Enrollment
529
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Boynton Beach, FL
South Tech Preparatory Academy
Federal NCES profile for South Tech Preparatory Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 19/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120150008242Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 25
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Tech Preparatory Academy earns 19/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Florida schools.
- #4 of 4
- middle schools in Boynton Beach · Resource Index
- 19
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.6:1
- large classes for Florida
- 76.3%
- free-lunch eligible
South Tech Preparatory Academy has class sizes larger than 75% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Tech Preparatory Academy ranks #4 of 4 middle schools in Boynton Beach, FL.
School address
District: Palm Beach · Florida
NCES ID 120150008242 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.6:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.3%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+47% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Tech Preparatory Academy compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Tech Preparatory Academy
South Tech Preparatory Academy is a high-poverty, mid-sized charter middle school in Boynton Beach, Florida, enrolling 529 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 76.3% of students qualify for free meals, 47% above the Florida average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 529 students, its enrollment sits close to the Florida median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 3,996 Florida schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 763 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #739, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (56%) and Hispanic or Latino (39%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 529 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.9% 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.
Palm Beach also operates John I. Leonard High School (3,262 students) and Jupiter High School (3,122 students) alongside South Tech Preparatory 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 South Tech Preparatory Academy compares
South Tech Preparatory 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 | 19.6:1 | ▲ 10% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.3% | ▲ 47% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 529 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.6:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
529
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
76.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% 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
19.6:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 75% in Florida - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
29.9%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 529 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 27 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.6 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
African American 55.6%
Hispanic or Latino 38.8%
White 4.0%
Asian 0.8%
Two or More 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 55.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.9, South Tech Preparatory Academy is about as mixed as the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Palm Beach, which includes South Tech Preparatory Academy.
$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 South Tech Preparatory Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John I. Leonard High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jupiter High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Park Vista Community High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Boca Raton Community High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palm Beach Lakes High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Tech Preparatory Academy'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
- 2,809
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
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 (~529 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Tech Preparatory Academy's federal record.
- Compare South Tech Preparatory Academy 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 South Tech Preparatory Academy
How many students attend South Tech Preparatory Academy?
South Tech Preparatory Academy has 529 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Boynton Beach, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Tech Preparatory Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at South Tech Preparatory Academy is 19.6:1, which is 10% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 25% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Tech Preparatory Academy?
76.3% of students at South Tech Preparatory Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Tech Preparatory Academy?
The largest demographic group at South Tech Preparatory Academy is African American at 55.6% of enrollment, in Boynton Beach, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Tech Preparatory Academy?
South Tech Preparatory Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 19/100 (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 Tech Preparatory Academy rank among middle schools in Boynton Beach?
By Resource Investment Index, South Tech Preparatory Academy ranks #4 of 4 middle schools in Boynton Beach, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Boynton Beach on the city page.
Is South Tech Preparatory Academy a good school?
South Tech Preparatory Academy earns 19/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% 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 Palm Beach?
Besides South Tech Preparatory Academy, 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.