Enrollment
833
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Port St Lucie, FL
Southern Oaks Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Southern Oaks Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120177003020
👥 S:T ratio 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 67
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southern Oaks Middle School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Florida schools.
- #7 of 27
- public schools in Port St Lucie · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22.5:1
- large classes for Florida
- 69.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Southern Oaks Middle School has class sizes larger than 87% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southern Oaks Middle School ranks #7 of 27 public schools in Port St Lucie, FL.
School address
NCES ID 120177003020 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.5:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.0%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+33% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southern Oaks Middle School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southern Oaks Middle School
Southern Oaks Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Port St Lucie, Florida, enrolling 833 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.5:1 is larger than about 87% of Florida schools and 26% 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 69.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 833 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 874 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #229.
Its student body is led by African American (36%) and Hispanic or Latino (34%) (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 167 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 51.5% 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.
Discipline events run high: 457 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 833 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 5 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
St. Lucie also operates Fort Pierce Central High School (3,178 students) and Treasure Coast High School (3,124 students) alongside Southern Oaks 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 Southern Oaks Middle School compares
Southern Oaks 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 | 22.5:1 | ▲ 26% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.0% | ▲ 33% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 833 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.5:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
833
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 33% 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
22.5:1
students per teacher
- 26% above state mean
Top 87% in Florida - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
51.5%
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
$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
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 167 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
225
in-school suspensions + 232 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 27.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 54.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 5 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 35.9%
Hispanic or Latino 34.1%
White 23.6%
Two or More 5.4%
Asian 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 35.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.6, Southern Oaks Middle School 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 Southern Oaks Middle School.
$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 Southern Oaks Middle School 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 | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southern Oaks Middle School'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 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 (~833 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southern Oaks Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Southern Oaks Middle School 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 Southern Oaks Middle School
How many students attend Southern Oaks Middle School?
Southern Oaks Middle School has 833 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Port St Lucie, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southern Oaks Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southern Oaks Middle School is 22.5:1, which is 26% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 43% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southern Oaks Middle School?
69.0% of students at Southern Oaks Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southern Oaks Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Southern Oaks Middle School is African American at 35.9% of enrollment, in Port St Lucie, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southern Oaks Middle School?
Southern Oaks Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 Southern Oaks Middle School rank among public schools in Port St Lucie?
By Resource Investment Index, Southern Oaks Middle School ranks #7 of 27 public schools in Port St Lucie, 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 Port St Lucie on the city page.
Is Southern Oaks Middle School a good school?
Southern Oaks Middle School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% 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 St. Lucie?
Besides Southern Oaks Middle School, 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.