Buffalo Creek Middle School

Q: Is Buffalo Creek Middle School a good school?

Buffalo Creek Middle School ranks 505 th of 1196 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Buffalo Creek Middle School is a public middle school located in Palmetto, Florida, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 1,127 students. The school is part of the Manatee School District, which is ranked 34 out of 68 districts in Florida and is rated 3 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Buffalo Creek Middle School consistently outperforms the Manatee district and the state of Florida in various standardized test scores, including End-of-Course (EOC) exams in Algebra 1, Geometry, and Civics, as well as the Statewide Science assessment and the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) in English Language Arts and Math. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Buffalo Creek Middle School had 94% of students proficient or better in EOC Algebra 1, compared to 58% for the Manatee district and 55% for the state. The school's performance in Geometry and Civics EOC exams is also significantly higher than the district and state averages. However, the school's chronic absenteeism rate, while lower than some nearby schools, has fluctuated between 9.3% and 32.9% over the past few years.

When compared to nearby schools in the Manatee district, Buffalo Creek Middle School stands out as a relatively higher-performing school, particularly in academic metrics. Schools like W.D. Sugg Middle School and Lincoln Memorial Middle School have significantly lower performance on these measures, as well as higher chronic absenteeism rates and free/reduced lunch percentages. This suggests that Buffalo Creek Middle School may be serving a more advantaged student population, which could contribute to its academic success. However, these disparities raise questions about equity and access to quality education within the Manatee district.

Detail:

Public 6-8

7320 69th St E
Palmetto, FL 34221

(941) 721-2260

District: Manatee

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,339

Students who attend Buffalo Creek Middle School usually attend:

High:

Parrish Community High School

Feeder schools for Buffalo Creek Middle School:

Elementary:	Annie Lucy Williams Elementary School
	Blackburn Elementary School
	Gene Witt Elementary School
	James Tillman Elementary Magnet School
	More...
	Virgil Mills Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 20.4

Number of students: 1,127

Racial breakdown:

White:

60.4%

Hispanic:

22.4%

African American:

10.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 44.5%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Buffalo Creek Middle School ranks better than 57.8% of middle schools in Florida. It also ranks 6^th among 11 ranked middle schools in the Manatee School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 55.86. (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 Buffalo Creek Middle School has the largest middle school student body size in the Manatee School District. Racial makeup is: White (60.4%), Hispanic (22.4%), African American (10.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 44.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Buffalo Creek Middle School is 20.4. 10 middle schools in the Manatee School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Buffalo Creek Middle School employs 55 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Buffalo Creek Middle School is $8,339. 9 middle schools in the Manatee School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Buffalo Creek Middle School 505^th of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See Buffalo Creek Middle School in the ranking list.)

Manatee:

SchoolDigger ranks Manatee 34^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Buffalo Creek Middle School.

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Rank History for Buffalo Creek Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	FL State Percentile
2010	43.31	526^th	839	37.3%
2011	48.23	510^th	891	42.8%
2012	53.52	429^th	897	52.2%
2013	64.65	335^th	956	65.0%
2014	60.64	377^th	999	62.3%
2016	55.21	426^th	997	57.3%
2017	51.26	497^th	1031	51.8%
2018	50.99	505^th	1035	51.2%
2019	42.71	641^st	1099	41.7%
2021	57.36	446^th	1136	60.7%
2022	57.70	448^th	1148	61.0%
2023	55.09	495^th	1177	57.9%
2024	55.86	505^th	1196	57.8%

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: 3)

50%

Reviews:

by a parent
Tuesday, October 10, 2017

My son had a difficult time adjusting to middle school- the staff has been amazing helping him adjust and he is so happy now. Thank you buffalo creek staff. -TB Close Quote

Enrollment information for Buffalo Creek Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2008	368	132	10	169	0	n/a	n/a	24	703
2009	467	132	12	199	1	n/a	n/a	30	841
2010	487	141	11	223	0	n/a	n/a	38	900
2011	476	122	8	253	2	0	23	0	884
2012	493	123	9	245	1	1	23	0	895
2013	483	118	17	264	0	1	23	0	906
2014	534	110	18	277	0	0	27	0	966
2015	565	160	19	323	0	0	35	0	1102
2016	538	148	14	303	0	0	30	0	1033
2017	497	148	15	319	0	0	29	0	1008
2018	528	112	22	324	0	0	23	0	1009
2019	640	101	27	402	1	0	50	0	1221
2020	714	128	30	429	0	0	64	0	1365
2021	729	122	30	325	0	1	65	0	1272
2022	728	127	27	314	1	1	52	0	1250
2023	681	116	27	253	3	0	47	0	1127

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 Buffalo Creek Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	703	n/a	n/a	47.6
2009	841	39.0	22.7	47
2010	900	45.0	20.0	50.5
2011	884	48.0	18.4	49.8
2012	895	53.0	16.8	53.1
2013	906	49.0	18.4	56.5
2014	966	46.0	21.0	53.1
2015	1102	54.0	20.4	55.4
2016	1033	58.0	17.8	99.7
2017	1008	56.0	18.0	55
2018	1009	54.0	18.6	55.8
2019	1221	63.0	19.3	50.4
2020	1365	67.0	20.3	49.1
2021	1272	67.0	18.9	49.7
2022	1250	63.0	19.8	38.5
2023	1127	55.0	20.4	44.5

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 Buffalo Creek Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	703	n/a	n/a	47.6
2009	841	39.0	22.7	47
2010	900	45.0	20.0	50.5
2011	884	48.0	18.4	49.8
2012	895	53.0	16.8	53.1
2013	906	49.0	18.4	56.5
2014	966	46.0	21.0	53.1
2015	1102	54.0	20.4	55.4
2016	1033	58.0	17.8	99.7
2017	1008	56.0	18.0	55
2018	1009	54.0	18.6	55.8
2019	1221	63.0	19.3	50.4
2020	1365	67.0	20.3	49.1
2021	1272	67.0	18.9	49.7
2022	1250	63.0	19.8	38.5
2023	1127	55.0	20.4	44.5

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 Buffalo Creek Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$207 (3.0%)	$6,608 (97.0%)	$6,815
2019	$247 (3.5%)	$6,867 (96.5%)	$7,114
2020	$198 (2.8%)	$6,782 (97.2%)	$6,980
2021	$340 (4.5%)	$7,187 (95.5%)	$7,527
2022	$917 (11.6%)	$7,007 (88.4%)	$7,925
2023	$1,186 (14.2%)	$7,153 (85.8%)	$8,339

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Buffalo Creek 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 641^st of 1099 Middle schools	Ranks 495^th of 1177 Middle schools	16.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Buffalo Creek Middle School)	48	53	5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Manatee)	52	48	4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	54	52	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Buffalo Creek Middle School)	58	57	1%
6th Grade Mathematics (Manatee)	57	52	5%
6th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	55	49	6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Buffalo Creek Middle School)	45	50	5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Manatee)	48	48
7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	52	48	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Buffalo Creek Middle School)	58	57	1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Manatee)	57	51	6%
7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	54	46	8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Buffalo Creek Middle School)	45	52	7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Manatee)	54	48	6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	49	7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Buffalo Creek Middle School)	28	37	9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Manatee)	41	38	3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	46	42	4%
8th Grade Science (Buffalo Creek Middle School)	36	46	10%
8th Grade Science (Manatee)	45	45
8th Grade Science (Florida)	48	44	4%
End of Course Civics (Buffalo Creek Middle School)	75	70	5%
End of Course Civics (Manatee)	77	69	8%
End of Course Civics (Florida)	71	66	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Buffalo Creek Middle School)	85	80	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Manatee)	66	60	6%
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	1221	1127	7.7%
African American	101	116	14.9%
American Indian	1	3	200%
Asian	27	27
Hispanic	402	253	37.1%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	640	681	6.4%
Two or More Races	50	47	6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	50.4%	44.5%	5.9%

Schools Near Buffalo Creek 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
Buffalo Creek Middle School	Public	6-8	7320 69th St E	Palmetto	34221	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 721-2260	1,127	55	20.4	44.5%	681 (60.4%)	116 (10.3%)	253 (22.4%)	27 (2.4%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (4.2%)	55.9	505^th of 1196 public middle schools	57.8%		55.1	495^th of 1177 public middle schools	57.9%	10	59.0	57.0	54.0	62.0	60.0	28.0	41.0	94.0	90.0	68.0	$8,339	$1,186	$7,153
Lincoln Memorial Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	305 17th St E	Palmetto	34221	Manatee County	Manatee	No	Yes	No	Yes	(941) 708-8770	413	27	15.2	75.8%	39 (9.4%)	142 (34.4%)	202 (48.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.0%)	14.3	1062^nd of 1196 public middle schools	11.2%		20.7	970^th of 1177 public middle schools	17.6%	92	30.0	20.0	28.0	27.0	28.0	28.0	24.0	51.0		41.0	$13,813	$2,649	$11,165
Carlos E. Haile Middle School	Public	6-8	9501 Fl 64	Bradenton	34212	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 714-7240	737	39	18.8	44.6%	419 (56.9%)	59 (8.0%)	176 (23.9%)	34 (4.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (6.5%)	70.6	323^rd of 1196 public middle schools	73.0%		68	346^th of 1177 public middle schools	70.6%	23	55.0	58.0	60.0	70.0	69.0	55.0	67.0	92.0	100.0	78.0	$9,383	$953	$8,430
Just For Girls Middle School	Public	6-8	3809 59th St W	Bradenton	34209	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 722-1475	28	3	9.3	89.3%	1 (3.6%)	8 (28.6%)	12 (42.9%)	1 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (21.4%)								(n/a)		23.0			23.0						$7,515	$144	$7,372
Rowlett Middle Academy	Public, Charter	6-8	400 30th Ave W	Bradenton	34205	Manatee County	Manatee	Yes	No	No	No	(941) 462-4100	671	37	18.1	36.5%	385 (57.4%)	60 (8.9%)	173 (25.8%)	10 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.6%)	39 (5.8%)	82.3	166^th of 1196 public middle schools	86.1%		80	194^th of 1177 public middle schools	83.5%	28	67.0	70.0	69.0	83.0	81.0	48.0	67.0	90.0	100.0	90.0	$10,214	$00	$10,214
Dr Mona Jain Middle School	Public	6-8	12205 44th Ave	Bradenton	34211	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 727-4747	994	47	21.1	29.0%	626 (63.0%)	70 (7.0%)	219 (22.0%)	33 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	44 (4.4%)	70.9	320^th of 1196 public middle schools	73.2%		75.2	255^th of 1177 public middle schools	78.3%	65	64.0	59.0	61.0	74.0	67.0	44.0	59.0	88.0	100.0	84.0	$8,006	$860	$7,145
Oasis Middle School	Public, Charter	6-8	6417 3rd Ave W	Bradenton	34209	Manatee County	Manatee	Yes	No	No	Yes	(941) 749-1979	45	3	15.0	84.4%	11 (24.4%)	5 (11.1%)	24 (53.3%)	1 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (8.9%)	66.3	372^nd of 1196 public middle schools	68.9%		75.9	243^rd of 1177 public middle schools	79.4%	129	67.0	50.0	60.0	75.0	83.0		33.0	36.0		86.0	$17,541	$00	$17,541
Martha B. King Middle School	Public	6-8	600 75th St NW	Bradenton	34209	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 798-6820	848	48	17.6	63.4%	355 (41.9%)	124 (14.6%)	326 (38.4%)	11 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	31 (3.7%)	34.6	798^th of 1196 public middle schools	33.3%		34.7	778^th of 1177 public middle schools	33.9%	20	44.0	44.0	41.0	49.0	41.0	22.0	39.0	94.0	100.0	60.0	$9,253	$1,140	$8,113
Braden River Middle School	Public	6-8	6215 River Club Blvd	Bradenton	34202	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 751-7080	810	45	18.0	57.7%	330 (40.7%)	82 (10.1%)	316 (39.0%)	39 (4.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (5.2%)	49.4	605^th of 1196 public middle schools	49.4%		49.3	573^rd of 1177 public middle schools	51.3%	32	45.0	44.0	48.0	59.0	61.0	37.0	51.0	88.0	100.0	71.0	$9,661	$1,297	$8,364
W. D. Sugg Middle School	Public	6-8	5602 38th Avenue West	Bradenton	34209	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	Yes	(941) 741-3157	1,010	53	19.0	71.6%	154 (15.2%)	188 (18.6%)	622 (61.6%)	5 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (4.1%)	12.6	1081^st of 1196 public middle schools	9.6%		12.9	1060^th of 1177 public middle schools	9.9%	21	30.0	23.0	25.0	34.0	28.0	15.0	17.0	82.0	100.0	42.0	$9,182	$1,944	$7,238

Frequently Asked Questions about Buffalo Creek Middle School

How many students attend Buffalo Creek Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,127 students attended Buffalo Creek Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Buffalo Creek Middle School attend?

Students who attend Buffalo Creek Middle School usually go on to attend Parrish Community High School

What is the racial makeup of Buffalo Creek Middle School?

Students at Buffalo Creek Middle School are 60% White, 22% Hispanic, 10% African American, 4% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What district is Buffalo Creek Middle School in?

Manatee

Is Buffalo Creek Middle School a good school?

Buffalo Creek Middle School ranks 505^th of 1196 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

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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.