Enrollment
1,246
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · West Palm Beach, FL
Bak Middle School of the Arts
Federal NCES profile for Bak Middle School of the Arts, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120150003226
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 86
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bak Middle School of the Arts earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Florida schools.
- #3 of 6
- middle schools in West Palm Beach · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.3:1
- students per teacher
- 21.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Bak Middle School of the Arts has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bak Middle School of the Arts ranks #3 of 6 middle schools in West Palm Beach, FL.
School address
District: Palm Beach · Florida
NCES ID 120150003226 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
72.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.3:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.0%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-60% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bak Middle School of the Arts compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bak Middle School of the Arts
Bak Middle School of the Arts is a large middle school in West Palm Beach, Florida, enrolling 1,246 students.
At 17.3:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Florida median, within a few percentage points of the 17.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 21.0% free-meal eligibility runs 60% below the Florida average.
Enrollment of 1,246 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 91% of the 3,996 Florida schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 325 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #9, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (39%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 356 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 5.7% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Palm Beach also operates John I. Leonard High School (3,262 students) and Jupiter High School (3,122 students) alongside Bak Middle School of the Arts.
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 Bak Middle School of the Arts compares
Bak Middle School of the Arts on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.3:1 | ▼ 3% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.0% | ▼ 60% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,246 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.3:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,246
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 60% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.3:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 58% in Florida - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
5.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$12,727
per pupil, district-wide
- above Florida avg of $11,167
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.5 FTE
Per 356 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.4 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
White 38.6%
Hispanic or Latino 25.7%
African American 15.1%
Asian 13.4%
Two or More 6.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 38.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.0, Bak Middle School of the Arts is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Palm Beach, which includes Bak Middle School of the Arts.
$12,727
Per student
+14%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 63.0%
State 21.7%
Federal 15.3%
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 Bak Middle School of the Arts Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John I. Leonard High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jupiter High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Park Vista Community High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Boca Raton Community High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palm Beach Lakes High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bak Middle School of the Arts's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,262
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 3,122
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,881
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,819
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,809
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Florida, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,246 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bak Middle School of the Arts's federal record.
- Compare Bak Middle School of the Arts against another school. Compare schools
- Palm Beach'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 Bak Middle School of the Arts
How many students attend Bak Middle School of the Arts?
Bak Middle School of the Arts has 1,246 students enrolled. It is a middle school in West Palm Beach, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bak Middle School of the Arts?
The student-teacher ratio at Bak Middle School of the Arts is 17.3:1, which is 3% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 10% 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 Bak Middle School of the Arts?
21.0% of students at Bak Middle School of the Arts are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bak Middle School of the Arts?
The largest demographic group at Bak Middle School of the Arts is White at 38.6% of enrollment, in West Palm Beach, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bak Middle School of the Arts?
Bak Middle School of the Arts has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher 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 Bak Middle School of the Arts rank among middle schools in West Palm Beach?
By Resource Investment Index, Bak Middle School of the Arts ranks #3 of 6 middle schools in West Palm Beach, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in West Palm Beach on the city page.
Is Bak Middle School of the Arts a good school?
Bak Middle School of the Arts earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Florida 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 Palm Beach?
Besides Bak Middle School of the Arts, Palm Beach also operates John I. Leonard High School (3,262 students), Jupiter High School (3,122 students), and Park Vista Community High School (2,881 students). See the Palm Beach 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.