Enrollment
2,040
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Tampa, FL
Gaither High School
Federal NCES profile for Gaither High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 120087002437
👥 S:T ratio 14
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 32
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gaither High School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Florida schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Florida.
- #13 of 20
- high schools in Tampa · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.5:1
- large classes for Florida
- 43.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Gaither High School has class sizes larger than 83% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gaither High School ranks #13 of 20 high schools in Tampa, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
95.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.5:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
43.1%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gaither High School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gaither High School
Gaither High School is a large high school in Tampa, Florida, enrolling 2,040 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 43.1% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Florida, bigger than 96% of state schools at 2,040 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 262 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #159.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (49%) and White (35%) (diversity index 63/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 20 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 340 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 460 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 2,040 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Hillsborough also operates Florida Connections Academy (5,748 students) and Jule F Sumner High School (3,602 students) alongside Gaither 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 Gaither High School compares
Gaither 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 | 21.5:1 | ▲ 21% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.1% | ▼ 17% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,040 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.5:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,040
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
43.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.5:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 83% in Florida - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
43.9%
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
$9,835
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
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 340 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
362
in-school suspensions + 98 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 17.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 22.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 48.6%
White 34.6%
African American 9.5%
Two or More 4.6%
Asian 2.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 48.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.2, Gaither High School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 20
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hillsborough, which includes Gaither High School.
$9,835
Per student
-12%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.2%
State 40.7%
Federal 16.1%
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 Gaither High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Connections Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jule F Sumner High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Newsome High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Alonso High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Plant City High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gaither High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 5,748
- Students per teacher
- 40.5:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 3,602
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 3,157
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 2,863
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 2,572
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar high 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 (~2,040 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gaither High School's federal record.
- Compare Gaither High School against another school. Compare schools
- Hillsborough'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 Gaither High School
How many students attend Gaither High School?
Gaither High School has 2,040 students enrolled. It is a high school in Tampa, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gaither High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Gaither High School is 21.5:1, which is 21% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 37% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Gaither High School?
43.1% of students at Gaither High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gaither High School?
The largest demographic group at Gaither High School is Hispanic or Latino at 48.6% of enrollment, in Tampa, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gaither High School?
Gaither High School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 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 Gaither High School rank among high schools in Tampa?
By Resource Investment Index, Gaither High School ranks #13 of 20 high schools in Tampa, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Tampa on the city page.
Is Gaither High School a good school?
Gaither High School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% 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 Hillsborough?
Besides Gaither High School, Hillsborough also operates Florida Connections Academy (5,748 students), Jule F Sumner High School (3,602 students), and Newsome High School (3,157 students). See the Hillsborough 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.