- Enrollment
- 3,262
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Howell L. Watkins Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Howell L. Watkins Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120150001481
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 65
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Howell L. Watkins Middle School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 90% of Florida schools.
- #6 of 12
- public schools in Palm Beach Gardens · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.8:1
- small classes for Florida
- 76.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Howell L. Watkins Middle School has class sizes smaller than 90% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Howell L. Watkins Middle School ranks #6 of 12 public schools in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.
School address
District: Palm Beach · Florida
NCES ID 120150001481 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-74 students YoY
Howell L. Watkins Middle School shrank from 794 students in 2022-23 to 720 in 2023-24 (-9.3%).
Teacher FTE lost 60.0 → 52.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-74 students YoY 120150001481 · Palm Beach Gardens, FL Middle · MID · TRAD
705 enr · 11.8:1 · 76.1% lunch · RII 47
Nearest enrollment peer: John I. Leonard High School (3,262 students)
Howell L. Watkins Middle School shrank from 794 students in 2022-23 to 720 in 2023-24 (-9.3%). Teacher FTE lost 60.0 → 52.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Florida schools → · Find another →
Howell L. Watkins Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- John I. Leonar
John I. Leonard High School
3,262 students
- Jupiter High S
Jupiter High School
3,122 students
- Park Vista Com
Park Vista Community High School
2,881 students
- Boca Raton Com
Boca Raton Community High School
2,819 students
- Palm Beach Lak
Palm Beach Lakes High School
2,809 students
- This school 705
Howell L. Watkins Middle School
705 students
What this shows Howell L. Watkins Middle School reports 705 students on the CCD universe file.
How Howell L. Watkins Middle School compares
Howell L. Watkins Middle School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.8:1 | ▼ 34% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.1% | ▲ 46% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 705 | top 39% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.8:1
Leaner classes than 77% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
705
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
76.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 46% above the Florida average of 52.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.8:1
students per teacher
- 34% below state mean
Top 10% in Florida - lower ratio than 90% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
54.3%
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
$14,024
per pupil, district-wide
- above Florida avg of $12,081
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 176 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
51
in-school suspensions + 222 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 38.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
Student demographics
African American 70.1%
Hispanic or Latino 18.6%
White 7.7%
Two or More 1.6%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 70.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.8, Howell L. Watkins Middle School is less mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Palm Beach reports $14,024 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Howell L. Watkins Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John I. Leonard High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jupiter High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Park Vista Community High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Boca Raton Community High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Palm Beach Lakes High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Howell L. Watkins Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,122
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,881
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,819
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,809
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~705 students)
Frequently asked questions about Howell L. Watkins Middle School
How many students attend Howell L. Watkins Middle School?
Howell L. Watkins Middle School has 705 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. CCD year-over-year: 794 (2022-23) → 720 (2023-24), down 74.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Howell L. Watkins Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Howell L. Watkins Middle School is 11.8:1, which is 34% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 25% lower 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 Howell L. Watkins Middle School?
76.1% of students at Howell L. Watkins Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Howell L. Watkins Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Howell L. Watkins Middle School is African American at 70.1% of enrollment, in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Howell L. Watkins Middle School?
Howell L. Watkins Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Howell L. Watkins Middle School rank among public schools in Palm Beach Gardens?
By Resource Investment Index, Howell L. Watkins Middle School ranks #6 of 12 public schools in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Palm Beach Gardens on the city page.
What other schools are in Palm Beach?
Besides Howell L. Watkins Middle School, Palm Beach also operates John I. Leonard High School (3,262 students), Jupiter High School (3,122 students), and Park Vista Community High School (2,881 students). See the Palm Beach district page for the complete list.