Enrollment
2,163
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Palm Beach Gardens, FL
William T. Dwyer High School
Federal NCES profile for William T. Dwyer High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 120150002877
👥 S:T ratio 29
📚 AP courses 85
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 38
📋 Attendance 22
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
William T. Dwyer High School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. It is also one of the largest schools in Florida.
- #9 of 12
- public schools in Palm Beach Gardens · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.7:1
- students per teacher
- 36.9%
- free-lunch eligible
William T. Dwyer High School has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, William T. Dwyer High School ranks #9 of 12 public schools in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.
School address
District: Palm Beach · Florida
NCES ID 120150002877 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
122.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.7:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.9%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How William T. Dwyer High School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at William T. Dwyer High School
William T. Dwyer High School is a large high school in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, enrolling 2,163 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 36.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Florida, bigger than 96% of state schools at 2,163 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 236 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #35.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and African American (26%) (diversity index 67/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 17 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 309 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
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 William T. Dwyer 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 William T. Dwyer High School compares
William T. Dwyer 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 | 17.7:1 | ▼ 1% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.9% | ▼ 29% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,163 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.7:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,163
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% 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
17.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 61% in Florida - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
31.2%
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
$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
Counselors7.0 FTE
Per 309 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
88
in-school suspensions + 161 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.5 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 46.6%
African American 25.7%
Hispanic or Latino 20.5%
Two or More 3.8%
Asian 3.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 46.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.2, William T. Dwyer High School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 17
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Palm Beach, which includes William T. Dwyer High 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 William T. Dwyer High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John I. Leonard High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jupiter High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Park Vista Community High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Boca Raton Community High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palm Beach Lakes High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to William T. Dwyer High 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 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 (~2,163 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on William T. Dwyer High School's federal record.
- Compare William T. Dwyer High 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 William T. Dwyer High School
How many students attend William T. Dwyer High School?
William T. Dwyer High School has 2,163 students enrolled. It is a high school in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at William T. Dwyer High School?
The student-teacher ratio at William T. Dwyer High School is 17.7:1, which is 1% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 13% 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 William T. Dwyer High School?
36.9% of students at William T. Dwyer High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of William T. Dwyer High School?
The largest demographic group at William T. Dwyer High School is White at 46.6% 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 67.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for William T. Dwyer High School?
William T. Dwyer High School has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher 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 William T. Dwyer High School rank among public schools in Palm Beach Gardens?
By Resource Investment Index, William T. Dwyer High School ranks #9 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 William T. Dwyer High School a good school?
William T. Dwyer High School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. It is also one of the largest schools in Florida. 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 William T. Dwyer High 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.