school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Salem-Keizer Sd 24j, which includes Waldo Middle School.
$15,528
Per student
-14%
vs Oregon
Avg $18,086
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.2%
State 61.3%
Federal 11.5%
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 Waldo Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mckay High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Salem High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Salem High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mcnary High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sprague High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Waldo Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,380
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 2,195
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 2,107
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,995
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,712
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar middle schools in Salem
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Stephens Middle School
Standard public school
1,014 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Houck Middle School
Standard public school
830 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
Judson Middle School
Standard public school
811 students 23.9:1 students per teacher
Crossler Middle School
Standard public school
804 students 22.3:1 students per teacher
Leslie Middle School
Standard public school
735 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Parrish Middle School
Standard public school
691 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Oregon, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~997 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Waldo Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Waldo Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Salem-Keizer Sd 24j'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 Waldo Middle School
How many students attend Waldo Middle School?
Waldo Middle School has 997 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Salem, OR.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Waldo Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Waldo Middle School is 16.1:1, which is 9% lower than the Oregon average of 17.6:1 and 3% 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 Waldo Middle School?
72.7% of students at Waldo Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Oregon average of 52.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Waldo Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Waldo Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 71.9% of enrollment, in Salem, OR.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Waldo Middle School?
Waldo Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Waldo Middle School rank among middle schools in Salem?
By Resource Investment Index, Waldo Middle School ranks #3 of 11 middle schools in Salem, OR. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Salem on the city page.
Is Waldo Middle School a good school?
Waldo Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Oregon 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 Salem-Keizer Sd 24j?
Besides Waldo Middle School, Salem-Keizer Sd 24j also operates Mckay High School (2,380 students), South Salem High School (2,195 students), and North Salem High School (2,107 students). See the Salem-Keizer Sd 24j 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.