Enrollment
1,700
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Port St Lucie, FL
Manatee Academy K-8
Federal NCES profile for Manatee Academy K-8, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 120177001111
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 32
📋 Attendance 16
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Manatee Academy K-8 earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Florida schools.
- #2 of 5
- elementary schools in Port St Lucie · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20:1
- large classes for Florida
- 58.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Manatee Academy K-8 has class sizes larger than 77% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Manatee Academy K-8 ranks #2 of 5 elementary schools in Port St Lucie, FL.
School address
NCES ID 120177001111 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
85.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
58.0%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Manatee Academy K-8 compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Manatee Academy K-8
Manatee Academy K-8 is a higher-need, large elementary school in Port St Lucie, Florida, enrolling 1,700 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 58.0% lands close to the Florida typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Florida, bigger than 93% of state schools at 1,700 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 311 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #80.
Its student body is led by African American (36%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%) (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 340 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 17.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
St. Lucie also operates Fort Pierce Central High School (3,178 students) and Treasure Coast High School (3,124 students) alongside Manatee Academy K-8.
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 Manatee Academy K-8 compares
Manatee Academy K-8 on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20:1 | ▲ 12% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 58.0% | ▲ 12% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,700 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,700
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
58.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% 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
20:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 77% in Florida - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
33.6%
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
$11,031
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
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 340 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
142
in-school suspensions + 125 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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%
Hispanic or Latino 29.5%
White 28.3%
Two or More 5.0%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 35.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.2, Manatee Academy K-8 is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for St. Lucie, which includes Manatee Academy K-8.
$11,031
Per student
-1%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.9%
State 35.5%
Federal 17.6%
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 Manatee Academy K-8 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Pierce Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Treasure Coast High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| St. Lucie West Centennial High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fort Pierce Westwood Academy the W.E.S.T. Prep Magnet | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Port St. Lucie High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Manatee Academy K-8's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,178
- Students per teacher
- 27.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 3,124
- Students per teacher
- 28.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,914
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,956
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,793
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
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 (~1,700 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Manatee Academy K-8's federal record.
- Compare Manatee Academy K-8 against another school. Compare schools
- St. Lucie'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 Manatee Academy K-8
How many students attend Manatee Academy K-8?
Manatee Academy K-8 has 1,700 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Port St Lucie, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Manatee Academy K-8?
The student-teacher ratio at Manatee Academy K-8 is 20:1, which is 12% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 27% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Manatee Academy K-8?
58.0% of students at Manatee Academy K-8 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Manatee Academy K-8?
The largest demographic group at Manatee Academy K-8 is African American at 35.8% of enrollment, in Port St Lucie, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Manatee Academy K-8?
Manatee Academy K-8 has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Manatee Academy K-8 rank among elementary schools in Port St Lucie?
By Resource Investment Index, Manatee Academy K-8 ranks #2 of 5 elementary schools in Port St Lucie, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Port St Lucie on the city page.
Is Manatee Academy K-8 a good school?
Manatee Academy K-8 earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% 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 St. Lucie?
Besides Manatee Academy K-8, St. Lucie also operates Fort Pierce Central High School (3,178 students), Treasure Coast High School (3,124 students), and St. Lucie West Centennial High (2,914 students). See the St. Lucie 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.