Enrollment
1,684
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Ocala, FL
Vanguard High School
Federal NCES profile for Vanguard High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 120126001277
👥 S:T ratio 5
📚 AP courses 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 16
📋 Attendance 2
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vanguard High School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Florida schools.
- #3 of 4
- high schools in Ocala · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.7:1
- large classes for Florida
- 59.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Vanguard High School has class sizes larger than 90% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vanguard High School ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Ocala, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
71.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.7:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.1%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vanguard High School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vanguard High School
Vanguard High School is a higher-need, large high school in Ocala, Florida, enrolling 1,684 students.
Class loads run heavy: 23.7:1 is larger than about 90% of Florida schools and 33% above the 17.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 59.1% lands close to the Florida typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Florida, bigger than 93% of state schools at 1,684 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 3,996 Florida schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 302 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #257, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (34%) and African American (33%) (diversity index 72/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 6 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 421 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 610 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,684 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Marion also operates West Port High School (3,022 students) and Forest High School (2,387 students) alongside Vanguard High 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 Vanguard High School compares
Vanguard High 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 | 23.7:1 | ▲ 33% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.1% | ▲ 14% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,684 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.7:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,684
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% 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
23.7:1
students per teacher
- 33% above state mean
Top 90% in Florida - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
39.4%
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
$10,818
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 421 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
340
in-school suspensions + 270 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 20.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 36.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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
White 33.9%
African American 32.7%
Hispanic or Latino 23.4%
Asian 4.8%
Two or More 4.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 33.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.9, Vanguard High School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 6
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Marion, which includes Vanguard High School.
$10,818
Per student
-3%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.3%
State 43.3%
Federal 21.4%
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 Vanguard High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Port High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Forest High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Belleview High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Belleview Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dunnellon High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vanguard High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,022
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 2,387
- Students per teacher
- 25.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,904
- Students per teacher
- 26.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,600
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 1,562
- Students per teacher
- 30:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar high 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 (~1,684 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vanguard High School's federal record.
- Compare Vanguard High School against another school. Compare schools
- Marion'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 Vanguard High School
How many students attend Vanguard High School?
Vanguard High School has 1,684 students enrolled. It is a high school in Ocala, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vanguard High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Vanguard High School is 23.7:1, which is 33% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 51% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Vanguard High School?
59.1% of students at Vanguard High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vanguard High School?
The largest demographic group at Vanguard High School is White at 33.9% of enrollment, in Ocala, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vanguard High School?
Vanguard High School has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Vanguard High School rank among high schools in Ocala?
By Resource Investment Index, Vanguard High School ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Ocala, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Ocala on the city page.
Is Vanguard High School a good school?
Vanguard High School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% 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 Marion?
Besides Vanguard High School, Marion also operates West Port High School (3,022 students), Forest High School (2,387 students), and Belleview High School (1,904 students). See the Marion 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.