Enrollment
2,809
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · West Palm Beach, FL
Palm Beach Lakes High School
Federal NCES profile for Palm Beach Lakes High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 19/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 120150002627
👥 S:T ratio 2
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 30
📋 Attendance 22
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Palm Beach Lakes High School earns 19/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Florida schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Florida.
- #7 of 8
- high schools in West Palm Beach · Resource Index
- 19
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.4:1
- large classes for Florida
- 69.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Palm Beach Lakes High School has class sizes larger than 91% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Palm Beach Lakes High School ranks #7 of 8 high schools in West Palm Beach, FL.
School address
District: Palm Beach · Florida
NCES ID 120150002627 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
115.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.4:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+37% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.6%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Palm Beach Lakes High School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Palm Beach Lakes High School
Palm Beach Lakes High School is a higher-need, large high school in West Palm Beach, Florida, enrolling 2,809 students.
Class loads run heavy: 24.4:1 is larger than about 91% of Florida schools and 37% above the 17.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 69.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Florida, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,809 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 3,996 Florida schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 52 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #49, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (59%) and Hispanic or Latino (35%) (diversity index 53/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 2 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 351 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 832 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 2,809 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 66 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Palm Beach also operates John I. Leonard High School (3,262 students) and Jupiter High School (3,122 students) alongside Palm Beach Lakes High 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 Palm Beach Lakes High School compares
Palm Beach Lakes High 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 | 24.4:1 | ▲ 37% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.6% | ▲ 34% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,809 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.4:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,809
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
24.4:1
students per teacher
- 37% above state mean
Top 91% in Florida - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
31.3%
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
$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
Counselors8.0 FTE
Per 351 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
378
in-school suspensions + 454 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 29.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 66 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
African American 58.6%
Hispanic or Latino 34.7%
White 4.1%
Two or More 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Asian 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 58.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.4, Palm Beach Lakes High School is about as mixed as the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 2
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Palm Beach, which includes Palm Beach Lakes High 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 Palm Beach Lakes High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John I. Leonard High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jupiter High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Park Vista Community High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Boca Raton Community High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Palm Beach Central High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Palm Beach Lakes High 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
- 2,760
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar high 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 (~2,809 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Palm Beach Lakes High School's federal record.
- Compare Palm Beach Lakes High 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 Palm Beach Lakes High School
How many students attend Palm Beach Lakes High School?
Palm Beach Lakes High School has 2,809 students enrolled. It is a high school in West Palm Beach, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Palm Beach Lakes High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Palm Beach Lakes High School is 24.4:1, which is 37% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 55% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Palm Beach Lakes High School?
69.6% of students at Palm Beach Lakes High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Palm Beach Lakes High School?
The largest demographic group at Palm Beach Lakes High School is African American at 58.6% of enrollment, in West Palm Beach, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Palm Beach Lakes High School?
Palm Beach Lakes High School has a Resource Investment Index of 19/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Palm Beach Lakes High School rank among high schools in West Palm Beach?
By Resource Investment Index, Palm Beach Lakes High School ranks #7 of 8 high schools in West Palm Beach, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in West Palm Beach on the city page.
Is Palm Beach Lakes High School a good school?
Palm Beach Lakes High School earns 19/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Florida schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Florida. 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 Palm Beach Lakes High 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.