Enrollment
1,236
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Jupiter, FL
Independence Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Independence Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120150003897
👥 S:T ratio 23
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 18
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Independence Middle School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Florida schools.
- #5 of 11
- public schools in Jupiter · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.3:1
- large classes for Florida
- 25.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Independence Middle School has class sizes larger than 73% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Independence Middle School ranks #5 of 11 public schools in Jupiter, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
64.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.3:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
25.1%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-52% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Independence Middle School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Independence Middle School
Independence Middle School is a large middle school in Jupiter, Florida, enrolling 1,236 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 25.1% free-meal eligibility runs 52% below the Florida average.
Enrollment of 1,236 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 398 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #108.
Its student body is led by White (65%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 412 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
14.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Palm Beach also operates John I. Leonard High School (3,262 students) and Jupiter High School (3,122 students) alongside Independence 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 Independence Middle School compares
Independence 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 | 19.3:1 | ▲ 8% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 25.1% | ▼ 52% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,236 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.3:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,236
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
25.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 52% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
19.3:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 73% in Florida - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
14.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$12,727
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 412 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
89
in-school suspensions + 63 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.3 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
White 64.9%
Hispanic or Latino 23.2%
Asian 4.5%
African American 3.4%
Two or More 3.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 64.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.1, Independence Middle School is about as mixed as the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Palm Beach, which includes Independence Middle School.
$12,727
Per student
+14%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 63.0%
State 21.7%
Federal 15.3%
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 Independence Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John I. Leonard High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jupiter High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Park Vista Community High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Boca Raton Community High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palm Beach Lakes High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Independence Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,262
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- 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
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 (~1,236 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Independence Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Independence Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Palm Beach'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 Independence Middle School
How many students attend Independence Middle School?
Independence Middle School has 1,236 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Jupiter, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Independence Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Independence Middle School is 19.3:1, which is 8% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 23% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Independence Middle School?
25.1% of students at Independence Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Independence Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Independence Middle School is White at 64.9% of enrollment, in Jupiter, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Independence Middle School?
Independence Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Independence Middle School rank among public schools in Jupiter?
By Resource Investment Index, Independence Middle School ranks #5 of 11 public schools in Jupiter, 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 Jupiter on the city page.
Is Independence Middle School a good school?
Independence Middle School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% 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 Palm Beach?
Besides Independence 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.
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.