Enrollment
1,061
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Niceville, FL
C. W. Ruckel Middle School
Federal NCES profile for C. W. Ruckel Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120138001327
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
C. W. Ruckel Middle School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Florida schools.
- #5 of 6
- public schools in Niceville · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20:1
- large classes for Florida
- 20.7%
- free-lunch eligible
C. W. Ruckel Middle School has class sizes larger than 77% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, C. W. Ruckel Middle School ranks #5 of 6 public schools in Niceville, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
53.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.7%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-60% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How C. W. Ruckel Middle School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at C. W. Ruckel Middle School
C. W. Ruckel Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Niceville, Florida, enrolling 1,061 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 20.7% free-meal eligibility runs 60% below the Florida average.
Enrollment of 1,061 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 385 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #217.
Its student body is led by White (78%) and Hispanic or Latino (11%) (diversity index 38/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 531 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
13.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 19.6% 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 5 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Okaloosa also operates Crestview High School (2,376 students) and Niceville Senior High School (2,036 students) alongside C. W. Ruckel 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 C. W. Ruckel Middle School compares
C. W. Ruckel Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20:1 | ▲ 12% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.7% | ▼ 60% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,061 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,061
Bigger than 92% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
20.7%
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
20:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 77% in Florida - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
13.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$10,590
per pupil, district-wide
- below 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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 531 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
76
in-school suspensions + 24 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 5 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
White 77.7%
Hispanic or Latino 11.1%
Two or More 7.5%
African American 2.4%
Asian 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 77.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.8, C. W. Ruckel Middle School is less mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Okaloosa, which includes C. W. Ruckel Middle School.
$10,590
Per student
-5%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.0%
State 37.4%
Federal 19.6%
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 C. W. Ruckel Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crestview High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Niceville Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Choctawhatchee Senior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fort Walton Beach High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Baker School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to C. W. Ruckel Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,376
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 2,036
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,720
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,550
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,434
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
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 (~1,061 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on C. W. Ruckel Middle School's federal record.
- Compare C. W. Ruckel Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Okaloosa'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 C. W. Ruckel Middle School
How many students attend C. W. Ruckel Middle School?
C. W. Ruckel Middle School has 1,061 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Niceville, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at C. W. Ruckel Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at C. W. Ruckel Middle School is 20:1, which is 12% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 27% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at C. W. Ruckel Middle School?
20.7% of students at C. W. Ruckel Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of C. W. Ruckel Middle School?
The largest demographic group at C. W. Ruckel Middle School is White at 77.7% of enrollment, in Niceville, FL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for C. W. Ruckel Middle School?
C. W. Ruckel Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 C. W. Ruckel Middle School rank among public schools in Niceville?
By Resource Investment Index, C. W. Ruckel Middle School ranks #5 of 6 public schools in Niceville, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Niceville on the city page.
Is C. W. Ruckel Middle School a good school?
C. W. Ruckel Middle School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of 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 Okaloosa?
Besides C. W. Ruckel Middle School, Okaloosa also operates Crestview High School (2,376 students), Niceville Senior High School (2,036 students), and Choctawhatchee Senior High School (1,720 students). See the Okaloosa 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.