Heron Creek Middle School

Q: Is Heron Creek Middle School a good school?

Heron Creek Middle School ranks 488 th of 1196 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Heron Creek Middle School is a public middle school in North Port, Florida, serving 902 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Sarasota School District, which is ranked 8th out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 4-star rating.

Heron Creek Middle School stands out for its diverse student population, with 61.42% White, 8.43% African American, 19.07% Hispanic, and 8.65% two or more races. However, the school faces challenges, including a higher chronic absenteeism rate (26.3%) compared to nearby Student Leadership Academy (18.4%) and Sky Academy Venice (9.5%). While Heron Creek Middle School generally performs better than the state average on standardized tests, its performance lags behind the Sarasota district average in some areas, such as 8th-grade science and 7th-grade English language arts.

Another notable difference is the school's socioeconomic factors. Heron Creek Middle School has a significantly higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (71.51%) compared to the nearby charter schools, such as Student Leadership Academy (30.19%) and Sky Academy Venice (13.79%). This suggests that Heron Creek Middle School serves a lower-income community, which may impact academic performance and resource allocation. Despite these challenges, the school's higher spending per student ($12,933) compared to the nearby charter schools may indicate a greater investment in resources and support for its student population.

Detail:

Public 6-8

6501 W Price Blvd
North Port, FL 34291

(941) 480-3371

District: Sarasota

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,933

Students who attend Heron Creek Middle School usually attend:

High:

North Port High School

Feeder schools for Heron Creek Middle School:

Elementary:	Cranberry Elementary School
	Glenallen Elementary School
	Lamarque Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.4

Number of students: 909

Racial breakdown:

White:

63.8%

Hispanic:

18.9%

Two or more races:

7.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 72.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Heron Creek Middle School ranks better than 59.2% of middle schools in Florida. It also ranks 8^th among 11 ranked middle schools in the Sarasota School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 57.06. (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: White (63.8%), Hispanic (18.9%), two or more races (7.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 72.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Heron Creek Middle School is 15.4. 6 middle schools in the Sarasota School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Heron Creek Middle School employs 59 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Heron Creek Middle School is $12,933, which is the 4^th highest among 11 middle schools in the Sarasota School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Heron Creek Middle School 488^th of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See Heron Creek Middle School in the ranking list.)

Sarasota:

SchoolDigger ranks Sarasota 8^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Heron Creek Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	44.84	353^rd	593	40.5%
2005	48.60	339^th	602	43.7%
2006	57.22	302^nd	675	55.3%
2007	61.69	285^th	736	61.3%
2008	63.80	293^rd	740	60.4%
2009	62.42	301^st	780	61.4%
2010	59.68	360^th	839	57.1%
2011	69.26	280^th	891	68.6%
2012	69.87	256^th	897	71.5%
2013	69.58	270^th	956	71.8%
2014	67.36	308^th	999	69.2%
2016	68.95	284^th	997	71.5%
2017	62.74	360^th	1031	65.1%
2018	58.86	402^nd	1035	61.2%
2019	58.24	446^th	1099	59.4%
2021	55.77	472^nd	1136	58.5%
2022	49.59	559^th	1148	51.3%
2023	54.68	500^th	1177	57.5%
2024	57.06	488^th	1196	59.2%

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 Heron Creek Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2002	1151	92	7	59	3	n/a	n/a	0	1312
2003	1151	92	7	59	3	n/a	n/a	0	1312
2004	1331	110	8	81	5	n/a	n/a	0	1535
2005	1477	133	9	106	6	n/a	n/a	0	1731
2006	1520	135	13	124	3	n/a	n/a	0	1795
2007	1526	162	18	171	3	n/a	n/a	91	1971
2008	1504	213	22	221	2	n/a	n/a	106	2068
2009	935	133	7	128	3	n/a	n/a	71	1277
2010	859	115	6	123	3	n/a	n/a	69	1175
2011	788	108	6	160	6	1	48	0	1117
2012	752	98	9	143	6	1	41	0	1050
2013	609	96	8	122	3	1	40	0	879
2014	597	97	7	124	7	1	41	0	874
2015	564	104	15	138	3	0	39	0	863
2016	571	107	17	130	2	2	44	0	873
2017	549	98	26	161	2	0	41	0	877
2018	523	86	11	159	4	3	55	0	841
2019	533	74	15	171	7	2	61	0	863
2020	575	75	14	160	6	2	69	0	901
2021	521	72	19	151	5	2	74	0	844
2022	529	70	16	143	1	1	75	0	835
2023	554	76	16	172	3	3	78	0	902
2024	580	70	13	172	2	1	71	0	909

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 Heron Creek Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	1312	0.0	n/a	47.5
2003	1312	0.0	n/a	47.5
2004	1535	87.0	17.6	45.8
2005	1731	108.0	16.0	49.7
2006	1795	117.0	15.3	34.7
2007	1971	116.0	17.0	45.9
2008	2068	127.0	16.3	49.9
2009	1277	85.1	15.0	60.1
2010	1175	75.0	15.6	69.6
2011	1117	71.0	15.7	69.4
2012	1050	68.0	15.4	72.4
2013	879	60.0	14.6	73.8
2014	874	58.0	15.0	66.8
2015	863	64.0	13.4	70.7
2016	873	61.0	14.3	73.2
2017	877	62.0	14.1	70.8
2018	841	58.0	14.5	74.4
2019	863	58.0	14.8	65.9
2020	901	60.0	15.0	64.9
2021	844	58.0	14.5	64.5
2022	835	56.0	14.9	67.9
2023	902	59.0	15.2	71.5
2024	909	59.0	15.4	72.3

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 Heron Creek Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	1312	0.0	n/a	47.5
2003	1312	0.0	n/a	47.5
2004	1535	87.0	17.6	45.8
2005	1731	108.0	16.0	49.7
2006	1795	117.0	15.3	34.7
2007	1971	116.0	17.0	45.9
2008	2068	127.0	16.3	49.9
2009	1277	85.1	15.0	60.1
2010	1175	75.0	15.6	69.6
2011	1117	71.0	15.7	69.4
2012	1050	68.0	15.4	72.4
2013	879	60.0	14.6	73.8
2014	874	58.0	15.0	66.8
2015	863	64.0	13.4	70.7
2016	873	61.0	14.3	73.2
2017	877	62.0	14.1	70.8
2018	841	58.0	14.5	74.4
2019	863	58.0	14.8	65.9
2020	901	60.0	15.0	64.9
2021	844	58.0	14.5	64.5
2022	835	56.0	14.9	67.9
2023	902	59.0	15.2	71.5
2024	909	59.0	15.4	72.3

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 Heron Creek Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$363 (3.7%)	$9,328 (96.3%)	$9,691
2019	$392 (3.9%)	$9,576 (96.1%)	$9,969
2020	$444 (4.4%)	$9,563 (95.6%)	$10,008
2021	$679 (6.1%)	$10,372 (93.8%)	$11,052
2022	$723 (6.2%)	$11,025 (93.8%)	$11,748
2023	$980 (7.6%)	$11,954 (92.4%)	$12,933

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Heron 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 446^th of 1099 Middle schools	Ranks 500^th of 1177 Middle schools	1.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Heron Creek Middle School)	56	47	9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Sarasota)	63	60	3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	54	52	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Heron Creek Middle School)	50	42	8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Sarasota)	67	59	8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	55	49	6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Heron Creek Middle School)	55	43	12%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Sarasota)	64	57	7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	52	48	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Heron Creek Middle School)	68	57	11%
7th Grade Mathematics (Sarasota)	73	64	9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	54	46	8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Heron Creek Middle School)	54	46	8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Sarasota)	66	60	6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	49	7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Heron Creek Middle School)	50	38	12%
8th Grade Mathematics (Sarasota)	65	47	18%
8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	46	42	4%
8th Grade Science (Heron Creek Middle School)	54	46	8%
8th Grade Science (Sarasota)	62	55	7%
8th Grade Science (Florida)	48	44	4%
End of Course Civics (Heron Creek Middle School)	76	74	2%
End of Course Civics (Sarasota)	85	80	5%
End of Course Civics (Florida)	71	66	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Heron Creek Middle School)	93	74	19%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Sarasota)	73	69	4%
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	863	902	4.5%
African American	74	76	2.7%
American Indian	7	3	57.1%
Asian	15	16	6.7%
Hispanic	171	172	0.6%
Pacific Islander	2	3	50%
White	533	554	3.9%
Two or More Races	61	78	27.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	65.9%	71.5%	5.6%

Schools Near Heron 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
Heron Creek Middle School	Public	6-8	6501 W Price Blvd	North Port	34291	Sarasota County	Sarasota	No	No	No	No	(941) 480-3371	909	59	15.4	72.3%	580 (63.8%)	70 (7.7%)	172 (18.9%)	13 (1.4%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	71 (7.8%)	57.1	488^th of 1196 public middle schools	59.2%		54.7	500^th of 1177 public middle schools	57.5%	12	58.0	47.0	55.0	51.0	73.0	35.0	49.0	66.0	100.0	81.0	$12,933	$980	$11,954
Murdock Middle School	Public	6-8	17325 Mariner Way	Port Charlotte	33948	Charlotte County	Charlotte	No	No	No	Yes	(941) 255-7525	635	37	17.1	67.7%	339 (53.4%)	85 (13.4%)	154 (24.3%)	13 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	41 (6.5%)	46.7	632^nd of 1196 public middle schools	47.2%		54.4	502^nd of 1177 public middle schools	57.3%	130	41.0	45.0	54.0	48.0	59.0	39.0	48.0	80.0		65.0	$12,520	$1,605	$10,914
Woodland Middle School	Public	6-8	2700 Panacea Blvd	North Port	34289	Sarasota County	Sarasota	No	No	No	No	(941) 240-8590	1,016	60	16.9	56.2%	632 (62.2%)	91 (9.0%)	189 (18.6%)	20 (2.0%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	81 (8.0%)	56	503^rd of 1196 public middle schools	57.9%		58.3	453^rd of 1177 public middle schools	61.5%	50	53.0	54.0	55.0	53.0	67.0	30.0	51.0	92.0	100.0	85.0	$11,228	$821	$10,407
Venice Middle School	Public	6-8	1900 Center Rd	Venice	34292	Sarasota County	Sarasota	No	No	No	No	(941) 486-2100	724	48	15.0	38.7%	550 (76.0%)	15 (2.1%)	97 (13.4%)	10 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (7.0%)	69.3	337^th of 1196 public middle schools	71.8%		65.4	377^th of 1177 public middle schools	68.0%	40	62.0	55.0	56.0	62.0	77.0	65.0	57.0	96.0	100.0	84.0	$13,143	$719	$12,426
Port Charlotte Middle School	Public	6-8	23000 Midway Blvd	Port Charlotte	33952	Charlotte County	Charlotte	No	No	No	Yes	(941) 255-7460	884	49	18.0	67.5%	431 (48.8%)	128 (14.5%)	222 (25.1%)	28 (3.2%)	2 (0.2%)	4 (0.5%)	69 (7.8%)	53.5	537^th of 1196 public middle schools	55.1%		60.3	431^st of 1177 public middle schools	63.4%	106	49.0	57.0	48.0	55.0	63.0	30.0	48.0	83.0		81.0	$10,137	$1,262	$8,875
Sky Academy Englewood	Public, Charter	6-8	701 W Center Rd Venice	Venice	34285	Sarasota County	Sarasota	Yes	No	No	No	(941) 999-4775	331	22	15.0	0.9%	255 (77.0%)	9 (2.7%)	45 (13.6%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (6.0%)	69.3	336^th of 1196 public middle schools	71.9%		70.3	320^th of 1177 public middle schools	72.8%	16	66.0	57.0	63.0	69.0	69.0	47.0	50.0	70.0		83.0	$9,072	$71	$9,000
Sky Academy Venice	Public, Charter	6-8	701 Center Rd	Venice	34285	Sarasota County	Sarasota	Yes	No	No	No	(941) 244-2626	281	19	14.7	2.5%	205 (73.0%)	3 (1.1%)	48 (17.1%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (7.5%)	58.6	463^rd of 1196 public middle schools	61.3%		53.7	516^th of 1177 public middle schools	56.2%	53	56.0	41.0	55.0	65.0	74.0	46.0	51.0	59.0		83.0	$8,526	$476	$8,050
L. A. Ainger Middle School	Public	6-8	245 Cougar Way	Rotonda West	33947	Charlotte County	Charlotte	No	No	No	No	(941) 625-9600	644	37	17.4	50.9%	495 (76.9%)	24 (3.7%)	88 (13.7%)	12 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.9%)	62.3	413^th of 1196 public middle schools	65.5%		64.7	383^rd of 1177 public middle schools	67.5%	30	52.0	53.0	64.0	49.0	69.0	53.0	55.0	89.0	100.0	78.0	$10,394	$810	$9,584
Student Leadership Academy	Public, Charter	6-8	200 Field Ave E	Venice	34285	Sarasota County	Sarasota	Yes	No	No	No	(941) 485-5551	330	20	16.2	24.5%	286 (86.7%)	3 (0.9%)	20 (6.1%)	5 (1.5%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	14 (4.2%)	87.8	112^th of 1196 public middle schools	90.6%		84.1	152^nd of 1177 public middle schools	87.1%	40	78.0	64.0	71.0	94.0	89.0	83.0	65.0	100.0		91.0	$9,919	$325	$9,594
Punta Gorda Middle School	Public	6-8	1001 Education Ave	Punta Gorda	33950	Charlotte County	Charlotte	No	No	No	No	(941) 575-5485	1,072	60	17.8	52.7%	757 (70.6%)	79 (7.4%)	157 (14.6%)	20 (1.9%)	2 (0.2%)	5 (0.5%)	52 (4.9%)	50.7	577^th of 1196 public middle schools	51.8%		48.6	585^th of 1177 public middle schools	50.3%	8	54.0	48.0	55.0	54.0	57.0	26.0	46.0	76.0		71.0	$10,211	$1,203	$9,008

Frequently Asked Questions about Heron Creek Middle School

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

Students who attend Heron Creek Middle School usually go on to attend North Port High School

Is Heron Creek Middle School a good school?

Heron Creek Middle School ranks 488^th of 1196 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Heron Creek Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 909 students attended Heron Creek Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Heron Creek Middle School?

Students at Heron Creek Middle School are 64% White, 19% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 8% African American, 1% Asian.

What district is Heron Creek Middle School in?

Sarasota

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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.