Enrollment
455
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Lake City, FL
Richardson Sixth Grade Academy
Federal NCES profile for Richardson Sixth Grade Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120036000359
👥 S:T ratio 27
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Richardson Sixth Grade Academy earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median.
- #13 of 15
- public schools in Lake City · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.2:1
- students per teacher
- 57.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Richardson Sixth Grade Academy has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Richardson Sixth Grade Academy ranks #13 of 15 public schools in Lake City, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.2:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.8%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Richardson Sixth Grade Academy compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Richardson Sixth Grade Academy
Richardson Sixth Grade Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Lake City, Florida, enrolling 455 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 57.8% lands close to the Florida typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 455 puts it in the smaller third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Among 706 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #607, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (48%) and African American (33%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 455 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 26.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 194 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 455 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Columbia also operates Columbia High School (1,711 students) and Fort White High School (1,101 students) alongside Richardson Sixth Grade Academy.
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 Richardson Sixth Grade Academy compares
Richardson Sixth Grade Academy on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.2:1 | ▲ 2% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.8% | ▲ 11% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 455 | top 66% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.2:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
455
Bigger than 56% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% 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
18.2:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 65% in Florida - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
41.5%
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
$10,799
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 455 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
110
in-school suspensions + 84 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 24.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 42.6 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 47.5%
African American 32.5%
Hispanic or Latino 9.5%
Two or More 8.6%
Asian 2.0%
Largest group: White at 47.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.2, Richardson Sixth Grade Academy is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Columbia, which includes Richardson Sixth Grade Academy.
$10,799
Per student
-3%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.7%
State 52.5%
Federal 26.9%
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 Richardson Sixth Grade Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fort White High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Belmont Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lake City Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Westside Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Richardson Sixth Grade Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,711
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,101
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 828
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 809
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 695
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
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 (~455 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Richardson Sixth Grade Academy's federal record.
- Compare Richardson Sixth Grade Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Columbia'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 Richardson Sixth Grade Academy
How many students attend Richardson Sixth Grade Academy?
Richardson Sixth Grade Academy has 455 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Lake City, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Richardson Sixth Grade Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Richardson Sixth Grade Academy is 18.2:1, which is 2% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 16% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Richardson Sixth Grade Academy?
57.8% of students at Richardson Sixth Grade Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Richardson Sixth Grade Academy?
The largest demographic group at Richardson Sixth Grade Academy is White at 47.5% of enrollment, in Lake City, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Richardson Sixth Grade Academy?
Richardson Sixth Grade Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (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 Richardson Sixth Grade Academy rank among public schools in Lake City?
By Resource Investment Index, Richardson Sixth Grade Academy ranks #13 of 15 public schools in Lake City, 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 Lake City on the city page.
Is Richardson Sixth Grade Academy a good school?
Richardson Sixth Grade Academy earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. 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 Columbia?
Besides Richardson Sixth Grade Academy, Columbia also operates Columbia High School (1,711 students), Fort White High School (1,101 students), and Belmont Academy (828 students). See the Columbia 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.