Enrollment
571
Oregon · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Salem, OR
Walker Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Walker Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 411082000815
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Walker Middle School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Oregon schools.
- #5 of 11
- middle schools in Salem · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.1:1
- large classes for Oregon
- 93.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Walker Middle School has class sizes larger than 85% of Oregon schools. Computed live against every Oregon school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Walker Middle School ranks #5 of 11 middle schools in Salem, OR.
School address
District: Salem-Keizer Sd 24j · Oregon
NCES ID 411082000815 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.1:1
vs 17.6:1 Oregon avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
93.2%
vs 52.8% Oregon avg
+77% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Walker Middle School compares with Oregon and U.S. medians
What stands out at Walker Middle School
Walker Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Salem, Oregon, enrolling 571 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Oregon schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 93.2% of students qualify for free meals, 77% above the Oregon average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 571 puts it in the larger third of Oregon schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,273 scored Oregon schools.
Against 52 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #27.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and Hispanic or Latino (34%) (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 286 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Salem's middle schools, it stands alongside Stephens Middle School (1,014 students): Walker Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.1:1 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 Walker 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 Walker Middle School compares
Walker 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 | 21.1:1 | ▲ 20% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 93.2% | ▲ 77% | 52.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 571 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.1:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
571
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
93.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 77% above the Oregon average of 52.8%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.1:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 85% in Oregon - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
48.3%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 286 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
58
in-school suspensions + 32 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 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
White 48.8%
Hispanic or Latino 33.6%
Two or More 9.7%
Asian 2.8%
African American 2.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: White at 48.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.8, Walker Middle School is more mixed than 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 Walker 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 Walker 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 | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Salem High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mcnary High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sprague High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Walker 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
Waldo Middle School
Standard public school
997 students 16.1:1 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
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 (~571 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Walker Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Walker 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 Walker Middle School
How many students attend Walker Middle School?
Walker Middle School has 571 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Salem, OR.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Walker Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Walker Middle School is 21.1:1, which is 20% higher than the Oregon average of 17.6:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Walker Middle School?
93.2% of students at Walker Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Oregon average of 52.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Walker Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Walker Middle School is White at 48.8% of enrollment, in Salem, OR. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Walker Middle School?
Walker Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Walker Middle School rank among middle schools in Salem?
By Resource Investment Index, Walker Middle School ranks #5 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 Walker Middle School a good school?
Walker Middle School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Oregon 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 Salem-Keizer Sd 24j?
Besides Walker 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.