Gifford Middle School

Q: Is Gifford Middle School a good school?

Gifford Middle School ranks 762 nd of 1196 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Gifford Middle School is a public middle school located in Vero Beach, Florida, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 582. The school is part of the Indian River District, which is ranked 13th out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Gifford Middle School stands out in several key areas. It has a more diverse student population, with a higher percentage of African American (38.14%) and Hispanic (20.45%) students compared to nearby schools like Sebastian Charter Junior High School and Storm Grove Middle School. However, Gifford Middle School also has significantly higher chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 41.4% to 43.8% in recent years, and a much higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 62.63% to 71.82%, indicating a higher proportion of economically disadvantaged students.

Academically, Gifford Middle School's test scores are generally lower than the Indian River District and Florida state averages across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Gifford Middle School's proficiency rates in FAST Math for grades 6-8 were significantly below the district and state averages. The school's statewide ranking has also steadily declined over the years, from 420 out of 1,035 Florida middle schools in 2017-2018 to 762 out of 1,196 in 2023-2024, with a consistent 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Detail:

Public 6-8

4530 28th Ct
Vero Beach, FL 32967

(772) 564-3550

District: Indian River

SchoolDigger Rank:
762^nd of 1,196 Florida Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,208

Students who attend Gifford Middle School usually attend:

High:

Vero Beach High School

Feeder schools for Gifford Middle School:

Elementary:

Beachland Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 20.0

Number of students: 582

Racial breakdown:

African American:

38.1%

White:

36.4%

Hispanic:

20.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 71.8%

See top rated Florida middle schools

Compare Gifford Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Gifford Middle School ranks worse than 63.7% of middle schools in Florida. It also ranks last among 5 ranked middle schools in the Indian River School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 37.21. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Student population at Gifford Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (38.1%), White (36.4%), Hispanic (20.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 71.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Gifford Middle School is 20. 3 middle schools in the Indian River School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Gifford Middle School employs 29 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Gifford Middle School is $11,208, which is the highest among 5 middle schools in the Indian River School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Gifford Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Gifford Middle School 762^nd of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See Gifford Middle School in the ranking list.)

Indian River:

SchoolDigger ranks Indian River 13^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Gifford Middle School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	66.37	191^st	593	67.8%
2005	73.43	138^th	602	77.1%
2006	64.03	233^rd	675	65.5%
2007	71.97	198^th	736	73.1%
2008	68.77	225^th	740	69.6%
2009	67.66	268^th	780	65.6%
2010	65.19	307^th	839	63.4%
2011	62.43	352^nd	891	60.5%
2012	61.67	340^th	897	62.1%
2013	50.24	486^th	956	49.2%
2014	42.76	578^th	999	42.1%
2016	44.99	549^th	997	44.9%
2017	46.96	542^nd	1031	47.4%
2018	57.19	420^th	1035	59.4%
2019	44.23	627^th	1099	42.9%
2021	43.39	650^th	1136	42.8%
2022	36.90	719^th	1148	37.4%
2023	30.53	838^th	1177	28.8%
2024	37.21	762^nd	1196	36.3%

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

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Gifford Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	390	122	7	10	1	n/a	n/a	0	530
1989	389	123	7	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	531
1990	458	112	5	11	3	n/a	n/a	0	589
1991	438	130	3	10	2	n/a	n/a	0	583
1992	441	148	3	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	601
1993	476	125	6	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	614
1994	513	138	1	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	662
1995	692	215	6	25	1	n/a	n/a	0	939
1996	692	215	6	25	1	n/a	n/a	0	939
1997	712	193	7	33	3	n/a	n/a	0	948
1998	739	220	9	39	2	n/a	n/a	0	1009
1999	773	206	7	42	2	n/a	n/a	0	1030
2000	803	193	6	46	4	n/a	n/a	0	1052
2001	778	199	11	44	6	n/a	n/a	0	1038
2002	908	236	18	63	3	n/a	n/a	0	1228
2003	908	236	18	63	3	n/a	n/a	0	1228
2004	948	250	22	87	2	n/a	n/a	0	1309
2005	915	251	24	105	2	n/a	n/a	0	1297
2006	892	235	20	120	3	n/a	n/a	0	1270
2007	888	227	17	142	5	n/a	n/a	39	1318
2008	891	222	9	129	6	n/a	n/a	50	1307
2009	860	259	13	154	2	n/a	n/a	47	1335
2010	599	211	17	105	3	n/a	n/a	33	968
2011	633	228	18	114	6	0	33	0	1032
2012	596	216	14	92	7	0	32	0	957
2013	511	232	12	102	7	1	25	0	890
2014	481	230	12	115	8	0	26	0	872
2015	448	221	13	116	6	0	25	0	829
2016	440	205	8	137	5	0	31	0	826
2017	407	252	8	129	2	0	34	0	832
2018	320	213	10	122	1	1	29	0	696
2019	293	235	9	115	1	1	21	0	675
2020	269	233	8	117	1	0	24	0	652
2021	265	229	6	130	0	0	18	0	648
2022	224	192	5	125	0	0	24	0	570
2023	212	222	3	119	0	1	25	0	582

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 Gifford Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	530	31.0	17.0	29.6
1989	531	32.0	16.5	32.6
1990	589	31.0	19.0	27.7
1991	583	33.0	17.6	27.4
1992	601	31.0	19.3	31.6
1993	614	33.0	18.6	31.4
1994	662	32.0	20.7	30.7
1995	939	52.0	18.1	31.5
1996	939	52.0	18.1	31.5
1997	948	48.0	19.8	28.4
1998	1009	51.0	19.8	32.1
1999	1030	54.0	19.1	31.2
2000	1052	53.0	19.8	31.5
2001	1038	51.0	20.4	33
2002	1228	32.0	38.4	31.3
2003	1228	32.0	38.4	31.3
2004	1309	62.0	21.1	33.6
2005	1297	65.0	20.0	42.4
2006	1270	63.0	20.2	35.3
2007	1318	65.0	20.3	34
2008	1307	73.0	17.9	33.7
2009	1335	78.8	18.3	41.4
2010	968	61.0	15.8	48.8
2011	1032	53.0	19.4	45.4
2012	957	52.0	18.4	49.3
2013	890	52.0	17.1	54.7
2014	872	50.0	17.4	56.4
2015	829	51.0	16.2	56.3
2016	826	49.0	16.8	57
2017	832	48.0	17.3	52.3
2018	696	45.0	15.4	57.6
2019	675	39.5	17.0	61.9
2020	652	38.0	17.1	62.6
2021	648	37.0	17.5	69
2022	570	37.0	15.4	62.6
2023	582	29.0	20.0	71.8

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 Gifford Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	530	31.0	17.0	29.6
1989	531	32.0	16.5	32.6
1990	589	31.0	19.0	27.7
1991	583	33.0	17.6	27.4
1992	601	31.0	19.3	31.6
1993	614	33.0	18.6	31.4
1994	662	32.0	20.7	30.7
1995	939	52.0	18.1	31.5
1996	939	52.0	18.1	31.5
1997	948	48.0	19.8	28.4
1998	1009	51.0	19.8	32.1
1999	1030	54.0	19.1	31.2
2000	1052	53.0	19.8	31.5
2001	1038	51.0	20.4	33
2002	1228	32.0	38.4	31.3
2003	1228	32.0	38.4	31.3
2004	1309	62.0	21.1	33.6
2005	1297	65.0	20.0	42.4
2006	1270	63.0	20.2	35.3
2007	1318	65.0	20.3	34
2008	1307	73.0	17.9	33.7
2009	1335	78.8	18.3	41.4
2010	968	61.0	15.8	48.8
2011	1032	53.0	19.4	45.4
2012	957	52.0	18.4	49.3
2013	890	52.0	17.1	54.7
2014	872	50.0	17.4	56.4
2015	829	51.0	16.2	56.3
2016	826	49.0	16.8	57
2017	832	48.0	17.3	52.3
2018	696	45.0	15.4	57.6
2019	675	39.5	17.0	61.9
2020	652	38.0	17.1	62.6
2021	648	37.0	17.5	69
2022	570	37.0	15.4	62.6
2023	582	29.0	20.0	71.8

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 Gifford Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$465 (4.7%)	$9,396 (95.3%)	$9,861
2019	$406 (4.2%)	$9,376 (95.8%)	$9,782
2020	$361 (3.7%)	$9,476 (96.3%)	$9,836
2021	$1,476 (14.7%)	$8,566 (85.3%)	$10,041
2022	$1,475 (12.9%)	$9,969 (87.1%)	$11,445
2023	$2,898 (25.9%)	$8,309 (74.1%)	$11,208

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Gifford 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 627^th of 1099 Middle schools	Ranks 838^th of 1177 Middle schools	14.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Gifford Middle School)	47	42	5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Indian River)	52	52
6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	54	52	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Gifford Middle School)	50	29	21%
6th Grade Mathematics (Indian River)	53	51	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	55	49	6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Gifford Middle School)	55	41	14%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Indian River)	51	47	4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	52	48	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Gifford Middle School)	41	25	16%
7th Grade Mathematics (Indian River)	53	41	12%
7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	54	46	8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Gifford Middle School)	55	47	8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Indian River)	53	48	5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	49	7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Gifford Middle School)	30	20	10%
8th Grade Mathematics (Indian River)	47	37	10%
8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	46	42	4%
8th Grade Science (Gifford Middle School)	46	40	6%
8th Grade Science (Indian River)	49	51	2%
8th Grade Science (Florida)	48	44	4%
End of Course Civics (Gifford Middle School)	69	61	8%
End of Course Civics (Indian River)	69	67	2%
End of Course Civics (Florida)	71	66	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Gifford Middle School)	95	64	31%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Indian River)	59	48	11%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (Gifford Middle School)	94	92	2%
End of Course Geometry (Indian River)	53	36	17%
End of Course Geometry (Florida)	57	50	7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	675	582	13.8%
African American	235	222	5.5%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	9	3	66.7%
Hispanic	115	119	3.5%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	293	212	27.6%
Two or More Races	21	25	19%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	61.9%	71.8%	9.9%

Schools Near Gifford 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 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 Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Gifford Middle School	Public	6-8	4530 28th Ct	Vero Beach	32967	Indian River County	Indian River	No	No	No	Yes	(772) 564-3550	582	29	20.0	71.8%	212 (36.4%)	222 (38.1%)	119 (20.4%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	25 (4.3%)	37.2	762^nd of 1196 public middle schools	36.3%		30.5	838^th of 1177 public middle schools	28.8%	76	56.0	38.0	49.0	49.0	32.0	22.0	40.0	78.0	100.0	64.0	$11,208	$2,898	$8,309
Storm Grove Middle School	Public	6-8	6400 57th St	Vero Beach	32967	Indian River County	Indian River	No	No	No	No	(772) 564-6400	1,020	55	18.5	50.5%	621 (60.9%)	138 (13.5%)	186 (18.2%)	16 (1.6%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.3%)	55 (5.4%)	51.9	562^nd of 1196 public middle schools	53.0%		52.4	531^st of 1177 public middle schools	54.9%	31	55.0	44.0	51.0	60.0	50.0	45.0	51.0	86.0	100.0	63.0	$9,232	$2,391	$6,841
Oslo Middle School	Public	6-8	480 20th Ave SW	Vero Beach	32962	Indian River County	Indian River	No	No	No	Yes	(772) 564-3980	864	47	18.3	72.5%	366 (42.4%)	201 (23.3%)	222 (25.7%)	14 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	59 (6.8%)	46.3	642^nd of 1196 public middle schools	46.3%		44.5	643^rd of 1177 public middle schools	45.4%	1	54.0	42.0	42.0	57.0	42.0	54.0	48.0	74.0	89.0	66.0	$10,154	$2,403	$7,749
Sebastian Charter Junior High School	Public, Charter	6-8	782 Wave St	Sebastian	32958	Indian River County	Indian River	Yes	No	No	No	(772) 388-8838	292	18	16.2	41.1%	196 (67.1%)	22 (7.5%)	59 (20.2%)	5 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.4%)	87.8	111^th of 1196 public middle schools	90.7%		91.4	68^th of 1177 public middle schools	94.2%	43	74.0	72.0	81.0	89.0	26.0	80.0	87.0	91.0	100.0	91.0	$9,842	$1,060	$8,781
Sebastian River Middle School	Public	6-8	9400 Fellsmere Rd	Sebastian	32958	Indian River County	Indian River	No	No	No	Yes	(772) 564-5111	862	41	21.0	65.3%	392 (45.5%)	118 (13.7%)	316 (36.7%)	11 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (2.9%)	53.9	530^th of 1196 public middle schools	55.7%		40.4	697^th of 1177 public middle schools	40.8%	167	52.0	48.0	47.0	60.0	59.0	48.0	54.0	89.0	100.0	62.0	$9,463	$2,598	$6,865
Dan McCarty Middle School	Public	6-8	1201 Mississippi Ave	Fort Pierce	34950	St. Lucie County	St. Lucie	No	No	No	Yes	(772) 468-5700	747	38	19.6	88.4%	68 (9.1%)	410 (54.9%)	236 (31.6%)	3 (0.4%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (3.7%)	19.5	1003^rd of 1196 public middle schools	16.1%		16.1	1027^th of 1177 public middle schools	12.7%	24	34.0	29.0	28.0	40.0	22.0	35.0	30.0	72.0		41.0	$12,954	$2,662	$10,292
Forest Grove Middle School	Public	6-8	3201 S 25th St	Fort Pierce	34981	St. Lucie County	St. Lucie	No	No	No	Yes	(772) 468-5885	871	42	20.7	79.2%	138 (15.8%)	345 (39.6%)	342 (39.3%)	8 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (4.2%)	25.6	921^st of 1196 public middle schools	23.0%		22.5	949^th of 1177 public middle schools	19.4%	28	43.0	28.0	38.0	27.0	16.0	45.0	37.0	86.0	100.0	41.0	$11,142	$2,009	$9,133

Frequently Asked Questions about Gifford Middle School

What high school do graduates of Gifford Middle School attend?

Students who attend Gifford Middle School usually go on to attend Vero Beach High School

Is Gifford Middle School a good school?

Gifford Middle School ranks 762^nd of 1196 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Gifford Middle School?

Students at Gifford Middle School are 38% African American, 36% White, 20% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

What district is Gifford Middle School in?

Indian River

How many students attend Gifford Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 582 students attended Gifford Middle School.

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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.