Enrollment
608
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Vero Beach, FL
Gifford Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Gifford Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120093002193
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 59
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gifford Middle School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Florida schools.
- #2 of 3
- middle schools in Vero Beach · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21:1
- large classes for Florida
- 68.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Gifford Middle School has class sizes larger than 81% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gifford Middle School ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Vero Beach, FL.
School address
District: Indian River · Florida
NCES ID 120093002193 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.7%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gifford Middle School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gifford Middle School
Gifford Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Vero Beach, Florida, enrolling 608 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 68.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 608 students, its enrollment sits close to the Florida median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 989 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #329.
Its student body is led by African American (37%) and White (35%) (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 203 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 45.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Indian River also operates Vero Beach High School (2,645 students) and Sebastian River High School (1,777 students) alongside Gifford 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 Gifford Middle School compares
Gifford 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 | 21:1 | ▲ 18% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.7% | ▲ 32% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 608 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
608
Bigger than 73% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% above the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 81% in Florida - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
45.7%
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
$11,476
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 203 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.3 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
African American 36.7%
White 35.4%
Hispanic or Latino 22.0%
Two or More 4.8%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 36.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.9, Gifford Middle School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Indian River, which includes Gifford Middle School.
$11,476
Per student
+3%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 64.2%
State 20.6%
Federal 15.2%
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 Gifford Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vero Beach High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sebastian River High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Storm Grove Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Imagine at South Vero | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sebastian River Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gifford Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,645
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,777
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 904
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 892
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 775
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
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 (~608 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gifford Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Gifford Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Indian River'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 Gifford Middle School
How many students attend Gifford Middle School?
Gifford Middle School has 608 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Vero Beach, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gifford Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Gifford Middle School is 21:1, which is 18% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Gifford Middle School?
68.7% of students at Gifford Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gifford Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Gifford Middle School is African American at 36.7% of enrollment, in Vero Beach, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gifford Middle School?
Gifford Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 Gifford Middle School rank among middle schools in Vero Beach?
By Resource Investment Index, Gifford Middle School ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Vero 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 Vero Beach on the city page.
Is Gifford Middle School a good school?
Gifford Middle School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% 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 Indian River?
Besides Gifford Middle School, Indian River also operates Vero Beach High School (2,645 students), Sebastian River High School (1,777 students), and Storm Grove Middle School (904 students). See the Indian River 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.