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Gifford Middle School

Q: Is Gifford Middle School a good school?

Gifford Middle School ranks 483 rd of 1216 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

483^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,216 Florida Middle Schools

Better than 60% of Florida middle schools

Summary

Gifford Middle School in Vero Beach, FL, is a public school serving 608 students in grades 6-8 as part of the highly-rated Indian River School District, and it presents a story of two very different experiences for its students.

On one hand, Gifford has an exceptional program for advanced learners. Its students achieve remarkable proficiency rates on End-of-Course (EOC) exams, often far exceeding district and state averages—for example, 100% proficiency in Biology 1 and 98% in Geometry. This is a standout strength that sets it apart from nearby schools like Storm Grove Middle School and Sebastian River Middle School. However, the school also faces a significant challenge: a chronic absenteeism rate of 45.9%, which is dramatically higher than the district average of 35% and more than double that of Sebastian Charter Junior High School (15.8%). This absenteeism likely contributes to lower proficiency in grade-level English and Math, where scores lag behind district peers. Despite spending $12,949 per student—the second-highest in its district—Gifford's overall outcomes in these core subjects are lower than schools that spend less, such as Storm Grove ($9,502).

The school has shown a positive trajectory, improving from a 1-star to a 3-star rating in recent years, but it still ranks as the lowest-performing traditional middle school in the Indian River district. For parents, this means Gifford offers a highly effective advanced program for top-tier students, but the general student body may struggle with attendance and grade-level achievement. The key takeaway is that the school excels in preparing its advanced students for high school, yet it must work to replicate that success for all students and address the root causes of its high absenteeism.

608

Students ?

19.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,949

Per pupil spending ?

64.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

4530 28th Ct
Vero Beach, FL 32967

(772) 564-3550

District: Indian River

Students who attend Gifford Middle School usually attend:

High:

Vero Beach High School

Feeder schools for Gifford Middle School:

Elementary:

Beachland Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

36.7%

White:

35.4%

Hispanic:

22.0%

See top rated Florida middle schools

Compare Gifford Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 45th percentile in 2016 → 60th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Florida average (69% vs 62% meeting standards)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 15 percentile points since 2016

✓Above the Florida median (60th percentile)

Worth a look

!High chronic absenteeism (46% vs 31% Florida)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school69%

District avg68%

Florida avg62%

483^rd of 1,216

Florida public middle schools ?

Top 40%▲ up 15 pts since 2016

From bottom 45% (2016) to top 40% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 5Middle Schools in the Indian River

7^th of 70Indian River 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)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2026	59.1	483 of 1216	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	49.0	607 of 1205	49.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.2	762 of 1196	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	30.5	838 of 1177	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	36.9	719 of 1148	37.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	43.4	650 of 1136	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	44.2	627 of 1099	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	57.2	420 of 1035	59.4%	★★★☆☆
2017	47.0	542 of 1031	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2016	45.0	549 of 997	44.9%	★★☆☆☆
2014	42.8	578 of 999	42.1%	★★☆☆☆
2013	50.2	486 of 956	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2012	61.7	340 of 897	62.1%	★★★☆☆
2011	62.4	352 of 891	60.5%	★★★☆☆
2010	65.2	307 of 839	63.4%	★★★☆☆
2009	67.7	268 of 780	65.6%	★★★☆☆
2008	68.8	225 of 740	69.6%	★★★☆☆
2007	72.0	198 of 736	73.1%	★★★★☆
2006	64.0	233 of 675	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2005	73.4	138 of 602	77.1%	★★★★☆
2004	66.4	191 of 593	67.8%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Biology 1100%+26 vs state

Geometry98%+42 vs state

Algebra 190%+27 vs state

Civics86%+9 vs state

Science70%+18 vs state

English Language Arts62%~ state avg

Math61%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Gifford Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				FAST English Language Arts (2026)			FAST Math (2026)			Statewide Science Science (2026)	EOC Algebra 1 (2026)	EOC Geometry (2026)	EOC Biology 1 (2026)	EOC Civics (2026)	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 (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	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
Gifford Middle School	Public	6-8	4530 28th Ct	Vero Beach	32967	Indian River County	Indian River	No	No	No	Yes	(772) 564-3550	608	32	19.0	64.6%	215 (35.4%)	223 (36.7%)	134 (22.0%)	5 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	29 (4.8%)	59.1	483^rd of 1216 public middle schools	60.3%		49	607^th of 1205 public middle schools	49.6%	124	70.0	59.0	56.0	70.0	54.0	47.0	70.0	90.0	98.0	100.0	86.0	$12,949	$1,451	$11,498
Storm Grove Middle School	Public	6-8	6400 57th St	Vero Beach	32967	Indian River County	Indian River	No	No	No	No	(772) 564-6400	904	46	19.6	51.9%	492 (54.4%)	128 (14.2%)	212 (23.5%)	19 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.3%)	50 (5.5%)	56	530^th of 1216 public middle schools	56.4%		60.1	459^th of 1205 public middle schools	61.9%	71	63.0	62.0	59.0	65.0	57.0	42.0	64.0	83.0	96.0		81.0	$9,502	$402	$9,101
Oslo Middle School	Public	6-8	480 20th Ave SW	Vero Beach	32962	Indian River County	Indian River	No	No	No	Yes	(772) 564-3980	767	38	20.1	72.0%	297 (38.7%)	209 (27.2%)	201 (26.2%)	14 (1.8%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	42 (5.5%)	57	509^th of 1216 public middle schools	58.1%		52.3	564^th of 1205 public middle schools	53.2%	55	54.0	62.0	62.0	58.0	53.0	79.0	70.0	88.0	99.0		78.0	$11,749	$1,281	$10,467
Sebastian Charter Junior High School	Public, Charter	6-8	782 Wave St	Sebastian	32958	Indian River County	Indian River	Yes	No	No	No	(772) 388-8838	295	18	16.3	48.1%	186 (63.1%)	28 (9.5%)	57 (19.3%)	5 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (6.4%)	87.9	97^th of 1216 public middle schools	92.0%		86.1	133^rd of 1205 public middle schools	89.0%	36	86.0	91.0	77.0	91.0	50.0	77.0	80.0	84.0	91.0		96.0	$9,571	$272	$9,299
Sebastian River Middle School	Public	6-8	9400 Fellsmere Rd	Sebastian	32958	Indian River County	Indian River	No	No	No	Yes	(772) 564-5111	775	39	19.8	61.4%	341 (44.0%)	93 (12.0%)	307 (39.6%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (3.9%)	61.7	441^st of 1216 public middle schools	63.7%		53.7	538^th of 1205 public middle schools	55.4%	97	66.0	64.0	63.0	74.0	68.0	46.0	58.0	89.0	97.0		83.0	$10,918	$978	$9,940
Dan McCarty Middle School	Public	6-8	1201 Mississippi Ave	Fort Pierce	34950	St. Lucie County	St. Lucie	No	No	No	Yes	(772) 468-5700	657	42	15.6	68.2%	58 (8.8%)	365 (55.6%)	206 (31.4%)	3 (0.5%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.3%)	30.1	913^th of 1216 public middle schools	24.9%		36.8	794^th of 1205 public middle schools	34.1%	119	45.0	53.0	46.0	43.0	23.0	53.0	42.0	70.0			66.0	$14,127	$1,440	$12,688
Forest Grove Middle School	Public	6-8	3201 S 25th St	Fort Pierce	34981	St. Lucie County	St. Lucie	No	No	No	Yes	(772) 468-5885	855	44	19.4	62.0%	157 (18.4%)	347 (40.6%)	316 (37.0%)	8 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	26 (3.0%)	38.2	807^th of 1216 public middle schools	33.6%		30.1	887^th of 1205 public middle schools	26.4%	80	52.0	54.0	52.0	27.0	15.0	63.0	53.0	86.0	98.0		75.0	$11,072	$1,138	$9,935

Frequently Asked Questions about Gifford Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Gifford Middle School?

Students at Gifford Middle School are 37% African American, 35% White, 22% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races.

How many students attend Gifford Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 608 students attended Gifford Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Gifford Middle School attend?

Students who attend Gifford Middle School usually go on to attend Vero Beach High School

What district is Gifford Middle School in?

Indian River

Is Gifford Middle School a good school?

Gifford Middle School ranks 483^rd of 1216 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Gifford Middle School!

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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.