Enrollment
1,009
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Lehigh Acres, FL
Varsity Lakes Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Varsity Lakes Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120108003967
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Varsity Lakes Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median.
- #2 of 3
- middle schools in Lehigh Acres · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.8:1
- students per teacher
- 61.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Varsity Lakes Middle School has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Varsity Lakes Middle School ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Lehigh Acres, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
64.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
61.7%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Varsity Lakes Middle School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Varsity Lakes Middle School
Varsity Lakes Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Lehigh Acres, Florida, enrolling 1,009 students.
At 15.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Florida median, within a few percentage points of the 17.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 61.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 1,009 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 783 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #285.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (62%) and African American (25%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 336 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 54.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 17.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 337 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,009 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 26 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Lee also operates Gateway Charter Elementary School (3,192 students) and Lehigh Senior High School (2,550 students) alongside Varsity Lakes 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 Varsity Lakes Middle School compares
Varsity Lakes 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 | 15.8:1 | ▼ 11% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 61.7% | ▲ 19% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,009 | top 19% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,009
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
61.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 42% in Florida - lower ratio than 58% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
54.0%
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
$10,788
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 336 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
60
in-school suspensions + 277 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 33.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 26 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 62.3%
African American 25.2%
White 8.5%
Two or More 2.3%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 62.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.0, Varsity Lakes Middle School is about as mixed as the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lee, which includes Varsity Lakes Middle School.
$10,788
Per student
-3%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 58.0%
State 25.0%
Federal 17.0%
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 Varsity Lakes Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway Charter Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lehigh Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gateway High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ida S. Baker High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Lee County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Varsity Lakes Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,192
- Students per teacher
- 51.5:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 2,550
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 2,343
- Students per teacher
- 31.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 2,191
- Students per teacher
- 27.4:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 2,129
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
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 (~1,009 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Varsity Lakes Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Varsity Lakes Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Lee'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 Varsity Lakes Middle School
How many students attend Varsity Lakes Middle School?
Varsity Lakes Middle School has 1,009 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Lehigh Acres, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Varsity Lakes Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Varsity Lakes Middle School is 15.8:1, which is 11% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 1% 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 Varsity Lakes Middle School?
61.7% of students at Varsity Lakes Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Varsity Lakes Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Varsity Lakes Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 62.3% of enrollment, in Lehigh Acres, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Varsity Lakes Middle School?
Varsity Lakes Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Varsity Lakes Middle School rank among middle schools in Lehigh Acres?
By Resource Investment Index, Varsity Lakes Middle School ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Lehigh Acres, 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 Lehigh Acres on the city page.
Is Varsity Lakes Middle School a good school?
Varsity Lakes Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. 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 Lee?
Besides Varsity Lakes Middle School, Lee also operates Gateway Charter Elementary School (3,192 students), Lehigh Senior High School (2,550 students), and Gateway High School (2,343 students). See the Lee 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.