Howell L. Watkins Middle School

Summary:

Howell L. Watkins Middle School is a public middle school located in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 794. The school is part of the Palm Beach School District, which is ranked 41 out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Howell L. Watkins stands out from nearby middle schools like Independence Middle, Jupiter Middle, and Bak Middle School of the Arts in several key ways. The school has a significantly higher percentage of African American students (72.29%) compared to the surrounding schools, which range from 3.52% to 68.76% African American. Howell L. Watkins also consistently underperforms the Palm Beach and Florida state averages in test scores, with proficiency rates in FAST English Language Arts and Math that are 10-25 percentage points lower. Additionally, the school has a high chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 10.5% to 39.4%, and a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating significant economic challenges among the student population.

Despite spending significantly more per student ($15,531 in 2022-2023) compared to the surrounding schools, Howell L. Watkins has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Florida middle schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for most years. These factors suggest that the school faces complex challenges that go beyond just funding and resources, and addressing the racial and economic disparities, as well as the high chronic absenteeism, will be crucial to improving educational outcomes for the students at Howell L. Watkins Middle School.

Detail:

Public, Magnet 6-8

9480 MacArthur Blvd
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33403

(561) 776-3600

District: Palm Beach

SchoolDigger Rank:
973^rd of 1,196 Florida Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,531

Feeder schools for Howell L. Watkins Middle School:

Elementary:	Allamanda Elementary School
	Dwight D. Eisenhower K-8
	Lake Park Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.2

Number of students: 794

Racial breakdown:

African American:

72.3%

Hispanic:

15.1%

White:

7.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 76.3%

See top rated Florida middle schools

Compare Howell L. Watkins Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Howell L. Watkins Middle School ranks worse than 81.4% of middle schools in Florida. It also ranks 27^th among 36 ranked middle schools in the Palm Beach School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 21.8. (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 Racial makeup is: African American (72.3%), Hispanic (15.1%), White (7.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 76.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Howell L. Watkins Middle School is 13.2, which is the lowest among 36 middle schools in the Palm Beach School District! (See more...)

Compare Howell L. Watkins Middle School employs 60 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Howell L. Watkins Middle School is $15,531, which is the highest among 36 middle schools in the Palm Beach School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Howell L. Watkins Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Howell L. Watkins Middle School 973^rd of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See Howell L. Watkins Middle School in the ranking list.)

Palm Beach:

SchoolDigger ranks Palm Beach 41^st of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Howell L. Watkins Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	25.94	464^th	593	21.8%
2005	23.36	500^th	602	16.9%
2006	24.51	522^nd	675	22.7%
2007	26.30	561^st	736	23.8%
2008	20.25	605^th	740	18.2%
2009	20.40	633^rd	780	18.8%
2010	26.44	647^th	839	22.9%
2011	27.54	676^th	891	24.1%
2012	24.36	685^th	897	23.6%
2013	19.84	786^th	956	17.8%
2014	27.99	743^rd	999	25.6%
2016	30.19	695^th	997	30.3%
2017	21.37	831^st	1031	19.4%
2018	22.95	813^th	1035	21.4%
2019	22.97	874^th	1099	20.5%
2021	16.34	983^rd	1136	13.5%
2022	18.96	971^st	1148	15.4%
2023	15.42	1036^th	1177	12.0%
2024	21.80	973^rd	1196	18.6%

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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Enrollment information for Howell L. Watkins Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	708	399	28	28	0	n/a	n/a	0	1163
1989	660	410	27	35	2	n/a	n/a	0	1134
1990	668	325	28	30	1	n/a	n/a	0	1052
1991	623	269	35	30	0	n/a	n/a	0	957
1992	686	332	43	56	2	n/a	n/a	0	1119
1993	775	439	54	60	2	n/a	n/a	0	1330
1994	819	431	60	78	3	n/a	n/a	0	1391
1995	832	512	62	96	8	n/a	n/a	0	1510
1996	832	512	62	96	8	n/a	n/a	0	1510
1997	786	594	49	84	8	n/a	n/a	0	1521
1998	687	622	63	91	6	n/a	n/a	0	1469
1999	661	592	45	83	7	n/a	n/a	0	1388
2000	645	582	37	94	5	n/a	n/a	0	1363
2001	630	670	42	82	4	n/a	n/a	0	1428
2002	353	646	40	74	2	n/a	n/a	0	1115
2003	353	646	40	74	2	n/a	n/a	0	1115
2004	268	592	32	73	2	n/a	n/a	0	967
2005	221	623	23	74	3	n/a	n/a	0	944
2006	278	657	25	69	4	n/a	n/a	0	1033
2007	257	633	28	77	3	n/a	n/a	36	1034
2008	170	547	23	62	1	n/a	n/a	27	830
2009	130	565	19	61	2	n/a	n/a	26	803
2010	112	458	14	79	2	n/a	n/a	24	689
2011	78	416	18	67	2	1	16	0	598
2012	54	466	17	86	0	0	19	0	642
2013	73	508	14	85	3	0	21	0	704
2014	76	552	12	108	5	0	29	0	782
2015	75	583	16	121	4	0	36	0	835
2016	86	660	20	122	2	0	36	0	926
2017	58	703	25	129	1	0	34	0	950
2018	73	714	20	120	2	1	24	0	954
2019	60	666	27	130	4	1	24	0	912
2020	59	631	24	134	1	1	23	0	873
2021	64	640	16	131	1	0	27	0	879
2022	60	649	12	126	0	0	32	0	879
2023	62	574	13	120	2	1	22	0	794

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 Howell L. Watkins Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1163	64.0	18.1	23
1989	1134	66.0	17.1	28.1
1990	1052	67.0	15.7	23.4
1991	957	65.0	14.7	23
1992	1119	56.0	19.9	n/a
1993	1330	57.0	23.3	32.7
1994	1391	73.0	19.1	32.3
1995	1510	77.0	19.6	28.7
1996	1510	77.0	19.6	28.7
1997	1521	80.0	19.0	35
1998	1469	79.0	18.6	44.7
1999	1388	75.0	18.5	53.5
2000	1363	72.0	18.9	51.1
2001	1428	71.0	20.1	52.1
2002	1115	63.0	17.7	56.1
2003	1115	63.0	17.7	56.1
2004	967	63.0	15.3	68.8
2005	944	61.0	15.5	64.7
2006	1033	70.0	14.8	55.5
2007	1034	64.0	16.2	63.8
2008	830	60.5	13.7	68.6
2009	803	60.5	15.4	75.5
2010	689	45.0	15.3	76.5
2011	598	39.0	15.3	79.9
2012	642	41.0	15.6	85.8
2013	704	45.0	15.6	81.3
2014	782	53.0	14.7	87.9
2015	835	55.0	15.1	87.2
2016	926	56.0	16.5	88.2
2017	950	54.0	17.5	89.4
2018	954	65.0	14.6	87.3
2019	912	59.0	15.4	86.1
2020	873	55.0	15.8	85.8
2021	879	56.0	15.6	90.9
2022	879	61.0	14.4	90.9
2023	794	60.0	13.2	76.3

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 Howell L. Watkins Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1163	64.0	18.1	23
1989	1134	66.0	17.1	28.1
1990	1052	67.0	15.7	23.4
1991	957	65.0	14.7	23
1992	1119	56.0	19.9	n/a
1993	1330	57.0	23.3	32.7
1994	1391	73.0	19.1	32.3
1995	1510	77.0	19.6	28.7
1996	1510	77.0	19.6	28.7
1997	1521	80.0	19.0	35
1998	1469	79.0	18.6	44.7
1999	1388	75.0	18.5	53.5
2000	1363	72.0	18.9	51.1
2001	1428	71.0	20.1	52.1
2002	1115	63.0	17.7	56.1
2003	1115	63.0	17.7	56.1
2004	967	63.0	15.3	68.8
2005	944	61.0	15.5	64.7
2006	1033	70.0	14.8	55.5
2007	1034	64.0	16.2	63.8
2008	830	60.5	13.7	68.6
2009	803	60.5	15.4	75.5
2010	689	45.0	15.3	76.5
2011	598	39.0	15.3	79.9
2012	642	41.0	15.6	85.8
2013	704	45.0	15.6	81.3
2014	782	53.0	14.7	87.9
2015	835	55.0	15.1	87.2
2016	926	56.0	16.5	88.2
2017	950	54.0	17.5	89.4
2018	954	65.0	14.6	87.3
2019	912	59.0	15.4	86.1
2020	873	55.0	15.8	85.8
2021	879	56.0	15.6	90.9
2022	879	61.0	14.4	90.9
2023	794	60.0	13.2	76.3

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 Howell L. Watkins Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$1,036 (12.0%)	$7,571 (88.0%)	$8,607
2019	$1,134 (12.2%)	$8,188 (87.8%)	$9,321
2020	$1,026 (9.8%)	$9,447 (90.2%)	$10,473
2021	$1,212 (11.3%)	$9,542 (88.7%)	$10,753
2022	$2,299 (18.8%)	$9,913 (81.2%)	$12,212
2023	$3,501 (22.5%)	$12,030 (77.5%)	$15,531

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Howell L. Watkins 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 874^th of 1099 Middle schools	Ranks 1036^th of 1177 Middle schools	8.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Howell L. Watkins Middle School)	40	34	6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Palm Beach)	58	54	4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	54	52	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Howell L. Watkins Middle School)	40	20	20%
6th Grade Mathematics (Palm Beach)	60	50	10%
6th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	55	49	6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Howell L. Watkins Middle School)	33	33
7th Grade English Language Arts (Palm Beach)	53	51	2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	52	48	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Howell L. Watkins Middle School)	14	11	3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Palm Beach)	35	27	8%
7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	54	46	8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Howell L. Watkins Middle School)	37	33	4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Palm Beach)	58	51	7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	49	7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Howell L. Watkins Middle School)	31	29	2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Palm Beach)	64	57	7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	46	42	4%
8th Grade Science (Howell L. Watkins Middle School)	31	24	7%
8th Grade Science (Palm Beach)	51	46	5%
8th Grade Science (Florida)	48	44	4%
End of Course Civics (Howell L. Watkins Middle School)	50	37	13%
End of Course Civics (Palm Beach)	72	65	7%
End of Course Civics (Florida)	71	66	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Howell L. Watkins Middle School)	78	75	3%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Palm Beach)	65	54	11%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (Howell L. Watkins Middle School)	95	95
End of Course Geometry (Palm Beach)	61	53	8%
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	912	794	12.9%
African American	666	574	13.8%
American Indian	4	2	50%
Asian	27	13	51.9%
Hispanic	130	120	7.7%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	60	62	3.3%
Two or More Races	24	22	8.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	86.1%	76.3%	9.8%

Schools Near Howell L. Watkins 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
Howell L. Watkins Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	9480 MacArthur Blvd	Palm Beach Gardens	33403	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 776-3600	794	60	13.2	76.3%	62 (7.8%)	574 (72.3%)	120 (15.1%)	13 (1.6%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	22 (2.8%)	21.8	973^rd of 1196 public middle schools	18.6%		15.4	1036^th of 1177 public middle schools	12.0%	63	43.0	33.0	37.0	35.0	15.0	35.0	24.0	72.0	100.0	49.0	$15,531	$3,501	$12,030
John F. Kennedy Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	1901 Avenue S	Riviera Beach	33404	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 845-4500	826	48	17.2	78.3%	41 (5.0%)	532 (64.4%)	225 (27.2%)	6 (0.7%)	13 (1.6%)	1 (0.1%)	8 (1.0%)	23.8	949^th of 1196 public middle schools	20.7%		17.7	1002^nd of 1177 public middle schools	14.9%	53	35.0	25.0	35.0	24.0	35.0	49.0	28.0	87.0	100.0	47.0	$12,608	$2,030	$10,578
Watson B. Duncan Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	5150 117th Ct N	Palm Beach Gardens	33418	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 776-3500	1,157	70	16.5	40.9%	558 (48.2%)	224 (19.4%)	248 (21.4%)	60 (5.2%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	63 (5.4%)	71.1	316^th of 1196 public middle schools	73.6%		65.4	376^th of 1177 public middle schools	68.1%	60	67.0	61.0	67.0	61.0	31.0	73.0	59.0	95.0	100.0	70.0	$12,419	$1,341	$11,077
Bak Middle School Of The Arts	Public, Magnet	6-8	1725 Echo Lake Dr	West Palm Beach	33407	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	No	(561) 882-3870	1,260	73	17.3	22.5%	568 (45.1%)	165 (13.1%)	297 (23.6%)	153 (12.1%)	6 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	70 (5.6%)	97.5	10^th of 1196 public middle schools	99.2%		97.5	12^th of 1177 public middle schools	99.0%	2	93.0	94.0	95.0	92.0	96.0	98.0	89.0	100.0	100.0	98.0	$11,958	$1,010	$10,948
Bear Lakes Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	3505 Shenandoah Blvd	West Palm Beach	33409	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 615-7700	842	57	14.7	74.1%	42 (5.0%)	579 (68.8%)	196 (23.3%)	6 (0.7%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	16 (1.9%)	20	999^th of 1196 public middle schools	16.5%		17.2	1014^th of 1177 public middle schools	13.8%	15	36.0	29.0	33.0	32.0	31.0	37.0	23.0	76.0	72.0	45.0	$14,262	$2,567	$11,694
Roosevelt Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	1900 N Australian Ave	West Palm Beach	33407	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 822-0200	851	61	13.9	80.4%	13 (1.5%)	550 (64.6%)	253 (29.7%)	14 (1.6%)	5 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (1.9%)	46.4	637^th of 1196 public middle schools	46.7%		36.1	752^nd of 1177 public middle schools	36.1%	115	50.0	42.0	43.0	61.0	26.0	73.0	33.0	63.0		59.0	$15,387	$2,165	$13,222
Independence Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	4001 Greenway Dr	Jupiter	33458	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	No	(561) 799-7500	1,166	64	18.2	25.4%	733 (62.9%)	41 (3.5%)	295 (25.3%)	51 (4.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	44 (3.8%)	79.7	207^th of 1196 public middle schools	82.7%		80.8	186^th of 1177 public middle schools	84.2%	21	72.0	71.0	68.0	62.0	23.0	75.0	70.0	92.0	100.0	82.0	$11,165	$987	$10,177
Jupiter Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	15245 Military Trl	Jupiter	33458	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 745-7200	1,384	86	16.1	38.2%	694 (50.1%)	90 (6.5%)	508 (36.7%)	36 (2.6%)	6 (0.4%)	2 (0.1%)	48 (3.5%)	70.4	325^th of 1196 public middle schools	72.8%		69.1	337^th of 1177 public middle schools	71.4%	12	64.0	60.0	61.0	68.0	29.0	70.0	60.0	95.0	98.0	66.0	$12,222	$1,217	$11,005
Jeaga Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	3777 N Jog Rd	West Palm Beach	33411	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 242-8000	941	45	20.9	78.0%	47 (5.0%)	403 (42.8%)	459 (48.8%)	10 (1.1%)	6 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	15 (1.6%)	15.2	1050^th of 1196 public middle schools	12.2%		14.1	1049^th of 1177 public middle schools	10.9%	1	26.0	22.0	26.0	23.0	17.0	43.0	21.0	100.0	94.0	39.0	$12,070	$1,616	$10,453
Conniston Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	3630 Parker Ave	West Palm Beach	33405	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 802-5400	1,075	65	16.5	73.5%	115 (10.7%)	179 (16.7%)	749 (69.7%)	12 (1.1%)	8 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (1.1%)	32.8	829^th of 1196 public middle schools	30.7%		23.6	928^th of 1177 public middle schools	21.2%	99	42.0	36.0	45.0	38.0	23.0	56.0	34.0	85.0	90.0	57.0	$12,576	$1,873	$10,703

Frequently Asked Questions about Howell L. Watkins Middle School

Is Howell L. Watkins Middle School a good school?

Howell L. Watkins Middle School ranks in the bottom 18.6% of Florida middle schools.

What district is Howell L. Watkins Middle School in?

Palm Beach

What is the racial makeup of Howell L. Watkins Middle School?

Students at Howell L. Watkins Middle School are 72% African American, 15% Hispanic, 8% White, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

How many students attend Howell L. Watkins Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 794 students attended Howell L. Watkins 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.