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James A. Shanks Middle School

Summary:

James A. Shanks Middle School is a public middle school in Quincy, Florida, serving grades 4-8 with a student population of 574. The school is part of the Gadsden School District, which is ranked 66 out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. The student body is predominantly African American (67.77%) and Hispanic (26.31%).

Despite the school's higher per-student spending compared to the nearby West Gadsden Middle School, James A. Shanks Middle School has consistently underperformed academically. Its students' standardized test scores in English Language Arts and Mathematics are significantly lower than state averages, with proficiency rates ranging from 9% to 25% and 9% to 43%, respectively. The school also struggles with high chronic absenteeism rates, reaching as high as 47.8% in the 2022-2023 school year, far exceeding the state and nearby school averages.

James A. Shanks Middle School has persistently ranked in the bottom quartile of Florida middle schools, suggesting long-standing challenges in improving educational outcomes. With over 90% of its students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, the school serves a predominantly economically disadvantaged population, which can present additional barriers to academic success. While the nearby West Gadsden Middle School also performs below state averages, it generally outperforms James A. Shanks Middle School, indicating potential opportunities to learn from its practices and strategies to enhance the educational experience for the students at James A. Shanks Middle School.


Detail:

Public 4-8

 1400 W King St
       Quincy, FL  32351

(850) 875-8737

District: Gadsden

SchoolDigger Rank:
1059th of 1,196 Florida Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,666 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  17.5 Help
Number of students:  526

Racial breakdown:

African American:
67.1%
Hispanic:
26.6%
White:
2.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  89.5% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details James A. Shanks Middle School ranks worse than 99.2% of elementary schools in Florida. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 1.86. (See more...)
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Compare Details James A. Shanks Middle School ranks worse than 88.5% of middle schools in Florida. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 14.31. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a 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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (67.1%), Hispanic (26.6%), two or more races (2.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 89.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James A. Shanks Middle School is 17.5. (See more...)
Help
Compare James A. Shanks Middle School employs 30 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at James A. Shanks Middle School is $11,666.
Schooldigger Rankings:

James A. Shanks Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks James A. Shanks Middle School 1059th of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See James A. Shanks Middle School in the ranking list.)

Gadsden:

SchoolDigger ranks Gadsden 66th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for James A. Shanks Middle School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools FL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 8.43 2082nd 2182 4.6%
2021 7.21 2186th 2247 2.7%
2022 3.55 2199th 2219 0.9%
2023 4.88 2204th 2240 1.6%
2024 1.86 2238th 2256 0.8%
See the entire list of Florida Middle School Rankings!

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

Rank History for James A. Shanks Middle School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools FL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 12.06 525th 593 11.5%
2005 12.77 535th 602 11.1%
2006 11.60 584th 675 13.5%
2007 13.66 633rd 736 14.0%
2008 12.82 648th 740 12.4%
2009 14.47 664th 780 14.9%
2010 26.24 650th 839 22.5%
2011 32.34 638th 891 28.4%
2012 22.43 708th 897 21.1%
2013 14.04 824th 956 13.8%
2014 20.18 829th 999 17.0%
2016 12.75 895th 997 10.2%
2017 11.29 941st 1031 8.7%
2018 13.83 923rd 1035 10.8%
2019 21.93 884th 1099 19.6%
2021 11.97 1041st 1136 8.4%
2022 10.59 1066th 1148 7.1%
2023 15.23 1038th 1177 11.8%
2024 14.31 1059th 1196 11.5%
See the entire list of Florida Middle School Rankings!

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

James A. Shanks Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    








Data source: Florida Department of Education

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Enrollment information for James A. Shanks Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 98 1150 3 7 0 n/a n/a 0 1258
1989 76 1096 2 10 0 n/a n/a 0 1184
1990 58 964 2 9 0 n/a n/a 0 1033
1991 58 967 0 12 0 n/a n/a 0 1037
1992 44 988 0 9 0 n/a n/a 0 1041
1993 48 1018 0 8 0 n/a n/a 0 1074
1994 64 975 0 11 0 n/a n/a 0 1050
1995 26 998 1 12 0 n/a n/a 0 1037
1996 26 998 1 12 0 n/a n/a 0 1037
1997 30 1028 0 14 0 n/a n/a 0 1072
1998 27 1079 0 19 0 n/a n/a 0 1125
1999 21 1035 0 20 0 n/a n/a 0 1076
2000 14 936 0 19 0 n/a n/a 0 969
2001 9 851 0 23 0 n/a n/a 0 883
2002 20 836 2 51 0 n/a n/a 0 909
2003 20 836 2 51 0 n/a n/a 0 909
2004 20 726 3 79 1 n/a n/a 0 829
2005 15 703 2 77 1 n/a n/a 0 798
2006 9 617 2 104 0 n/a n/a 0 732
2007 10 541 2 101 0 n/a n/a 5 659
2008 11 502 1 99 0 n/a n/a 4 617
2009 8 483 1 98 0 n/a n/a 6 596
2010 8 456 3 116 0 n/a n/a 10 593
2011 6 465 5 110 0 1 6 0 593
2012 7 465 2 98 0 0 12 0 584
2013 4 474 1 112 0 0 8 0 599
2014 8 447 0 97 0 0 4 0 556
2015 10 417 0 103 0 0 4 0 534
2016 12 376 0 84 1 1 3 0 477
2017 5 350 0 83 0 2 3 0 443
2018 9 510 0 163 6 3 4 0 695
2019 11 482 0 175 5 0 4 0 677
2020 19 475 0 180 8 1 8 0 691
2021 14 461 0 174 10 1 8 0 668
2022 15 391 0 166 8 2 11 0 593
2023 13 389 0 151 7 4 10 0 574
2024 11 353 0 140 7 4 11 0 526

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 James A. Shanks Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1258 72.0 17.4 54.2
1989 1184 71.0 16.6 49.2
1990 1033 80.0 12.9 74.8
1991 1037 66.0 15.7 69.6
1992 1041 61.0 17.0 59.1
1993 1074 57.0 18.8 50.3
1994 1050 59.0 17.8 58.9
1995 1037 48.0 21.6 57.1
1996 1037 48.0 21.6 57.1
1997 1072 48.0 22.3 63.6
1998 1125 47.0 23.9 57.4
1999 1076 52.0 20.7 71.9
2000 969 52.0 18.6 78.3
2001 883 51.0 17.3 55.4
2002 909 50.0 18.2 56.8
2003 909 50.0 18.2 56.8
2004 829 44.0 18.8 66.5
2005 798 47.0 17.0 75.2
2006 732 49.0 14.9 85.7
2007 659 42.0 15.7 80.9
2008 617 45.0 13.7 82.2
2009 596 46.2 14.4 93.2
2010 593 41.0 14.4 90.7
2011 593 42.0 14.1 86.7
2012 584 39.0 14.9 92.8
2013 599 36.0 16.6 88.5
2014 556 33.0 16.8 58.8
2015 534 33.0 16.1 73.8
2016 477 30.0 15.9 77.6
2017 443 36.0 12.3 77.2
2018 695 41.0 16.9 84.3
2019 677 42.8 15.7 85.1
2020 691 43.9 15.7 90
2021 668 41.9 15.9 92.2
2022 593 36.0 16.4 91.9
2023 574 30.0 19.1 92.2
2024 526 30.0 17.5 89.5

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 James A. Shanks Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1258 72.0 17.4 54.2
1989 1184 71.0 16.6 49.2
1990 1033 80.0 12.9 74.8
1991 1037 66.0 15.7 69.6
1992 1041 61.0 17.0 59.1
1993 1074 57.0 18.8 50.3
1994 1050 59.0 17.8 58.9
1995 1037 48.0 21.6 57.1
1996 1037 48.0 21.6 57.1
1997 1072 48.0 22.3 63.6
1998 1125 47.0 23.9 57.4
1999 1076 52.0 20.7 71.9
2000 969 52.0 18.6 78.3
2001 883 51.0 17.3 55.4
2002 909 50.0 18.2 56.8
2003 909 50.0 18.2 56.8
2004 829 44.0 18.8 66.5
2005 798 47.0 17.0 75.2
2006 732 49.0 14.9 85.7
2007 659 42.0 15.7 80.9
2008 617 45.0 13.7 82.2
2009 596 46.2 14.4 93.2
2010 593 41.0 14.4 90.7
2011 593 42.0 14.1 86.7
2012 584 39.0 14.9 92.8
2013 599 36.0 16.6 88.5
2014 556 33.0 16.8 58.8
2015 534 33.0 16.1 73.8
2016 477 30.0 15.9 77.6
2017 443 36.0 12.3 77.2
2018 695 41.0 16.9 84.3
2019 677 42.8 15.7 85.1
2020 691 43.9 15.7 90
2021 668 41.9 15.9 92.2
2022 593 36.0 16.4 91.9
2023 574 30.0 19.1 92.2
2024 526 30.0 17.5 89.5

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 James A. Shanks Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018 $783 (9.7%) $7,253 (90.3%) $8,036
2019 $1,862 (18.3%) $8,295 (81.7%) $10,157
2020 $1,620 (15.4%) $8,902 (84.6%) $10,522
2021 $1,208 (16.6%) $6,054 (83.4%) $7,261
2022 $4,127 (29.9%) $9,655 (70.1%) $13,781
2023 $3,864 (33.1%) $7,803 (66.9%) $11,666

Data source: Florida Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on James A. Shanks 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 2082nd of 2182 Elementary schoolsRanks 2204th of 2240 Elementary schools
 3%
Ranks 884th of 1099 Middle schoolsRanks 1038th of 1177 Middle schools
 7.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
4th Grade English Language Arts (James A. Shanks Middle School)1914
 5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Gadsden)4125
 16%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5857
 1%
4th Grade Mathematics (James A. Shanks Middle School)2512
 13%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Gadsden)5028
 22%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)6461
 3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (James A. Shanks Middle School)3018
 12%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Gadsden)4027
 13%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5655
 1%
5th Grade Mathematics (James A. Shanks Middle School)2811
 17%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Gadsden)4924
 25%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)6052
 8%
5th Grade Science (James A. Shanks Middle School)223
 19%
   5th Grade Science (Gadsden)3015
 15%
   5th Grade Science (Florida)5351
 2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (James A. Shanks Middle School)2419
 5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Gadsden)3330
 3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5452
 2%
6th Grade Mathematics (James A. Shanks Middle School)3519
 16%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Gadsden)4832
 16%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Florida)5549
 6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (James A. Shanks Middle School)3219
 13%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Gadsden)4029
 11%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5248
 4%
7th Grade Mathematics (James A. Shanks Middle School)4626
 20%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Gadsden)5233
 19%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)5446
 8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (James A. Shanks Middle School)2220
 2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Gadsden)3333
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5649
 7%
8th Grade Mathematics (James A. Shanks Middle School)5319
 34%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Gadsden)3922
 17%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)4642
 4%
8th Grade Science (James A. Shanks Middle School)66
   8th Grade Science (Gadsden)55
   8th Grade Science (Florida)4844
 4%
End of Course Biology 1 (James A. Shanks Middle School)10080
 20%
   End of Course Biology 1 (Gadsden)5744
 13%
   End of Course Biology 1 (Florida)6763
 4%
End of Course Civics (James A. Shanks Middle School)5831
 27%
   End of Course Civics (Gadsden)6038
 22%
   End of Course Civics (Florida)7166
 5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students677574
 15.2%
African American482389
 19.3%
American Indian57
 40%
Asian00
Hispanic175151
 13.7%
Pacific Islander04
White1113
 18.2%
Two or More Races410
 150%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients85.1%92.2%
 7.1%

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Frequently Asked Questions about James A. Shanks Middle School

In the 2023-24 school year, 526 students attended James A. Shanks Middle School.

Students at James A. Shanks Middle School are 67% African American, 27% Hispanic, 2% White, 2% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

James A. Shanks Middle School ranks in the bottom 11.5% of Florida middle schools.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.




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