Enrollment
451
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · San Jose, CA
William Sheppard Middle
Federal NCES profile for William Sheppard Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 060231000122
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 86
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
William Sheppard Middle earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% of California schools.
- #3 of 31
- middle schools in San Jose · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18:1
- small classes for California
- 57.3%
- free-lunch eligible
William Sheppard Middle has class sizes smaller than 79% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, William Sheppard Middle ranks #3 of 31 middle schools in San Jose, CA.
School address
District: Alum Rock Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 060231000122 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
+3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How William Sheppard Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at William Sheppard Middle
William Sheppard Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in San Jose, California, enrolling 451 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 18:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 57.3% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 451 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,681 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #60, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (60%) and Asian (35%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 301 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance holds up well here: only 5.5% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among San Jose's middle schools, it stands alongside Willow Glen Middle (1,180 students): William Sheppard Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18:1 vs 25.1:1).
Alum Rock Union Elementary also operates Adelante Dual Language Academy (505 students) and Linda Vista Elementary (437 students) alongside William Sheppard 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 William Sheppard Middle compares
William Sheppard 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 | 18:1 | ▼ 16% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.3% | ▲ 3% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 451 | top 53% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
451
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% 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
18:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 21% in California - lower ratio than 79% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
5.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$18,211
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 301 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 59.6%
Asian 34.8%
White 2.0%
Two or More 1.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
African American 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 59.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.3, William Sheppard Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Alum Rock Union Elementary, which includes William Sheppard Middle.
$18,211
Per student
+10%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.2%
State 61.3%
Federal 13.5%
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 William Sheppard Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adelante Dual Language Academy | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Linda Vista Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| O. S. Hubbard Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Aptitud Community Academy at Goss | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Joseph George Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to William Sheppard Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 505
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 437
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 427
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 386
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 384
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar middle schools in San Jose
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Willow Glen Middle
Standard public school
1,180 students 25.1:1 students per teacher
Union Middle
Standard public school
1,068 students 25.4:1 students per teacher
Joaquin Miller Middle
Standard public school
1,067 students 21.8:1 students per teacher
Price Charter Middle
Standard public school
959 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
Herbert Hoover Middle
Standard public school
910 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Dartmouth Middle
Standard public school
903 students 25.1:1 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 (~451 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on William Sheppard Middle's federal record.
- Compare William Sheppard Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Alum Rock Union Elementary'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 William Sheppard Middle
How many students attend William Sheppard Middle?
William Sheppard Middle has 451 students enrolled. It is a middle school in San Jose, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at William Sheppard Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at William Sheppard Middle is 18:1, which is 16% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 15% 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 William Sheppard Middle?
57.3% of students at William Sheppard Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of William Sheppard Middle?
The largest demographic group at William Sheppard Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 59.6% of enrollment, in San Jose, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for William Sheppard Middle?
William Sheppard Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 William Sheppard Middle rank among middle schools in San Jose?
By Resource Investment Index, William Sheppard Middle ranks #3 of 31 middle schools in San Jose, 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 San Jose on the city page.
Is William Sheppard Middle a good school?
William Sheppard Middle earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% of 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 Alum Rock Union Elementary?
Besides William Sheppard Middle, Alum Rock Union Elementary also operates Adelante Dual Language Academy (505 students), Linda Vista Elementary (437 students), and O. S. Hubbard Elementary (427 students). See the Alum Rock Union Elementary 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.