- Enrollment
- 2,410
- Students per teacher
- 26.2:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Pace, FL
Thomas L Sims Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Thomas L Sims Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120165003504
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 18
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thomas L Sims Middle School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median.
- #3 of 5
- public schools in Pace · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.5:1
- students per teacher
- 25.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Thomas L Sims Middle School has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas L Sims Middle School ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Pace, FL.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-248 students YoY
Thomas L Sims Middle School shrank from 1,098 students in 2022-23 to 850 in 2023-24 (-22.6%).
Teacher FTE lost 50.0 → 40.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-248 students YoY 120165003504 · Pace, FL Middle · MID · TRAD
823 enr · 16.5:1 · 25.1% lunch · RII 38
Nearest enrollment peer: Navarre High School (2,410 students)
Thomas L Sims Middle School shrank from 1,098 students in 2022-23 to 850 in 2023-24 (-22.6%). Teacher FTE lost 50.0 → 40.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Florida schools → · Find another →
Thomas L Sims Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Navarre High S
Navarre High School
2,410 students
- Pace High Scho
Pace High School
2,316 students
- Milton High Sc
Milton High School
1,985 students
- Gulf Breeze Hi
Gulf Breeze High School
1,946 students
- East Bay K-8 S
East Bay K-8 School
1,100 students
- This school 823
Thomas L Sims Middle School
823 students
What this shows Thomas L Sims Middle School reports 823 students on the CCD universe file.
How Thomas L Sims Middle School compares
Thomas L Sims Middle School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.5:1 | ▼ 7% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 25.1% | ▼ 52% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 823 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.5:1
Leaner classes than 34% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
823
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
25.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 52% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.5:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 50% in Florida - lower ratio than 50% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
28.4%
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
$10,065
per pupil, district-wide
- below Florida avg of $12,081
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 412 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
92
in-school suspensions + 56 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 76.1%
Two or More 9.6%
Hispanic or Latino 8.4%
African American 3.0%
Asian 2.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 76.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.3, Thomas L Sims Middle School is less mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Santa Rosa reports $10,065 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Thomas L Sims Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navarre High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pace High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Milton High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gulf Breeze High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Bay K-8 School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thomas L Sims Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,316
- Students per teacher
- 26:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,985
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 1,946
- Students per teacher
- 26.7:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,100
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~823 students)
Frequently asked questions about Thomas L Sims Middle School
How many students attend Thomas L Sims Middle School?
Thomas L Sims Middle School has 823 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Pace, FL. CCD year-over-year: 1,098 (2022-23) → 850 (2023-24), down 248.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas L Sims Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Thomas L Sims Middle School is 16.5:1, which is 7% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 5% higher 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 Thomas L Sims Middle School?
25.1% of students at Thomas L Sims Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thomas L Sims Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Thomas L Sims Middle School is White at 76.1% of enrollment, in Pace, FL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thomas L Sims Middle School?
Thomas L Sims Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Thomas L Sims Middle School rank among public schools in Pace?
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas L Sims Middle School ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Pace, 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 Pace on the city page.
What other schools are in Santa Rosa?
Besides Thomas L Sims Middle School, Santa Rosa also operates Navarre High School (2,410 students), Pace High School (2,316 students), and Milton High School (1,985 students). See the Santa Rosa district page for the complete list.