Summary:
Pace, Florida is home to a single middle school, Thomas L Sims Middle School, which serves grades 6 through 8 and is part of the Santa Rosa County school district.
Thomas L Sims Middle School is a standout academic performer, consistently ranking in the top 20% of all Florida middle schools over the past three years. In the 2025-2026 school year, it outperformed both district and state averages in 8 out of 9 tested subjects. The school's math program is particularly exceptional, with 8th-grade math proficiency at 82% (21 points above the state average) and near-perfect scores in advanced courses like Algebra 1 (98% proficient) and Geometry (100% proficient). With an enrollment of 823 students, the school maintains a student-teacher ratio of 20.5:1 and spends $7,999 per student. Notably, 40.1% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, yet the school achieves these high results, suggesting effective teaching and strong school practices.
Key metrics highlight the school's overall health. Its chronic absenteeism rate of 14.4% is less than half the state average of 31.4%, indicating a strong culture of attendance that supports learning. The only relative weakness is 7th-grade English Language Arts, where the school's 61% proficiency fell slightly below the district average of 63%. A fascinating trend is the "8th-grade bump" in math, where proficiency jumps from 72% in 7th grade to 82% in 8th grade, likely because top math students take advanced Algebra 1 and Geometry exams, leaving a still high-performing group taking the standard test. Overall, Thomas L Sims Middle School provides a high-quality, efficient education that consistently exceeds state benchmarks.
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