Enrollment
1,082
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Salinas, CA
Washington Middle
Federal NCES profile for Washington Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 063398005337
👥 S:T ratio 2
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 57
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Washington Middle earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #4 of 8
- middle schools in Salinas · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.6:1
- large classes for California
- 72.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Washington Middle has class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Washington Middle ranks #4 of 8 middle schools in Salinas, CA.
School address
District: Salinas Union High · California
NCES ID 063398005337 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
44.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.6:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
72.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
+31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Washington Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Washington Middle
Washington Middle is a higher-need, large middle school in Salinas, California, enrolling 1,082 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.6:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 72.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 90% of state schools at 1,082 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 787 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #233.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (90% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 18/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 216 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 6 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Salinas's middle schools, it stands alongside Harden Middle (1,101 students): Washington Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24.6:1 vs 22:1).
Salinas Union High also operates Alisal High (2,742 students) and Salinas High (2,380 students) alongside Washington 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 Washington Middle compares
Washington 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 | 24.6:1 | ▲ 14% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.9% | ▲ 31% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,082 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.6:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,082
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
72.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
24.6:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 76% in California - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
27.9%
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
$14,795
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 216 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 105 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 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 90.3%
White 5.7%
Asian 1.8%
African American 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Two or More 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 90.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 18.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 18.1, Washington Middle is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Salinas Union High, which includes Washington Middle.
$14,795
Per student
-10%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 23.3%
State 65.8%
Federal 11.0%
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 Washington Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alisal High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Salinas High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Salinas High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Everett Alvarez High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rancho San Juan High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Washington Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,742
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,380
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 2,106
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,978
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,600
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar middle schools in Salinas
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Harden Middle
Standard public school
1,101 students 22:1 students per teacher
La Paz Middle
Standard public school
1,099 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
El Sausal Middle
Standard public school
1,067 students 22.7:1 students per teacher
John Gutierrez Middle
Standard public school
568 students 21.8:1 students per teacher
Gavilan View Middle
Standard public school
556 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Buena Vista Middle
Standard public school
321 students 16.9:1 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 (~1,082 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Washington Middle's federal record.
- Compare Washington Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Salinas Union High'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 Washington Middle
How many students attend Washington Middle?
Washington Middle has 1,082 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Salinas, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Washington Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Washington Middle is 24.6:1, which is 14% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 57% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Washington Middle?
72.9% of students at Washington Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Washington Middle?
The largest demographic group at Washington Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 90.3% of enrollment, in Salinas, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Washington Middle?
Washington Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 Washington Middle rank among middle schools in Salinas?
By Resource Investment Index, Washington Middle ranks #4 of 8 middle schools in Salinas, 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 Salinas on the city page.
Is Washington Middle a good school?
Washington Middle earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California 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 Salinas Union High?
Besides Washington Middle, Salinas Union High also operates Alisal High (2,742 students), Salinas High (2,380 students), and North Salinas High (2,106 students). See the Salinas Union High 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.