Enrollment
217
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Spring Hill, FL
Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology
Federal NCES profile for Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120081004084Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 57
📋 Attendance 81
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in Spring Hill · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.7:1
- students per teacher
- 32.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Spring Hill, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.7:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.5%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology
Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology is a mid-sized charter middle school in Spring Hill, Florida, enrolling 217 students.
At 16.7:1, 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.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 32.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 217 puts it in the smaller third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 69 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #24.
Its student body is led by White (64%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 217 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.8% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 15.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Hernando also operates Frank W. Springstead High School (1,853 students) and Winding Waters K-8 (1,613 students) alongside Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology.
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 Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology compares
Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.7:1 | ▼ 6% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.5% | ▼ 38% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 217 | top 83% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.7:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
217
Bigger than 21% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% 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
16.7:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 52% in Florida - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
7.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$9,962
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 217 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 63.6%
Hispanic or Latino 22.6%
Two or More 6.0%
African American 4.1%
Asian 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.4%
Largest group: White at 63.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.8, Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology is about as mixed as the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hernando, which includes Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology.
$9,962
Per student
-11%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.9%
State 44.9%
Federal 15.1%
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 Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frank W. Springstead High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Winding Waters K-8 | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Explorer K-8 | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,853
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,613
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,544
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,456
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,444
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
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 (~217 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology's federal record.
- Compare Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology against another school. Compare schools
- Hernando'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 Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology
How many students attend Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology?
Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology has 217 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Spring Hill, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology?
The student-teacher ratio at Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology is 16.7:1, which is 6% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 6% 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 Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology?
32.5% of students at Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology?
The largest demographic group at Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology is White at 63.6% of enrollment, in Spring Hill, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology?
Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (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 Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology rank among middle schools in Spring Hill?
By Resource Investment Index, Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Spring Hill, 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 Spring Hill on the city page.
Is Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology a good school?
Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. 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 Hernando?
Besides Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology, Hernando also operates Frank W. Springstead High School (1,853 students), Winding Waters K-8 (1,613 students), and Explorer K-8 (1,544 students). See the Hernando 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.