Enrollment
786
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Fort Pierce, FL
Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies
Federal NCES profile for Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120177006816
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 61
📋 Attendance 21
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median.
- #6 of 16
- schools in Fort Pierce · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.4:1
- students per teacher
- 75.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies ranks #6 of 16 schools in Fort Pierce, FL.
School address
NCES ID 120177006816 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
51.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.4%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies
Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Fort Pierce, Florida, enrolling 786 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 75.4% of students qualify for free meals, 45% above the Florida average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 786 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Among 743 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #32, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (47%) and African American (36%) (diversity index 63/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 197 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.8% 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.
St. Lucie also operates Fort Pierce Central High School (3,178 students) and Treasure Coast High School (3,124 students) alongside Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies.
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 Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies compares
Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.4:1 | ▼ 13% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.4% | ▲ 45% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 786 | top 32% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
786
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% 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
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 38% in Florida - lower ratio than 62% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
31.8%
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 197 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 105 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.4 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
Hispanic or Latino 46.7%
African American 36.4%
White 12.1%
Two or More 3.3%
Asian 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 46.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.4, Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies 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 Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies.
$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 Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Pierce Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Treasure Coast High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| St. Lucie West Centennial High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fort Pierce Westwood Academy the W.E.S.T. Prep Magnet | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Port St. Lucie High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies'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 other 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 (~786 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies's federal record.
- Compare Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies 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 Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies
How many students attend Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies?
Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies has 786 students enrolled. It is a public school in Fort Pierce, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies?
The student-teacher ratio at Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies is 15.4:1, which is 13% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 2% 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 Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies?
75.4% of students at Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies?
The largest demographic group at Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies is Hispanic or Latino at 46.7% of enrollment, in Fort Pierce, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies?
Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies rank among schools in Fort Pierce?
By Resource Investment Index, Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies ranks #6 of 16 schools in Fort Pierce, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Fort Pierce on the city page.
Is Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies a good school?
Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies earns 47/100 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 St. Lucie?
Besides Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies, 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.