Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 80 schools in district

BUFFALO CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL

7320 69TH ST E, PALMETTO, FL 34221MANATEE →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 06–08Non-Charter
1,127
Students
Total enrolled
$13,252
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 8% vs nat'l
20.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 33% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,127 students in grades 06–08 in PALMETTO, Florida.
Near-average funding
District spends $13,252 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
20.5 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

BUFFALO CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL is a very large middle in PALMETTO, Florida, serving grades 06–08 with 1,127 students. The district invests $13,252 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 20.5:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 44% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at BUFFALO CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL

1,127
Total Students
20.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
44%
Free Lunch
55
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (06–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution612 male · 515 female
54%
46%
Male 54%Female 46%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility44%
National avg 52% · 501 students
Student Composition
60%
22%
10%
Asian2%
White60%
Hispanic / Latino22%
Black10%
Multiracial4%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 120123007312

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$13,252Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$13,252
State avg
$12,753
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,831
Student Support$2,518
Administration$1,590
Operations$1,988
Other$1,325
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $13,252 spent per student, an estimated $5,871 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
26%
58%
State government
25.8%
Local (property tax)
58.3%
Federal programs
15.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
B.D. GULLETT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLBARBARA A HARVEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLLOUISE R JOHNSON K-8 SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIESWILLIAM MONROE ROWLETT ACADEMY FOR ARTS AND COMMUNICATION
+10 more
↓
Middle
W. D. SUGG MIDDLE SCHOOLDR MONA JAIN MIDDLE SCHOOLMARTHA B. KING MIDDLE SCHOOLBRADEN RIVER MIDDLE SCHOOL
+3 more
↓
High School
LAKEWOOD RANCH HIGH SCHOOLPALMETTO HIGH SCHOOLPARRISH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLMANATEE HIGH SCHOOL
+4 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades06 – 08
Location—
CountyManatee County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictMANATEE →
Phone: (941)721-2260
NCES ID: 120123007312
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in PALMETTO seeking a public middle school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in MANATEE
High
LAKEWOOD RANCH HIGH SCHOOL
2,435 students · 09–12
22% FRL
High
PALMETTO HIGH SCHOOL
2,100 students · 09–12
61% FRL
High
PARRISH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL
2,017 students · 09–12
● 41 opp32% FRL
High
MANATEE HIGH SCHOOL
1,983 students · 09–12
● 40 opp59% FRL
High
MANATEE SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS
1,968 students · 06–12
55% FRL
High
BRADEN RIVER HIGH SCHOOL
1,774 students · 09–12
● 46 opp45% FRL
High
SOUTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL
1,716 students · 09–12
● 43 opp66% FRL
High
BAYSHORE HIGH SCHOOL
1,435 students · 09–12
● 40 opp65% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
7320 69TH ST E, PALMETTO, FL 34221
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Middle
1
How does the school support the transition from elementary?
Orientation programs, peer mentoring
2
What electives and clubs are available?
Arts, STEM, sports, extracurriculars
3
How are students grouped for core subjects?
Tracking policies can affect equity
4
What is the school's homework and study policy?
Look for balance and academic support
5
How is bullying and social pressure addressed?
Anti-bullying policies, counselor availability
6
What advanced or enrichment options exist?
Honors courses, gifted programs
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.