South Technical Preparatory Academy

Q: Is South Technical Preparatory Academy a good school?

South Technical Preparatory Academy ranks 548 th of 1196 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

South Technical Preparatory Academy is a public charter middle school in Boynton Beach, Florida, serving 540 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Palm Beach school district, which is ranked 41 out of 68 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

South Technical Preparatory Academy consistently outperforms the Palm Beach district and the state of Florida in several key test score metrics, including higher proficiency rates on End-of-Course exams in Algebra 1, Biology 1, and Civics, as well as higher proficiency in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade English Language Arts on the FAST assessment. However, the school has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 5.1% in 2019-2020 to 24.5% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the state average. The school also serves a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students, ranging from 76.85% to 93.98% over the past few years.

Compared to nearby schools, South Technical Preparatory Academy stands out for its diverse student population, with a higher percentage of African American (49.63%) and Hispanic (42.22%) students. The school also has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 20:1 to 22.7:1 over the past few years. While schools like Somerset Academy Canyons Middle School and Christa McAuliffe Middle School have higher overall performance and rankings, they serve a more affluent student population. Schools with higher percentages of economically disadvantaged students, such as Lantana Middle, L.C. Swain Middle, and Congress Community Middle, have lower test scores and rankings compared to South Technical Preparatory Academy.

Detail:

Public, Charter 6-8

1325 Gateway Blvd
Boynton Beach, FL 33426

(561) 369-7000

District: Palm Beach

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,642

Student/teacher ratio: 19.8

Number of students: 527

Racial breakdown:

African American:

52.6%

Hispanic:

41.6%

White:

4.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 69.4%

See top rated Florida middle schools

Compare South Technical Preparatory Academy to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details South Technical Preparatory Academy ranks better than 54.2% of middle schools in Florida. It also ranks 19^th among 36 ranked middle schools in the Palm Beach School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 53.02. (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 (52.6%), Hispanic (41.6%), White (4.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 69.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Technical Preparatory Academy is 19.8. 33 middle schools in the Palm Beach School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare South Technical Preparatory Academy employs 26.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Technical Preparatory Academy is $9,642. 34 middle schools in the Palm Beach School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

South Technical Preparatory Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks South Technical Preparatory Academy 548^th of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See South Technical Preparatory Academy in the ranking list.)

Palm Beach:

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

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for South Technical Preparatory Academy.

What do you think?

Your rating for South Technical Preparatory Academy?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for South Technical Preparatory Academy

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	FL State Percentile
2016	28.29	721^st	997	27.7%
2017	35.13	671^st	1031	34.9%
2018	31.53	712^th	1035	31.2%
2019	36.48	721^st	1099	34.4%
2021	33.28	759^th	1136	33.2%
2022	42.43	647^th	1148	43.6%
2023	35.39	769^th	1177	34.7%
2024	53.02	548^th	1196	54.2%

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: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for South Technical Preparatory Academy

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2014	14	26	2	39	2	0	1	84
2015	26	83	0	74	1	0	3	187
2016	53	150	3	150	5	1	10	372
2017	47	210	4	217	3	1	8	490
2018	39	222	5	254	1	0	9	530
2019	40	240	2	252	3	0	7	544
2020	35	243	3	238	1	0	9	529
2021	32	269	3	220	1	0	7	532
2022	29	258	4	226	3	0	14	534
2023	25	268	3	228	4	0	12	540
2024	23	277	3	219	0	0	5	527

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 South Technical Preparatory Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	84	5.0	16.8	86.9
2015	187	13.0	14.3	82.9
2016	372	24.0	15.5	91.4
2017	490	24.0	20.4	88.4
2018	530	14.0	37.8	89.8
2019	544	26.3	20.6	87.7
2020	529	27.5	19.2	90.2
2021	532	23.4	22.7	94
2022	534	23.5	22.7	93.3
2023	540	27.0	20.0	76.9
2024	527	26.5	19.8	69.4

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 South Technical Preparatory Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	84	5.0	16.8	86.9
2015	187	13.0	14.3	82.9
2016	372	24.0	15.5	91.4
2017	490	24.0	20.4	88.4
2018	530	14.0	37.8	89.8
2019	544	26.3	20.6	87.7
2020	529	27.5	19.2	90.2
2021	532	23.4	22.7	94
2022	534	23.5	22.7	93.3
2023	540	27.0	20.0	76.9
2024	527	26.5	19.8	69.4

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 South Technical Preparatory Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$536 (7.5%)	$6,653 (92.5%)	$7,189
2019	$584 (7.5%)	$7,157 (92.5%)	$7,741
2020	$551 (7.6%)	$6,726 (92.4%)	$7,277
2021	$854 (11.6%)	$6,522 (88.4%)	$7,377
2022	$1,714 (19.0%)	$7,284 (81.0%)	$8,998
2023	$2,325 (24.1%)	$7,316 (75.9%)	$9,642

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Technical Preparatory Academy

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 721^st of 1099 Middle schools	Ranks 769^th of 1177 Middle schools	0.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (South Technical Preparatory Academy)	45	43	2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Palm Beach)	58	54	4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	54	52	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (South Technical Preparatory Academy)	36	34	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Palm Beach)	60	50	10%
6th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	55	49	6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (South Technical Preparatory Academy)	43	52	9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Palm Beach)	53	51	2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	52	48	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (South Technical Preparatory Academy)	25	28	3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Palm Beach)	35	27	8%
7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	54	46	8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (South Technical Preparatory Academy)	50	53	3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Palm Beach)	58	51	7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	49	7%
8th Grade Mathematics (South Technical Preparatory Academy)	57	49	8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Palm Beach)	64	57	7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	46	42	4%
8th Grade Science (South Technical Preparatory Academy)	34	13	21%
8th Grade Science (Palm Beach)	51	46	5%
8th Grade Science (Florida)	48	44	4%
End of Course Civics (South Technical Preparatory Academy)	73	72	1%
End of Course Civics (Palm Beach)	72	65	7%
End of Course Civics (Florida)	71	66	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (South Technical Preparatory Academy)	88	95	7%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Palm Beach)	65	54	11%
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	544	540	0.7%
African American	240	268	11.7%
American Indian	3	4	33.3%
Asian	2	3	50%
Hispanic	252	228	9.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	40	25	37.5%
Two or More Races	7	12	71.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	87.7%	76.9%	10.8%

Schools Near South Technical Preparatory Academy

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
South Technical Preparatory Academy	Public, Charter	6-8	1325 Gateway Blvd	Boynton Beach	33426	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	Yes	No	No	No	(561) 369-7000	527	27	19.8	69.4%	23 (4.4%)	277 (52.6%)	219 (41.6%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.9%)	53	548^th of 1196 public middle schools	54.2%		35.4	769^th of 1177 public middle schools	34.7%	221	59.0	57.0	67.0	46.0	48.0	51.0	27.0	70.0		93.0	79.0	$9,642	$2,325	$7,316
Congress Community Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	101 S Congress Ave	Boynton Beach	33426	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 374-5600	891	59	15.1	66.8%	44 (4.9%)	630 (70.7%)	178 (20.0%)	11 (1.2%)	5 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	22 (2.5%)	12	1089^th of 1196 public middle schools	8.9%		14.4	1046^th of 1177 public middle schools	11.1%	43	23.0	17.0	29.0	19.0	13.0	36.0	21.0	89.0			33.0	$14,559	$2,351	$12,209
Lantana Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	1225 W Drew St	Lantana	33462	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 540-3400	768	54	14.3	72.7%	53 (6.9%)	318 (41.4%)	356 (46.4%)	6 (0.8%)	21 (2.7%)	3 (0.4%)	11 (1.4%)	17.2	1035^th of 1196 public middle schools	13.5%		24.5	916^th of 1177 public middle schools	22.2%	119	34.0	28.0	32.0	40.0	20.0	33.0	19.0	69.0	94.0		59.0	$15,378	$2,429	$12,948
Christa McAuliffe Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	6500 Le Chalet Blvd	Boynton Beach	33472	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 374-6600	1,189	69	17.2	33.7%	502 (42.2%)	205 (17.2%)	351 (29.5%)	63 (5.3%)	4 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	64 (5.4%)	79.2	212^th of 1196 public middle schools	82.3%		70.1	323^rd of 1177 public middle schools	72.6%	111	69.0	68.0	69.0	69.0	51.0	73.0	68.0	98.0	100.0		77.0	$11,473	$1,100	$10,372
Tradewinds Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	5090 Haverhill Rd S	Greenacres	33463	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 493-6400	852	57	15.0	65.4%	76 (8.9%)	313 (36.7%)	393 (46.1%)	20 (2.3%)	28 (3.3%)	1 (0.1%)	21 (2.5%)	20.9	988^th of 1196 public middle schools	17.4%		17.3	1011^th of 1177 public middle schools	14.1%	23	36.0	21.0	39.0	20.0	15.0	45.0	31.0	54.0	70.0		44.0	$12,573	$2,005	$10,566
L C Swain Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	5332 Lake Worth Rd	Greenacres	33463	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 649-6900	1,387	90	15.4	70.5%	135 (9.7%)	194 (14.0%)	998 (72.0%)	22 (1.6%)	22 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (1.2%)	21	985^th of 1196 public middle schools	17.6%		20.2	977^th of 1177 public middle schools	17.0%	8	34.0	26.0	32.0	31.0	27.0	47.0	24.0	94.0	100.0		32.0	$11,685	$1,828	$9,857
Lake Worth Community Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	1300 Barnett Dr	Lake Worth	33461	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 540-5500	1,161	56	20.9	63.4%	60 (5.2%)	254 (21.9%)	769 (66.2%)	10 (0.9%)	55 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (1.1%)	13.9	1065^th of 1196 public middle schools	11.0%		10.7	1077^th of 1177 public middle schools	8.5%	12	26.0	23.0	24.0	28.0	15.0	40.0	17.0	85.0	97.0		40.0	$11,155	$1,750	$9,405
Carver Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	101 Barwick Rd	Delray Beach	33445	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 638-2100	693	51	13.5	64.6%	49 (7.1%)	506 (73.0%)	119 (17.2%)	8 (1.2%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	8 (1.2%)	15	1051^st of 1196 public middle schools	12.1%		22.5	948^th of 1177 public middle schools	19.5%	103	31.0	18.0	34.0	8.0	7.0	31.0	30.0	88.0	100.0		38.0	$15,340	$2,883	$12,457
West Boynton Middle School	Public	6-8	8655 Senator Joe Abruzzo Ave	Boynton Beach	33472	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(561) 434-8000	658	42	15.6	23.6%	357 (54.3%)	91 (13.8%)	140 (21.3%)	41 (6.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (4.3%)								(n/a)	78.0	82.0	76.0	82.0	53.0	91.0	70.0	96.0	97.0		88.0
Somerset Academy Canyons Middle School	Public, Charter	6-8	9385 Boynton Beach Blvd	Boynton Beach	33472	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	Yes	No	No	Yes	(561) 732-8252	647	27	24.4	40.8%	212 (32.8%)	202 (31.2%)	184 (28.4%)	13 (2.0%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	32 (4.9%)	59	457^th of 1196 public middle schools	61.8%		58.4	452^nd of 1177 public middle schools	61.6%	5	62.0	61.0	60.0	41.0	63.0	63.0	21.0	92.0	100.0	98.0	75.0	$9,255	$587	$8,668

Frequently Asked Questions about South Technical Preparatory Academy

How many students attend South Technical Preparatory Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 527 students attended South Technical Preparatory Academy.

Is South Technical Preparatory Academy a good school?

South Technical Preparatory Academy ranks 548^th of 1196 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of South Technical Preparatory Academy?

Students at South Technical Preparatory Academy are 53% African American, 42% Hispanic, 4% White.

What district is South Technical Preparatory Academy in?

Palm Beach

Rate South Technical Preparatory Academy!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

FLFlorida Middle School Rankings

FLFlorida District Rankings

Schools in Boynton Beach, FL

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for South Technical Preparatory Academy!

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.