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R. Dan Nolan Middle School

Q: Is R. Dan Nolan Middle School a good school?

R. Dan Nolan Middle School ranks 237 th of 1216 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

237^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,216 Florida Middle Schools

Better than 81% of Florida middle schools

Summary

R. Dan Nolan Middle School in Bradenton, FL, is a high-performing public school serving 787 students in grades 6-8 within the Manatee district, and it stands out as a "pocket of excellence" in its area, consistently outperforming district and state averages across nearly all academic metrics.

This school is a powerhouse in STEM subjects, with 8th-grade science proficiency at 83%—dramatically higher than the district (50%) and state (52%) averages, and the highest among all nearby schools. Its advanced math performance is elite, with 99% proficiency in Algebra 1 and 100% in Geometry. However, a notable anomaly is a "7th-grade math slump": only 36% of 7th graders were proficient in math in the 2024-2025 school year, significantly below the district (47%) and state (53%) averages, suggesting a potential curriculum or cohort issue. Despite being in a lower-performing district, Nolan competes academically with top schools from the higher-ranked Sarasota district, such as Sarasota Middle School and Sarasota School Of Arts/Sciences, and outperforms several Sarasota County schools like Brookside Middle School and Booker Middle School.

While Nolan is a top-tier school, its state ranking has gradually declined from the 90th percentile in 2020-2021 to its current 81st percentile, while nearby Dr Mona Jain Middle School has been stable and is closing the gap. Chronic absenteeism (19.9%) is a persistent concern, higher than top-performing peers like Sarasota Middle School (10.2%) and Rowlett Middle Academy (18.0%). The school is also highly efficient with its budget, spending $10,461 per student to achieve far better results than nearby Braden River Middle School ($10,771) and Buffalo Creek Middle School ($9,475), which have much lower test scores.

787

Students ?

20.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,461

Per pupil spending ?

28.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

6615 Greenbrook Blvd
Bradenton, FL 34202

(941) 751-8200

District: Manatee

Students who attend R. Dan Nolan Middle School usually attend:

High:

Lakewood Ranch High School

Feeder schools for R. Dan Nolan Middle School:

Elementary:	Gilbert W McNeal Elementary School
	Myakka City Elementary School
	Robert Willis Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

70.8%

Hispanic:

18.2%

Two or more races:

5.0%

See top rated Florida middle schools

Compare R. Dan Nolan Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 85th percentile in 2016 → 81st in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Florida average (79% vs 61% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 19% of Florida middle schools

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Manatee

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school79%

District avg58%

Florida avg61%

237^th of 1,216

Florida public middle schools ?

Top 19%▼ down 4 pts since 2016

From top 15% (2016) to top 19% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 12Middle Schools in the Manatee

40^th of 70Manatee 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	76.4	237 of 1216	80.5%	★★★★☆
2025	76.4	257 of 1205	78.7%	★★★★☆
2024	79.9	202 of 1196	83.1%	★★★★☆
2023	84.2	150 of 1177	87.3%	★★★★☆
2022	83.5	156 of 1148	86.4%	★★★★☆
2021	87.1	109 of 1136	90.4%	★★★★★
2019	83.3	163 of 1099	85.2%	★★★★☆
2018	79.4	193 of 1035	81.4%	★★★★☆
2017	80.6	183 of 1031	82.3%	★★★★☆
2016	82.2	151 of 997	84.9%	★★★★☆
2014	84.7	120 of 999	88.0%	★★★★☆
2013	84.1	115 of 956	88.0%	★★★★☆
2012	80.9	148 of 897	83.5%	★★★★☆
2011	83.0	128 of 891	85.6%	★★★★☆
2010	76.1	190 of 839	77.4%	★★★★☆
2009	77.5	161 of 780	79.4%	★★★★☆
2008	81.0	120 of 740	83.8%	★★★★☆
2007	74.7	172 of 736	76.6%	★★★★☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Geometry100%+44 vs state

Algebra 199%+36 vs state

Civics88%+11 vs state

Science83%+31 vs state

English Language Arts74%+13 vs state

Math72%+13 vs state

3.0

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★1

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, August 30, 2018

Parents: find a different school. Huge issues with the administration turning blind eyes to bully issues, not holding students accountable for their words/actions. Pathetic. Pulling my kid asap. Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, August 20, 2012

We have our second child at Dan Nolan Middle School. Nancy High is an amazing principal! She shows excellent leadership with the students. Our son attended 6th - 8th grade at Dan Nolan, and he is an ESE student. The teachers and staff were great with our son, and he's now in high school making mostly A's. Our daughter now attends Dan Nolan, and she, too, has had an amazing experience with the teachers and staff. I have nothing but great and positive remarks about this school! Close Quote

Schools Near R. Dan Nolan Middle School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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 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 Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
R. Dan Nolan Middle School	Public	6-8	6615 Greenbrook Blvd	Bradenton	34202	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 751-8200	787	39	20.1	28.7%	557 (70.8%)	30 (3.8%)	143 (18.2%)	16 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	39 (5.0%)	76.4	237^th of 1216 public middle schools	80.5%		76.4	257^th of 1205 public middle schools	78.7%	20	76.0	75.0	71.0	62.0	36.0	84.0	83.0	99.0	100.0	88.0	$10,461	$700	$9,760
Braden River Middle School	Public	6-8	6215 River Club Blvd	Bradenton	34202	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 751-7080	797	43	18.6	62.0%	337 (42.3%)	113 (14.2%)	282 (35.4%)	34 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	30 (3.8%)	45.8	684^th of 1216 public middle schools	43.8%		42.2	715^th of 1205 public middle schools	40.7%	31	58.0	49.0	49.0	49.0	52.0	75.0	51.0	93.0	96.0	71.0	$10,771	$790	$9,980
Dr Mona Jain Middle School	Public	6-8	12205 44th Ave E	Bradenton	34211	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 727-4747	933	42	22.2	33.4%	533 (57.1%)	84 (9.0%)	223 (23.9%)	31 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	61 (6.5%)	71.6	307^th of 1216 public middle schools	74.8%		71.7	304^th of 1205 public middle schools	74.8%	3	71.0	73.0	68.0	73.0	49.0	82.0	59.0	97.0	100.0	90.0	$8,894	$565	$8,329
Carlos E. Haile Middle School	Public	6-8	9501 Fl 64	Bradenton	34212	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 714-7240	715	34	21.0	44.2%	389 (54.4%)	76 (10.6%)	185 (25.9%)	20 (2.8%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	42 (5.9%)	59.4	479^th of 1216 public middle schools	60.6%		63.1	416^th of 1205 public middle schools	65.5%	63	61.0	61.0	61.0	76.0	37.0	71.0	64.0	93.0	100.0	79.0	$10,574	$669	$9,905
McIntosh Middle School	Public	6-8	701 McIntosh Rd	Sarasota	34232	Sarasota County	Sarasota	No	No	No	No	(941) 361-6520	693	43	16.1	61.2%	296 (42.7%)	104 (15.0%)	242 (34.9%)	10 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (5.9%)	52.8	583^rd of 1216 public middle schools	52.1%		47.7	628^th of 1205 public middle schools	47.9%	45	67.0	56.0	62.0	58.0	63.0	40.0	53.0	95.0	100.0	76.0	$15,184	$287	$14,896
Booker Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	2250 Myrtle St	Sarasota	34234	Sarasota County	Sarasota	No	Yes	No	Yes	(941) 359-5824	811	61	13.2	73.2%	163 (20.1%)	157 (19.4%)	416 (51.3%)	6 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	68 (8.4%)	37.4	814^th of 1216 public middle schools	33.1%		32.6	853^rd of 1205 public middle schools	29.2%	39	47.0	49.0	48.0	55.0	63.0	52.0	44.0	79.0	91.0	67.0	$18,866	$2,911	$15,955
Sarasota School Of Arts/Sciences	Public, Charter	6-8	717 Central Ave	Sarasota	34236	Sarasota County	Sarasota	Yes	No	No	No	(941) 330-1855	747	40	18.6	40.2%	395 (52.9%)	48 (6.4%)	228 (30.5%)	11 (1.5%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	63 (8.4%)	84.2	141^st of 1216 public middle schools	88.4%		79.9	210^th of 1205 public middle schools	82.6%	69	78.0	78.0	83.0	81.0	83.0	73.0	75.0	87.0	99.0	96.0	$10,855	$30	$10,824
Rowlett Middle Academy	Public, Charter	6-8	400 30th Ave W	Bradenton	34205	Manatee County	Manatee	Yes	No	No	No	(941) 462-4100	708	37	19.1	45.1%	364 (51.4%)	75 (10.6%)	222 (31.4%)	19 (2.7%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	26 (3.7%)	73.9	284^th of 1216 public middle schools	76.6%		79.2	217^th of 1205 public middle schools	82.0%	67	68.0	74.0	71.0	78.0	81.0	41.0	66.0	88.0	100.0	94.0	$10,230	$00	$10,230
Sarasota Middle School	Public	6-8	4826 Ashton Rd	Sarasota	34233	Sarasota County	Sarasota	No	No	No	No	(941) 361-6464	1,290	74	17.4	22.3%	898 (69.6%)	21 (1.6%)	216 (16.7%)	57 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	98 (7.6%)	82.5	162^nd of 1216 public middle schools	86.7%		87	122^nd of 1205 public middle schools	89.9%	40	75.0	79.0	87.0	69.0	80.0	36.0	81.0	94.0	99.0	94.0	$12,320	$236	$12,084
Brookside Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	3636 S Shade Ave	Sarasota	34239	Sarasota County	Sarasota	No	Yes	No	No	(941) 361-6472	724	48	15.0	59.7%	295 (40.7%)	86 (11.9%)	291 (40.2%)	9 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	42 (5.8%)	54.7	545^th of 1216 public middle schools	55.2%		50.9	579^th of 1205 public middle schools	52.0%	34	62.0	62.0	61.0	65.0	64.0	68.0	44.0	78.0	96.0	81.0	$16,553	$278	$16,275

Frequently Asked Questions about R. Dan Nolan Middle School

Is R. Dan Nolan Middle School a good school?

R. Dan Nolan Middle School ranks 237^th of 1216 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What high school do graduates of R. Dan Nolan Middle School attend?

Students who attend R. Dan Nolan Middle School usually go on to attend Lakewood Ranch High School

How many students attend R. Dan Nolan Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 787 students attended R. Dan Nolan Middle School.

What district is R. Dan Nolan Middle School in?

Manatee

What is the racial makeup of R. Dan Nolan Middle School?

Students at R. Dan Nolan Middle School are 71% White, 18% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 4% African American, 2% Asian.

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Latest Florida data All new data »

2025–26 EOC, FAST & Statewide Science test scoresJun 26, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataMar 20, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesJan 13, 2026

2024–25 EOC, FAST & Statewide Science test scoresJun 26, 2025

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.