Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 7 schools in district

Valley Center Middle School

800 N. Meridian, Valley Center, KS 67147Valley Center Pub Sch →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 06–08Non-Charter
761
Students
Total enrolled
$15,568
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 9% vs nat'l
15.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 761 students in grades 06–08 in Valley Center, Kansas.
9% above average funding
District spends $15,568 per pupil, 9% more than the national average of $14,347.
15.7 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

Valley Center Middle School is a large middle in Valley Center, Kansas, serving grades 06–08 with 761 students. The district invests $15,568 per student — 9% above the national average of $14,347, with a 15.7:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 42% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Valley Center Middle School

761
Total Students
15.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
42%
Free Lunch
48
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (06–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution396 male · 365 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility42%
National avg 52% · 317 students
Student Composition
77%
14%
Asian1%
White77%
Hispanic / Latino14%
Black2%
Multiracial6%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 201251000369

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$15,568Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$15,568
State avg
$19,661
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,850
Student Support$2,958
Administration$1,868
Operations$2,335
Other$1,557
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $15,568 spent per student, an estimated $6,896 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
60%
34%
State government
60.0%
Local (property tax)
33.5%
Federal programs
6.5%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Valley Center Intermediate SchoolWheatland ElemWest ElemAbilene Elem
↓
High School
Valley Center High
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades06 – 08
Location—
CountySedgwick County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictValley Center Pub Sch →
Phone: (316)755-7060
NCES ID: 201251000369
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Valley Center seeking a public middle school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Valley Center Pub Sch
High
Valley Center High
995 students · 09–12
34% FRL
Elem
Valley Center Intermediate School
480 students · 04–05
41% FRL
Elem
Wheatland Elem
346 students · KG–03
43% FRL
Elem
West Elem
287 students · KG–03
47% FRL
Elem
Abilene Elem
259 students · PK–03
50% FRL
Other
The Learning Center
67 students · KG–12
4% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
800 N. Meridian, Valley Center, KS 67147
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Middle
1
How does the school support the transition from elementary?
Orientation programs, peer mentoring
2
What electives and clubs are available?
Arts, STEM, sports, extracurriculars
3
How are students grouped for core subjects?
Tracking policies can affect equity
4
What is the school's homework and study policy?
Look for balance and academic support
5
How is bullying and social pressure addressed?
Anti-bullying policies, counselor availability
6
What advanced or enrichment options exist?
Honors courses, gifted programs
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.