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Hill-Gustat Middle School

Q: Is Hill-Gustat Middle School a good school?

Hill-Gustat Middle School ranks 203 rd of 844 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-12

203^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 844 Florida Middle Schools

Better than 76% of Florida middle schools

Summary

Hill-Gustat Middle School is a public school in Sebring, Florida, serving 631 students in grades 6-12 and part of the Highlands District, which is ranked 43 out of 67 districts in the state.

Academically, Hill-Gustat Middle School consistently outperforms the Highlands District and the state of Florida in standardized test scores, including an 88% proficiency rate in EOC/Algebra 1 compared to 54% in the district and 60% statewide. The school also performs well in English Language Arts and Math. However, Hill-Gustat has seen a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 30.9% in 2022-2023 to 40.3% in 2023-2024, significantly higher than the state average of 15-20%. Additionally, the school serves a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 61.24% in 2021-2022 to 73.53% in 2023-2024, indicating a relatively high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

Compared to nearby high schools, such as Sebring High School and Avon Park High School, Hill-Gustat Middle School has seen a steady increase in spending per student, from $8,887 in 2020-2021 to $12,531 in 2023-2024. This higher level of spending may indicate a greater investment in resources and support for the school's students, though it will be important to analyze how these funds are being utilized and whether they are effectively translating into improved student outcomes.

669

Students ?

19.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,522

Per pupil spending ?

53.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

4700 Schumacher Rd
Sebring, FL 33872

(863) 471-5437

District: Highlands

Students who attend Hill-Gustat Middle School usually attend:

High:

Sebring High School

Feeder schools for Hill-Gustat Middle School:

Elementary:

Sun 'n Lake Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

37.1%

Hispanic:

35.3%

African American:

18.5%

See top rated Florida middle schools

Compare Hill-Gustat Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 60th percentile in 2014 → 40th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranks in the top 24% of Florida middle schools

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Highlands

Worth a look

!High chronic absenteeism (40% vs 31% Florida)

!Ranking has slipped — down 20 percentile points since 2014

!Math scores 16 pts below the Florida average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school53%

District avg50%

Florida avg58%

Middle school

718^th of 1,205

Florida public middle schools ?

Bottom 40%▼ down 15 pts since 2016

From top 44% (2016) to bottom 40% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

203^rd of 844

Florida public high schools ?

Top 24%▬ steady since 2019

See the entire ranking list of Florida High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 4Middle Schools in the Highlands

43^rd of 67Highlands among Florida districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2025	42.1	718 of 1205	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	44.6	664 of 1196	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	42.6	664 of 1177	43.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	48.1	575 of 1148	49.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	56.0	467 of 1136	58.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	55.7	473 of 1099	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	49.1	531 of 1035	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2017	45.6	554 of 1031	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2016	54.1	442 of 997	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2014	59.4	396 of 999	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2013	54.4	435 of 956	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2012	54.6	420 of 897	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2011	59.6	384 of 891	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2010	55.5	404 of 839	51.8%	★★★☆☆
2009	48.2	441 of 780	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2008	53.2	378 of 740	48.9%	★★☆☆☆
2007	54.0	366 of 736	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2006	61.0	260 of 675	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2005	64.6	216 of 602	64.1%	★★★☆☆
2004	69.2	176 of 593	70.3%	★★★★☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2025	61.8	203 of 844	75.9%	★★★★☆
2022	39.9	389 of 774	49.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	73.5	97 of 746	87.0%	★★★★☆
2019	62.1	180 of 734	75.5%	★★★★☆

By subject vs Florida (2024-2025) ?

Algebra 188%+28 vs state

Civics73%~ state avg

Science57%+8 vs state

English Language Arts52%-5 vs state

Math41%-16 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

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What people are saying

by a student
Sunday, October 16, 2011

HGM is an "A" school I think we deserve to have a better rating then 306th. Close Quote

Schools Near Hill-Gustat Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				FAST English Language Arts (2025)			FAST Math (2025)			Statewide Science Science (2025)	EOC Algebra 1 (2025)	EOC Civics (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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 Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Hill-Gustat Middle School	Public	6-12	4700 Schumacher Rd	Sebring	33872	Highlands County	Highlands	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 471-5437	669	34	19.6	53.8%	248 (37.1%)	124 (18.5%)	236 (35.3%)	36 (5.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	23 (3.4%)	42.1	203^rd of 844 public middle schools	75.9%		44.6	664^th of 1196 public middle schools	44.5%	461	55.0	47.0	55.0	42.0	25.0	49.0	57.0	88.0	73.0	$14,522	$4,192	$10,332
Sebring Middle School	Public	6-8	500 E Center Ave	Sebring	33870	Highlands County	Highlands	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 471-5700	840	43	19.5	59.3%	413 (49.2%)	102 (12.1%)	265 (31.5%)	7 (0.8%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (5.8%)	44.5	672^nd of 1205 public middle schools	44.2%		45.4	654^th of 1196 public middle schools	45.3%	18	55.0	53.0	43.0	58.0	44.0	65.0	40.0	91.0	65.0	$10,071	$1,280	$8,790
Avon Park Middle School	Public	6-8	401 S Lake Ave	Avon Park	33825	Highlands County	Highlands	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 452-4333	600	36	16.6	70.3%	145 (24.2%)	145 (24.2%)	284 (47.3%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (3.8%)	31.1	872^nd of 1205 public middle schools	27.6%		31.1	854^th of 1196 public middle schools	28.6%	18	47.0	48.0	40.0	26.0	50.0	46.0	41.0	68.0	62.0	$11,754	$1,546	$10,207
Lake Placid Middle School	Public	6-8	201 S Tangerine Ave	Lake Placid	33852	Highlands County	Highlands	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 699-5030	507	31	16.6	67.5%	189 (37.3%)	69 (13.6%)	228 (45.0%)	3 (0.6%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	12 (2.4%)	35.8	804^th of 1205 public middle schools	33.3%		38	749^th of 1196 public middle schools	37.4%	55	50.0	52.0	48.0	41.0	38.0	54.0	34.0	86.0	67.0	$12,849	$2,107	$10,741

Frequently Asked Questions about Hill-Gustat Middle School

How many students attend Hill-Gustat Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 669 students attended Hill-Gustat Middle School.

Is Hill-Gustat Middle School a good school?

Hill-Gustat Middle School ranks 203^rd of 844 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Hill-Gustat Middle School in?

Highlands

What is the racial makeup of Hill-Gustat Middle School?

Students at Hill-Gustat Middle School are 37% White, 35% Hispanic, 19% African American, 5% Asian, 3% Two or more races.

What high school do graduates of Hill-Gustat Middle School attend?

Students who attend Hill-Gustat Middle School usually go on to attend Sebring High School

Rate Hill-Gustat Middle School!

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Schools in Sebring, FL

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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.