Enrollment
1,042
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Watson B. Duncan Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Watson B. Duncan Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120150002870
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Watson B. Duncan Middle School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median.
- #5 of 12
- public schools in Palm Beach Gardens · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.1:1
- students per teacher
- 38.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Watson B. Duncan Middle School has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Watson B. Duncan Middle School ranks #5 of 12 public schools in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.
School address
District: Palm Beach · Florida
NCES ID 120150002870 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
69.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.6%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Watson B. Duncan Middle School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Watson B. Duncan Middle School
Watson B. Duncan Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, enrolling 1,042 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 38.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 1,042 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Among 676 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #37, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (40%) and African American (25%) (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 347 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
17.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
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 Watson B. Duncan 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 Watson B. Duncan Middle School compares
Watson B. Duncan 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 | 15.1:1 | ▼ 15% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.6% | ▼ 26% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,042 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.1:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,042
Bigger than 92% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 34% in Florida - lower ratio than 66% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 347 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 131 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.6 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
White 40.2%
African American 25.2%
Hispanic or Latino 24.2%
Asian 5.7%
Two or More 4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 40.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.1, Watson B. Duncan 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 Palm Beach, which includes Watson B. Duncan Middle School.
$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 Watson B. Duncan Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John I. Leonard High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jupiter High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Park Vista Community High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Boca Raton Community High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Palm Beach Lakes High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Watson B. Duncan Middle School'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 (~1,042 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Watson B. Duncan Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Watson B. Duncan Middle School 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 Watson B. Duncan Middle School
How many students attend Watson B. Duncan Middle School?
Watson B. Duncan Middle School has 1,042 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Watson B. Duncan Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Watson B. Duncan Middle School is 15.1:1, which is 15% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 4% lower 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 Watson B. Duncan Middle School?
38.6% of students at Watson B. Duncan Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Watson B. Duncan Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Watson B. Duncan Middle School is White at 40.2% of enrollment, in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Watson B. Duncan Middle School?
Watson B. Duncan Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher 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 Watson B. Duncan Middle School rank among public schools in Palm Beach Gardens?
By Resource Investment Index, Watson B. Duncan Middle School ranks #5 of 12 public schools in Palm Beach Gardens, 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 Palm Beach Gardens on the city page.
Is Watson B. Duncan Middle School a good school?
Watson B. Duncan Middle School earns 49/100 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 Palm Beach?
Besides Watson B. Duncan Middle School, 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.