Enrollment
917
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Ocala, FL
Howard Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Howard Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120126001251
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 8
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Howard Middle School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Florida schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Florida schools.
- #5 of 5
- middle schools in Ocala · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.5:1
- large classes for Florida
- 60.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Howard Middle School has class sizes larger than 74% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Howard Middle School ranks #5 of 5 middle schools in Ocala, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.5:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.1%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Howard Middle School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Howard Middle School
Howard Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Ocala, Florida, enrolling 917 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 60.1% lands close to the Florida typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 917 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 91% of the 3,996 Florida schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 900 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #773, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (36%) and White (27%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 73/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 459 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 405 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 917 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Marion also operates West Port High School (3,022 students) and Forest High School (2,387 students) alongside Howard 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 Howard Middle School compares
Howard 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 | 19.5:1 | ▲ 10% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.1% | ▲ 16% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 917 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.5:1
Leaner classes than 18% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
917
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% 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
19.5:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 74% in Florida - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
44.4%
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
$10,818
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 459 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
210
in-school suspensions + 195 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 22.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 44.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 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
African American 35.8%
White 26.7%
Hispanic or Latino 25.1%
Asian 6.7%
Two or More 5.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 35.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.0, Howard 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 Marion, which includes Howard Middle School.
$10,818
Per student
-3%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.3%
State 43.3%
Federal 21.4%
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 Howard Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Port High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Forest High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Belleview High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Vanguard High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Belleview Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Howard Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,022
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 2,387
- Students per teacher
- 25.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,904
- Students per teacher
- 26.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,684
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,600
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
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 (~917 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Howard Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Howard Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Marion'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 Howard Middle School
How many students attend Howard Middle School?
Howard Middle School has 917 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Ocala, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Howard Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Howard Middle School is 19.5:1, which is 10% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 24% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Howard Middle School?
60.1% of students at Howard Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Howard Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Howard Middle School is African American at 35.8% of enrollment, in Ocala, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Howard Middle School?
Howard Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower 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 Howard Middle School rank among middle schools in Ocala?
By Resource Investment Index, Howard Middle School ranks #5 of 5 middle schools in Ocala, 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 Ocala on the city page.
Is Howard Middle School a good school?
Howard Middle School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Florida schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Marion?
Besides Howard Middle School, Marion also operates West Port High School (3,022 students), Forest High School (2,387 students), and Belleview High School (1,904 students). See the Marion 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.