Enrollment
434
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Quincy, FL
James a. Shanks Middle School
Federal NCES profile for James a. Shanks Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 120060000859
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 57
📋 Attendance 3
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James a. Shanks Middle School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 72% of Florida schools.
- #8 of 13
- public schools in Quincy · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.5:1
- small classes for Florida
- 88.7%
- free-lunch eligible
James a. Shanks Middle School has class sizes smaller than 72% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James a. Shanks Middle School ranks #8 of 13 public schools in Quincy, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.5:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
88.7%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+71% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James a. Shanks Middle School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at James a. Shanks Middle School
James a. Shanks Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Quincy, Florida, enrolling 434 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 88.7% of students qualify for free meals, 71% above the Florida average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 434 puts it in the smaller third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 302 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #134.
Its student body is led by African American (69%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%) (diversity index 46/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 217 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Gadsden spends $13,468 per pupil, 21% above the Florida average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 34.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 226 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 434 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Gadsden also operates Gadsden County High School (1,086 students) and George W. Munroe Elementary School (575 students) alongside James a. Shanks 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 James a. Shanks Middle School compares
James a. Shanks 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 | 14.5:1 | ▼ 19% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 88.7% | ▲ 71% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 434 | top 68% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.5:1
Leaner classes than 52% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
434
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
88.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 71% 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
14.5:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 28% in Florida - lower ratio than 72% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
38.9%
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
$13,468
per pupil, district-wide
- above Florida avg of $11,167
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 217 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
37
in-school suspensions + 189 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 52.1 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 68.9%
Hispanic or Latino 26.3%
White 2.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.2%
Two or More 1.2%
Largest group: African American at 68.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.5, James a. Shanks Middle School is less mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gadsden, which includes James a. Shanks Middle School.
$13,468
Per student
+21%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.5%
State 46.2%
Federal 34.3%
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 James a. Shanks Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gadsden County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| George W. Munroe Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Havana Magnet School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Crossroad Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Stewart Street Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James a. Shanks Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,086
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 575
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 558
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 555
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 453
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
Similar elementary 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 (~434 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James a. Shanks Middle School's federal record.
- Compare James a. Shanks Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Gadsden'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 James a. Shanks Middle School
How many students attend James a. Shanks Middle School?
James a. Shanks Middle School has 434 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Quincy, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James a. Shanks Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at James a. Shanks Middle School is 14.5:1, which is 19% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 8% 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 James a. Shanks Middle School?
88.7% of students at James a. Shanks Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James a. Shanks Middle School?
The largest demographic group at James a. Shanks Middle School is African American at 68.9% of enrollment, in Quincy, FL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James a. Shanks Middle School?
James a. Shanks Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 James a. Shanks Middle School rank among public schools in Quincy?
By Resource Investment Index, James a. Shanks Middle School ranks #8 of 13 public schools in Quincy, 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 Quincy on the city page.
Is James a. Shanks Middle School a good school?
James a. Shanks Middle School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 72% 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 Gadsden?
Besides James a. Shanks Middle School, Gadsden also operates Gadsden County High School (1,086 students), George W. Munroe Elementary School (575 students), and Havana Magnet School (558 students). See the Gadsden 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.