Enrollment
1,086
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Jacksonville, FL
Kernan Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Kernan Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120048003846
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 13
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Kernan Middle School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Florida schools.
- #16 of 24
- middle schools in Jacksonville · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.3:1
- students per teacher
- 46.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Kernan Middle School has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Kernan Middle School ranks #16 of 24 middle schools in Jacksonville, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
71.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.3:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.7%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Kernan Middle School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Kernan Middle School
Kernan Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Jacksonville, Florida, enrolling 1,086 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 46.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 1,086 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Among 726 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #537, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (37%) and Hispanic or Latino (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 543 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 298 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,086 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Duval also operates Atlantic Coast High School (2,887 students) and Sandalwood High School (2,627 students) alongside Kernan 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 Kernan Middle School compares
Kernan 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 | 15.3:1 | ▼ 14% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.7% | ▼ 10% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,086 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.3:1
Leaner classes than 44% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,086
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.3:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 37% in Florida - lower ratio than 63% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
35.0%
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
$10,696
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 543 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
191
in-school suspensions + 107 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 17.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 27.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 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
White 37.1%
Hispanic or Latino 24.4%
African American 22.7%
Asian 8.6%
Two or More 6.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 37.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.0, Kernan 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 Duval, which includes Kernan Middle School.
$10,696
Per student
-4%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.9%
State 39.3%
Federal 19.8%
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 Kernan Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Coast High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sandalwood High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mandarin High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Duncan U. Fletcher High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| First Coast High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Kernan Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,887
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 2,627
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,343
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 2,184
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 2,098
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
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 (~1,086 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Kernan Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Kernan Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Duval'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 Kernan Middle School
How many students attend Kernan Middle School?
Kernan Middle School has 1,086 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Jacksonville, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Kernan Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Kernan Middle School is 15.3:1, which is 14% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 3% 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 Kernan Middle School?
46.7% of students at Kernan Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Kernan Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Kernan Middle School is White at 37.1% of enrollment, in Jacksonville, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Kernan Middle School?
Kernan Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 Kernan Middle School rank among middle schools in Jacksonville?
By Resource Investment Index, Kernan Middle School ranks #16 of 24 middle schools in Jacksonville, 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 Jacksonville on the city page.
Is Kernan Middle School a good school?
Kernan Middle School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. 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 Duval?
Besides Kernan Middle School, Duval also operates Atlantic Coast High School (2,887 students), Sandalwood High School (2,627 students), and Mandarin High School (2,343 students). See the Duval 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.