Enrollment
2,416
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gainesville, FL
F. W. Buchholz High School
Federal NCES profile for F. W. Buchholz High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120003000029
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 17
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
F. W. Buchholz High School earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of Florida schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Florida.
- #18 of 22
- schools in Gainesville · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 30.2:1
- large classes for Florida
- 32.6%
- free-lunch eligible
F. W. Buchholz High School has class sizes larger than 96% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, F. W. Buchholz High School ranks #18 of 22 schools in Gainesville, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
80.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
30.2:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+70% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.6%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How F. W. Buchholz High School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at F. W. Buchholz High School
F. W. Buchholz High School is a large combined-grade school in Gainesville, Florida, enrolling 2,416 students.
Class loads run heavy: 30.2:1 is larger than about 96% of Florida schools and 70% above the 17.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 32.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Florida, bigger than 98% of state schools at 2,416 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 179 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #117.
Its student body is led by White (44%) and African American (24%) (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 417 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Alachua also operates Gainesville High School (1,825 students) and Eastside High School (1,291 students) alongside F. W. Buchholz High 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 F. W. Buchholz High School compares
F. W. Buchholz High 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 | 30.2:1 | ▲ 70% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.6% | ▼ 37% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,416 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
30.2:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,416
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
30.2:1
students per teacher
- 70% above state mean
Top 96% in Florida - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
28.4%
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
$10,805
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
Counselors5.8 FTE
Per 417 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
106
in-school suspensions + 133 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.9 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 43.8%
African American 24.3%
Hispanic or Latino 16.7%
Two or More 8.7%
Asian 6.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 43.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.0, F. W. Buchholz High School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 27
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Alachua, which includes F. W. Buchholz High School.
$10,805
Per student
-3%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.3%
State 36.3%
Federal 19.4%
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 F. W. Buchholz High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gainesville High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eastside High School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Santa Fe High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| Kanapaha Middle School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Oak View Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to F. W. Buchholz High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,825
- Students per teacher
- 29:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,291
- Students per teacher
- 30.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,132
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,014
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 962
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar other 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 (~2,416 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on F. W. Buchholz High School's federal record.
- Compare F. W. Buchholz High School against another school. Compare schools
- Alachua'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 F. W. Buchholz High School
How many students attend F. W. Buchholz High School?
F. W. Buchholz High School has 2,416 students enrolled. It is a public school in Gainesville, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at F. W. Buchholz High School?
The student-teacher ratio at F. W. Buchholz High School is 30.2:1, which is 70% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 92% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at F. W. Buchholz High School?
32.6% of students at F. W. Buchholz High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of F. W. Buchholz High School?
The largest demographic group at F. W. Buchholz High School is White at 43.8% of enrollment, in Gainesville, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for F. W. Buchholz High School?
F. W. Buchholz High School has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does F. W. Buchholz High School rank among schools in Gainesville?
By Resource Investment Index, F. W. Buchholz High School ranks #18 of 22 schools in Gainesville, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Gainesville on the city page.
Is F. W. Buchholz High School a good school?
F. W. Buchholz High School earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of Florida schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Florida. 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 Alachua?
Besides F. W. Buchholz High School, Alachua also operates Gainesville High School (1,825 students), Eastside High School (1,291 students), and Santa Fe High School (1,132 students). See the Alachua 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.