Enrollment
1,304
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Homestead, FL
South Dade Middle School
Federal NCES profile for South Dade Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 120039005838
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 13
📋 Attendance 15
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Dade Middle School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Florida schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Florida schools.
- #8 of 12
- elementary schools in Homestead · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.9:1
- large classes for Florida
- 73.0%
- free-lunch eligible
South Dade Middle School has class sizes larger than 70% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Dade Middle School ranks #8 of 12 elementary schools in Homestead, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
69.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.9:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
73.0%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Dade Middle School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Dade Middle School
South Dade Middle School is a higher-need, large elementary school in Homestead, Florida, enrolling 1,304 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 73.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 1,304 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.
Against 318 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #149.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (86% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 26/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 435 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.5% 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 17 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Miami-Dade also operates John a. Ferguson Senior High (4,291 students) and Coral Reef Senior High School (3,399 students) alongside South Dade 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 South Dade Middle School compares
South Dade 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 | 18.9:1 | ▲ 6% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 73.0% | ▲ 40% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,304 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.9:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,304
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
73.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% 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
18.9:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 70% in Florida - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
34.0%
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
$12,258
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 435 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 17 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
Hispanic or Latino 85.5%
African American 10.1%
White 2.9%
Two or More 0.8%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 85.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 25.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 25.8, South Dade Middle School is less mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Miami-Dade, which includes South Dade Middle School.
$12,258
Per student
+10%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.2%
State 23.3%
Federal 19.5%
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 South Dade Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John a. Ferguson Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Coral Reef Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Dade Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Miami Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hialeah Gardens Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Dade Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 4,291
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 3,399
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 3,382
- Students per teacher
- 27.7:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 3,100
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 3,009
- Students per teacher
- 28.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
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 (~1,304 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Dade Middle School's federal record.
- Compare South Dade Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Miami-Dade'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 South Dade Middle School
How many students attend South Dade Middle School?
South Dade Middle School has 1,304 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Homestead, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Dade Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Dade Middle School is 18.9:1, which is 6% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Dade Middle School?
73.0% of students at South Dade Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Dade Middle School?
The largest demographic group at South Dade Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 85.5% of enrollment, in Homestead, FL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Dade Middle School?
South Dade Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (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 South Dade Middle School rank among elementary schools in Homestead?
By Resource Investment Index, South Dade Middle School ranks #8 of 12 elementary schools in Homestead, 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 Homestead on the city page.
Is South Dade Middle School a good school?
South Dade Middle School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Florida schools. It is also less 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 Miami-Dade?
Besides South Dade Middle School, Miami-Dade also operates John a. Ferguson Senior High (4,291 students), Coral Reef Senior High School (3,399 students), and South Dade Senior High School (3,382 students). See the Miami-Dade 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.