Enrollment
681
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Auburn, MI
Western Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Western Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 260426004102
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 55
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Western Middle School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Auburn · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.9:1
- students per teacher
- 31.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Western Middle School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Western Middle School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Auburn, MI.
School address
District: Bay City School District · Michigan
NCES ID 260426004102 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
31.5%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Western Middle School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Western Middle School
Western Middle School is a large middle school in Auburn, Michigan, enrolling 681 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 31.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 681 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 499 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #31, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 23/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 227 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.7% 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 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Bay City School District also operates Bay City Western High School (1,009 students) and Bay City Central High School (921 students) alongside Western 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 Western Middle School compares
Western Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.9:1 | ▲ 2% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 31.5% | ▼ 42% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 681 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
681
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
31.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 62% in Michigan - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
33.2%
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
$13,620
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 227 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
White 87.2%
Hispanic or Latino 5.9%
Two or More 5.0%
African American 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Asian 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 87.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 23.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 23.4, Western Middle School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bay City School District, which includes Western Middle School.
$13,620
Per student
+1%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.2%
State 61.2%
Federal 18.7%
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 Western Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bay City Western High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bay City Central High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Handy Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Auburn Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Kolb Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Western Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,009
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 921
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 598
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 474
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 451
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Michigan, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~681 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Western Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Western Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Bay City School District'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 Western Middle School
How many students attend Western Middle School?
Western Middle School has 681 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Auburn, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Western Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Western Middle School is 17.9:1, which is 2% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 14% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Western Middle School?
31.5% of students at Western Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Western Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Western Middle School is White at 87.2% of enrollment, in Auburn, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Western Middle School?
Western Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Western Middle School rank among public schools in Auburn?
By Resource Investment Index, Western Middle School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Auburn, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Auburn on the city page.
Is Western Middle School a good school?
Western Middle School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan 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 Bay City School District?
Besides Western Middle School, Bay City School District also operates Bay City Western High School (1,009 students), Bay City Central High School (921 students), and Handy Middle School (598 students). See the Bay City School District 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.