Is Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School a good school?

Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School ranks in the bottom 9.4% of Florida middle schools.

How many students attend Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 688 students attended Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School?

Students at Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School are 88% African American, 4% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic, 3% White.

What high school do graduates of Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School attend?

Students who attend Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School usually go on to attend William M. Raines High School

Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School

Summary:

Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School is a public middle school in Jacksonville, Florida, serving 688 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Duval School District, which is ranked 54 out of 68 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School faces significant challenges compared to nearby schools. The student population is overwhelmingly African American (87.65%), in contrast to the more diverse demographics of schools like James Weldon Johnson College Preparatory Middle School and Julia Landon College Preparatory & Leadership Development School. Academically, the school consistently ranks in the bottom 10% of Florida middle schools, with proficiency rates in core subjects well below district and state averages. Additionally, the school struggles with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 15.1% to 54.4% over the past few years, much higher than nearby schools.

The school's challenges are further compounded by its high poverty levels, with over 85% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch. Despite increased per-student spending, reaching $9,820 in the 2022-2023 school year, the academic performance has not shown commensurate improvements. This suggests a need for a more holistic approach to school improvement, focusing on factors beyond just financial resources, such as targeted interventions, community engagement, and a focus on equity and access to quality education for all students.

Detail:

Public, Magnet 6-8

1424 Franklin St
Jacksonville, FL 32206

(904) 630-6700

District: Duval

SchoolDigger Rank:
1084^th of 1,196 Florida Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,820

Students who attend Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School usually attend:

High:

William M. Raines High School

Feeder schools for Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School:

Elementary:	Andrew A. Robinson Elementary School
	George Washington Carver Elementary
	Long Branch Elementary School
	North Shore Elementary
	More...
	Northwestern Legends Elementary
	Rufus E. Payne Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 25.4

Number of students: 688

Racial breakdown:

African American:

87.6%

Two or more races:

4.2%

Hispanic:

4.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 85.5%

See top rated Florida middle schools

Compare Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School ranks worse than 90.6% of middle schools in Florida. It also ranks 22^nd among 26 ranked middle schools in the Duval School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.43. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (87.6%), two or more races (4.2%), Hispanic (4.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 85.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Duval School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School is 25.4. 24 middle schools in the Duval School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School employs 27 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School is $9,820, which is the 12^th highest among 26 middle schools in the Duval School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School 1084^th of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School in the ranking list.)

Duval:

SchoolDigger ranks Duval 54^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School.

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Rank History for Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	4.17	567^th	593	4.4%
2005	10.45	543^rd	602	9.8%
2006	9.41	599^th	675	11.3%
2007	18.78	610^th	736	17.1%
2008	17.25	625^th	740	15.5%
2009	15.13	660^th	780	15.4%
2010	11.60	730^th	839	13.0%
2011	13.96	769^th	891	13.7%
2012	12.90	774^th	897	13.7%
2013	14.77	821^st	956	14.1%
2014	15.59	863^rd	999	13.6%
2016	10.17	915^th	997	8.2%
2017	11.54	939^th	1031	8.9%
2018	13.37	925^th	1035	10.6%
2019	12.48	988^th	1099	10.1%
2021	11.95	1042^nd	1136	8.3%
2022	9.13	1076^th	1148	6.3%
2023	5.99	1112^th	1177	5.5%
2024	12.43	1084^th	1196	9.4%

See the entire list of Florida Middle School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Florida Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4.5)

50%

Reviews:

by a parent
Friday, January 18, 2019

I think the curriculum is very good. My son loves this school. People seem to judge the area that the school is located and I am not understanding why because there are kids from the poor to the poorest neighborhoods that become most successful. It may take a little longer however it does happen!!! Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, April 27, 2018

Matthew Gilbert is an excellent school despite previous reviews of the school. My child has had a great experience at Matthew W. Gilbert Close Quote

Enrollment information for Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	384	253	10	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	654
1989	343	257	9	10	2	n/a	n/a	0	621
1990	388	318	14	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	730
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	0
1992	66	516	2	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	585
1993	95	566	2	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	672
1994	87	640	4	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	735
1995	80	645	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	731
1996	80	645	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	731
1997	120	873	3	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	1000
1998	126	851	1	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	987
1999	92	807	1	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	910
2000	82	756	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	844
2001	68	739	3	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	818
2002	61	671	5	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	741
2003	61	671	5	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	741
2004	41	641	6	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	696
2005	31	593	2	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	632
2006	29	594	3	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	636
2007	40	557	3	12	0	n/a	n/a	12	624
2008	45	564	2	6	0	n/a	n/a	7	624
2009	33	550	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	6	589
2010	28	529	0	1	2	n/a	n/a	2	562
2011	27	488	3	11	0	0	10	0	539
2012	24	486	1	7	0	0	12	0	530
2013	25	486	2	12	0	0	13	0	538
2014	28	416	1	19	0	0	8	0	472
2015	21	394	2	13	0	0	10	0	440
2016	32	434	2	13	0	0	12	0	493
2017	24	384	2	11	0	0	16	0	437
2018	22	384	2	11	0	0	16	0	435
2019	16	361	0	9	2	0	14	0	402
2020	36	531	2	22	5	1	21	0	618
2021	44	758	3	27	0	1	21	0	854
2022	30	650	0	26	1	0	21	0	728
2023	23	603	0	28	3	2	29	0	688

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	654	35.0	18.6	34.4
1989	621	32.0	19.4	36.9
1990	730	36.0	20.2	42.3
1991	0	0.0	0.0	n/a
1992	585	30.0	19.5	73.8
1993	672	29.0	23.2	63.2
1994	735	35.0	21.0	32.5
1995	731	36.0	20.3	82.1
1996	731	36.0	20.3	82.1
1997	1000	51.0	19.6	78.4
1998	987	57.0	17.3	66.3
1999	910	57.0	16.0	88.4
2000	844	54.0	15.6	87
2001	818	45.0	18.2	86.4
2002	741	45.0	16.5	80.8
2003	741	45.0	16.5	80.8
2004	696	44.0	15.8	80.7
2005	632	43.0	14.7	83.9
2006	636	43.0	14.8	77.5
2007	624	45.0	13.9	79.9
2008	624	42.0	14.9	79.7
2009	589	42.4	14.4	88.3
2010	562	36.0	15.6	88.9
2011	539	38.0	14.1	89.6
2012	530	32.0	16.5	88.7
2013	538	33.0	16.3	86.4
2014	472	31.0	15.2	78.8
2015	440	28.0	15.7	76.6
2016	493	25.0	19.7	84.4
2017	437	26.0	16.8	84.2
2018	435	26.0	16.7	88.7
2019	402	18.0	22.3	86.1
2020	618	24.0	25.7	85.9
2021	854	33.0	25.8	89.8
2022	728	29.0	25.1	88
2023	688	27.0	25.4	85.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	654	35.0	18.6	34.4
1989	621	32.0	19.4	36.9
1990	730	36.0	20.2	42.3
1991	0	0.0	0.0	n/a
1992	585	30.0	19.5	73.8
1993	672	29.0	23.2	63.2
1994	735	35.0	21.0	32.5
1995	731	36.0	20.3	82.1
1996	731	36.0	20.3	82.1
1997	1000	51.0	19.6	78.4
1998	987	57.0	17.3	66.3
1999	910	57.0	16.0	88.4
2000	844	54.0	15.6	87
2001	818	45.0	18.2	86.4
2002	741	45.0	16.5	80.8
2003	741	45.0	16.5	80.8
2004	696	44.0	15.8	80.7
2005	632	43.0	14.7	83.9
2006	636	43.0	14.8	77.5
2007	624	45.0	13.9	79.9
2008	624	42.0	14.9	79.7
2009	589	42.4	14.4	88.3
2010	562	36.0	15.6	88.9
2011	539	38.0	14.1	89.6
2012	530	32.0	16.5	88.7
2013	538	33.0	16.3	86.4
2014	472	31.0	15.2	78.8
2015	440	28.0	15.7	76.6
2016	493	25.0	19.7	84.4
2017	437	26.0	16.8	84.2
2018	435	26.0	16.7	88.7
2019	402	18.0	22.3	86.1
2020	618	24.0	25.7	85.9
2021	854	33.0	25.8	89.8
2022	728	29.0	25.1	88
2023	688	27.0	25.4	85.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$2,138 (20.9%)	$8,100 (79.1%)	$10,238
2019	$2,403 (24.4%)	$7,440 (75.6%)	$9,844
2020	$1,096 (14.7%)	$6,342 (85.3%)	$7,437
2021	$1,133 (16.8%)	$5,629 (83.2%)	$6,762
2022	$2,268 (28.0%)	$5,837 (72.0%)	$8,105
2023	$3,120 (31.8%)	$6,700 (68.2%)	$9,820

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 988^th of 1099 Middle schools	Ranks 1112^th of 1177 Middle schools	4.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School)	22	17	5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Duval)	47	43	4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	54	52	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School)	37	22	15%
6th Grade Mathematics (Duval)	51	41	10%
6th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	55	49	6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School)	18	20	2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Duval)	44	42	2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	52	48	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School)	36	21	15%
7th Grade Mathematics (Duval)	47	41	6%
7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	54	46	8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School)	18	15	3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Duval)	49	42	7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	49	7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School)	20	15	5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Duval)	32	28	4%
8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	46	42	4%
8th Grade Science (Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School)	17	6	11%
8th Grade Science (Duval)	40	35	5%
8th Grade Science (Florida)	48	44	4%
End of Course Civics (Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School)	62	46	16%
End of Course Civics (Duval)	69	63	6%
End of Course Civics (Florida)	71	66	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School)	78	72	6%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Duval)	60	55	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	402	688	71.1%
African American	361	603	67%
American Indian	2	3	50%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	9	28	211.1%
Pacific Islander	0	2
White	16	23	43.8%
Two or More Races	14	29	107.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	86.1%	85.5%	0.6%

Schools Near Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				FAST English Language Arts (2024)			FAST Math (2024)			Statewide Science Science (2024)	EOC Algebra 1 (2024)	EOC Geometry (2024)	EOC Biology 1 (2024)	EOC Civics (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	1424 Franklin St	Jacksonville	32206	Duval County	Duval	No	Yes	No	Yes	(904) 630-6700	688	27	25.4	85.5%	23 (3.3%)	603 (87.6%)	28 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.4%)	2 (0.3%)	29 (4.2%)	12.4	1084^th of 1196 public middle schools	9.4%		6	1112^th of 1177 public middle schools	5.5%	28	19.0	14.0	22.0	11.0	20.0	37.0	31.0	61.0			56.0	$9,820	$3,120	$6,700
Mattie V Rutherford Alt Educational Center	Public	4-8	1514 Hubbard St	Jacksonville	32206	Duval County	Duval	No	No	No	Yes	(904) 630-6782	82	11	7.4	84.1%	17 (20.7%)	60 (73.2%)	3 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.4%)	2.5	1184^th of 1196 public middle schools	1.0%		2.9	1157^th of 1177 public middle schools	1.7%	27	4.0	8.0	9.0	0.0	6.0	10.0	2.0				13.0
Springfield Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	2034 Hubbard St	Jacksonville	32206	Duval County	Duval	No	Yes	No	No	(904) 630-6600	885	43	20.5	49.0%	108 (12.2%)	679 (76.7%)	49 (5.5%)	16 (1.8%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	31 (3.5%)	44.6	665^th of 1196 public middle schools	44.4%		49.2	575^th of 1177 public middle schools	51.1%	90	51.0	46.0	49.0	59.0	24.0	33.0	48.0	81.0	83.0	90.0	59.0	$8,425	$1,196	$7,228
Lavilla School Of The Arts	Public, Magnet	6-8	501 N Davis St	Jacksonville	32202	Duval County	Duval	No	Yes	No	No	(904) 633-6069	1,000	56	17.8	30.7%	449 (44.9%)	363 (36.3%)	112 (11.2%)	17 (1.7%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	56 (5.6%)	75	261^st of 1196 public middle schools	78.2%		77.4	231^st of 1177 public middle schools	80.4%	30	71.0	63.0	74.0	51.0	72.0	46.0	64.0	84.0	100.0	100.0	81.0	$9,423	$1,353	$8,070
Julia Landon College Preparatory & Leadership Development S	Public, Magnet	6-8	1819 Thacker Ave	Jacksonville	32207	Duval County	Duval	No	Yes	No	No	(904) 346-5650	818	39	20.9	18.3%	403 (49.3%)	97 (11.9%)	64 (7.8%)	182 (22.2%)	4 (0.5%)	5 (0.6%)	63 (7.7%)	91.7	64^th of 1196 public middle schools	94.6%		92.3	61^st of 1177 public middle schools	94.8%	3	85.0	85.0	83.0	91.0		73.0	63.0	93.0	100.0	99.0	92.0	$8,107	$1,090	$7,018
Young Mens/Womens Leadership Academy At Eugene J Butler	Public, Magnet	6-8	900 Acorn St	Jacksonville	32209	Duval County	Duval	No	Yes	No	Yes	(904) 630-6900	333	16	20.8	78.7%	9 (2.7%)	283 (85.0%)	26 (7.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.6%)	15.4	1048^th of 1196 public middle schools	12.4%		9.2	1090^th of 1177 public middle schools	7.4%	42	24.0	21.0	34.0	18.0	29.0	31.0	28.0	76.0			66.0	$13,983	$2,998	$10,985
Fort Caroline Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	3787 University Club Blvd	Jacksonville	32277	Duval County	Duval	No	Yes	No	Yes	(904) 745-4927	424	28	15.1	60.6%	65 (15.3%)	276 (65.1%)	49 (11.6%)	9 (2.1%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (5.2%)	24	940^th of 1196 public middle schools	21.4%		22.8	943^rd of 1177 public middle schools	19.9%	3	36.0	32.0	29.0	35.0	47.0	34.0	22.0	85.0		100.0	54.0	$12,130	$2,850	$9,282
The Bridge To Success Academy Middle School	Public	4-8	5443 Moncrief Rd	Jacksonville	32209	Duval County	Duval	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(904) 924-3035	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Arlington Middle School	Public	6-8	8141 Lone Star Rd	Jacksonville	32211	Duval County	Duval	No	No	No	Yes	(904) 720-1680	798	37	21.5	73.6%	135 (16.9%)	451 (56.5%)	150 (18.8%)	17 (2.1%)	4 (0.5%)	2 (0.3%)	39 (4.9%)	11.1	1099^th of 1196 public middle schools	8.1%		12.5	1063^rd of 1177 public middle schools	9.7%	36	24.0	17.0	29.0	20.0	24.0	21.0	21.0	85.0		82.0	48.0	$10,542	$3,008	$7,534
James Weldon Johnson College Preparatory Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	3276 Norman E Thagard Blvd	Jacksonville	32254	Duval County	Duval	No	Yes	No	No	(904) 693-7600	986	45	21.9	29.1%	312 (31.6%)	385 (39.0%)	66 (6.7%)	161 (16.3%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	59 (6.0%)	88.1	107^th of 1196 public middle schools	91.1%		89	97^th of 1177 public middle schools	91.8%	10	80.0	78.0	81.0	81.0		71.0	66.0	78.0	98.0	98.0	90.0	$7,386	$1,111	$6,276

Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School

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Rank History for Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School

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Enrollment information for Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School

Student/Teacher Ratio Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School

Impact of COVID-19 on Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School