Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 41 schools in district

THOMAS L SIMS MIDDLE SCHOOL

5500 EDUCATION DR, PACE, FL 32571SANTA ROSA →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 06–08Non-Charter
1,098
Students
Total enrolled
$11,292
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 21% vs nat'l
22.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 43% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,098 students in grades 06–08 in PACE, Florida.
21% below average funding
District spends $11,292 per pupil, 21% less than the national average of $14,347.
22.0 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

THOMAS L SIMS MIDDLE SCHOOL is a very large middle in PACE, Florida, serving grades 06–08 with 1,098 students. The district invests $11,292 per student — 21% below the national average of $14,347, with a 22.0:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 34% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at THOMAS L SIMS MIDDLE SCHOOL

1,098
Total Students
22.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
34%
Free Lunch
50
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 Distribution559 male · 539 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility34%
National avg 52% · 375 students
Student Composition
79%
8%
8%
Asian2%
White79%
Hispanic / Latino8%
Black3%
Multiracial8%
Pacific Islander1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 120165003504

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$11,292Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$11,292
State avg
$12,753
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$4,968
Student Support$2,145
Administration$1,355
Operations$1,694
Other$1,129
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $11,292 spent per student, an estimated $5,002 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
51%
32%
State government
50.9%
Local (property tax)
32.1%
Federal programs
17.0%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $11,292/student, 21% less than the national average
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
EAST BAY K-8 SCHOOLBERRYHILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. S. DIXON INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLPEA RIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
+13 more
↓
Middle
WOODLAWN BEACH MIDDLE SCHOOLGULF BREEZE MIDDLE SCHOOLHOLLEY-NAVARRE MIDDLE SCHOOLAVALON MIDDLE SCHOOL
+2 more
↓
High School
NAVARRE HIGH SCHOOLPACE HIGH SCHOOLMILTON HIGH SCHOOLGULF BREEZE HIGH SCHOOL
+1 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades06 – 08
Location—
CountySanta Rosa County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictSANTA ROSA →
Phone: (850)995-3676
NCES ID: 120165003504
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in PACE 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 SANTA ROSA
High
NAVARRE HIGH SCHOOL
2,406 students · 09–12
● 37 opp30% FRL
High
PACE HIGH SCHOOL
2,240 students · 09–12
34% FRL
High
MILTON HIGH SCHOOL
2,085 students · 09–12
● 38 opp54% FRL
High
GULF BREEZE HIGH SCHOOL
1,978 students · 09–12
● 47 opp21% FRL
Other
COASTAL CONNECTIONS ACADEMY
1,131 students · KG–12
● 33 opp0% FRL
Elem
EAST BAY K-8 SCHOOL
1,032 students · PK–08
31% FRL
Mid
WOODLAWN BEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL
948 students · 06–08
34% FRL
Mid
GULF BREEZE MIDDLE SCHOOL
936 students · 06–08
● 47 opp22% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
5500 EDUCATION DR, PACE, FL 32571
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.