1
What's the best and worst thing about the food at WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
1,042
Middle
DISTRICT 947 · STATE 794
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·PALM BEACH·NCES 120150002870
WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL
5150 117TH CT N, PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL 33418 · (561) 776-3500 · Palm Beach County
GRADES 06–08MIDDLE13-CITYREGULAR SCHOOL1,042 STUDENTS
A-
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 75% of Florida public middle schools
- B+Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- B+Beats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- ·Three-year trend Not available for this school, so the grade uses the other parts.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded Florida public middle schools
Student : Teacher
15.8:1
66 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 17.5:1 · STATE 19.6:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
39%
406 students
DISTRICT 49% · STATE 50%
Community
6
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other middle schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | 310 | 30% |
| Grade 7 | 324 | 31% |
| Grade 8 | 408 | 39% |
Student demographics
71%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 70% · STATE 70% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
FAST / B.E.S.T. 2024-25 . % at Level 3 or AboveEnglish Language Arts
66.6%
FL avg 56.7% . +1.8pp since 2023
Math
72.0%
FL avg 58.9% . +4.7pp since 2023
What this means: On the FAST / B.E.S.T., Florida's statewide test, about 67 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 72 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Florida schools, those numbers are about 57 and 59. Reading and writing scores are up about 2 points since 2023, while math scores are up about 5 points.
FAST / B.E.S.T. results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 66.6% | 72.0% |
| 2023-24 | 64.8% | 67.3% |
% at Level 3 or Above, all students and all tested grades.
Source: FAST / B.E.S.T.. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
65.0%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
61.6%
based on FL schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+3.4pp
above demographic expectation
What this means: About 65% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 62% typical for Florida schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among Florida's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL
WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL's state test result (65.0% proficient) is higher than 5 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL this school | 1,042 | 39.0% | 65.0% |
| LANDMARK MIDDLE SCHOOL JACKSONVILLE | 876 | 40.9% | 55.8% |
| DUNEDIN HIGHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL DUNEDIN | 842 | 39.9% | 64.2% |
| KERNAN MIDDLE SCHOOL JACKSONVILLE | 1,086 | 38.2% | 54.0% |
| GOTHA MIDDLE WINDERMERE | 988 | 36.8% | 56.5% |
| BOCA RATON COMMUNITY MIDDLE SCHOOL BOCA RATON | 1,058 | 37.5% | 60.4% |
Matched among Florida middle schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL ranks
Among middle schools| Measure | This school | In Florida | In Palm Beach County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 65.0% | #146 of 560 | #14 of 36 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 72.0% | #134 of 560 ▲ 8 | #13 of 36 ▲ 2 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 66.6% | #128 of 560 ▼ 29 | #14 of 36 ▼ 3 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,042 | #121 of 584 | #19 of 38 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 15.8:1 | #40 of 547 | #10 of 36 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 71.1% | #34 of 553 | #3 of 36 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 39.0% | #418 of 565 | #21 of 36 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -19.4% | #132 of 379 | #7 of 27 |
Ranked against other public middle schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
1,042
-170 (-14%) vs 2020
-30% since 2000-01, when it was 1,494
Student : Teacher
15.8:1
was 16.2:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 1,042 | 65.9 | 15.8:1 | 39% (406) |
| 2023-24 | 1,134 | 68.8 | 16.5:1 | 38% (435) |
| 2022-23 | 1,157 | 69.8 | 16.6:1 | 41% (473) |
| 2020-21 | 1,212 | 75 | 16.2:1 | 49% (590) |
| 2017-18 | 1,293 | 78 | 16.6:1 | 44% (574) |
| 2015-16 | 1,308 | 77 | 17.0:1 | 42% (553) |
| 2010-11 | 1,258 | 71 | 17.7:1 | 32% (397) |
| 2000-01 | 1,494 | 65 | 23.0:1 | 15% (222) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
About WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL
The public middle-grades school WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL is located in PALM BEACH GARDENS, Florida. Its enrollment is 1,042 students, spread over grades 6 through 8. That compares with an average of about 794 students for middle schools in Florida.
WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL is one of 233 schools in PALM BEACH, which enrolls 191,505 students in total.
Of every 100 students at WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL, about 40 are White, the largest group. After that, the student body is 25% Black, 24% Hispanic, 6% Asian, and 4% multiracial. Census figures show Palm Beach County is about 53% White. A diversity index of 71% means there is a 71% chance two randomly chosen students at WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL are from different groups.
The school's 65.9 full-time-equivalent teachers translate to a student-to-teacher ratio of 15.8:1. The average for middle schools in Florida is 19.6:1, so this school has fewer students per teacher. At WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL, 39% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch in 2024-25.
Among Florida public middle schools, WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL outscored 75%, which works out to an A- on the allk12 Grade.
On a poverty-adjusted basis, WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL falls in the middle 80% of Florida schools: 65.0% actual against 61.6% predicted.
In the surrounding county, Palm Beach County, median household income comes to about $83,581, about 41% of adults have at least a bachelor's degree, and roughly 8% of residents are in poverty. The county has 245 public schools and about 192,831 students.
A public school about 0.1 miles away, TIMBER TRACE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, is the closest to WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL. WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL has at least 8 other public schools within five miles. The school's 65.0% average proficiency ranks 4th among 9 nearby schools.
NCES describes the area around WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL as City: Small, meaning inside a principal city with a population under 100,000.
Over the 4 years from 2020-21 to 2024-25, enrollment decreased 14%.
This community page is for conversations about athletics, class schedules, and weather closures. You can also rate the school on this page.
Palm Beach County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
1,533,806
Census ACS
Median income
$83,581
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
41%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
8%
Below federal line
Schools in county
245
192,831 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in PALM BEACH
- JOHN I. LEONARD HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 3,262 students
- JUPITER HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 3,122 students
- PARK VISTA COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 2,881 students
- BOCA RATON COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 2,819 students
- PALM BEACH LAKES HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 2,809 students
- PALM BEACH CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 2,760 students
Other schools in PALM BEACH GARDENS
- PALM BEACH GARDENS HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 2,407 students
- FRANKLIN ACADEMY- PALM BEACH GARDENSElementary · 963 students
- MARSH POINTE ELEMENTARYElementary · 820 students
- TIMBER TRACE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementary · 819 students
- PALM BEACH GARDENS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementary · 712 students
- HOWELL L. WATKINS MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 705 students
Nearby schools
- TIMBER TRACE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL0.1 mi · 819
- FRANKLIN ACADEMY- PALM BEACH GARDENS1.4 mi · 963
- MARSH POINTE ELEMENTARY1.5 mi · 820
- PALM BEACH GARDENS HIGH SCHOOL1.8 mi · 2,407
- WILLIAM T. DWYER HIGH SCHOOL2.1 mi · 2,163
- PALM BEACH GARDENS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL2.3 mi · 712
Frequently asked questions
About WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOLHow many students attend WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL?
WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL enrolls approximately 1,042 students in grades 06-08.
Is WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL an elementary, middle, or high school?
WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL is a middle school covering grades 06-08.
How many teachers does WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL have?
WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL employs 66 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 15.8:1.
What is the student diversity at WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL?
Student demographics at WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL are roughly 40% White, 24% Hispanic, 25% Black, 6% Asian, 4% Two or more.
Who oversees WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL?
WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE SCHOOL is overseen by PALM BEACH in Palm Beach County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.