C. W. Ruckel Middle School

Q: Is C. W. Ruckel Middle School a good school?

C. W. Ruckel Middle School ranks 139 th of 1205 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

C. W. Ruckel Middle School is a public middle school located in Niceville, Florida, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 1,054 students. The school is part of the Okaloosa School District, which is ranked 12th out of 67 districts in Florida and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

C. W. Ruckel Middle School consistently outperforms the Okaloosa district and the state of Florida in various standardized test scores. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, the school had 98% proficiency in EOC/Algebra 1, 98% in EOC/Geometry, and 88% in EOC/Civics, compared to the Okaloosa district scores of 66%, 63%, and 81%, respectively, and the Florida state scores of 60%, 55%, and 71%. The school has maintained a strong statewide ranking, placing in the top 100 Florida middle schools for several consecutive years, and it has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 20.49% to 22.98% over the past few years.

While C. W. Ruckel Middle School outperforms the nearby schools in academic metrics, the other schools in the Okaloosa district also demonstrate strong performance, with several schools ranking in the top 500 Florida middle schools. The presence of the Okaloosa STEMM Center, a high-performing magnet school located just 1.71 miles from C. W. Ruckel Middle School, may contribute to the overall academic excellence of the area and provide additional educational opportunities for students. The school has seen a steady increase in spending per student, from $6,461 in 2020-2021 to $9,015 in 2023-2024, which is higher than the state average.

Detail:

Public 6-8

201 Partin Dr N
Niceville, FL 32578

(850) 833-4142

District: Okaloosa

SchoolDigger Rank:
139^th of 1,205 Florida Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,015

Students who attend C. W. Ruckel Middle School usually attend:

High:

Niceville Senior High School

Feeder schools for C. W. Ruckel Middle School:

Elementary:	Bluewater Elementary School
	James E Plew Elementary School
	Lula J. Edge Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 20.1

Number of students: 1,054

Racial breakdown:

White:

76.5%

Hispanic:

11.0%

Two or more races:

8.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 20.5%

See top rated Florida middle schools

Compare C. W. Ruckel Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details C. W. Ruckel Middle School ranks better than 88.5% of middle schools in Florida. It also ranks 2^nd among 8 ranked middle schools in the Okaloosa School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2025 the calculated Average Standard Score was 85.88. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (76.5%), Hispanic (11%), two or more races (8.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 20.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Okaloosa School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at C. W. Ruckel Middle School is 20.1. 6 middle schools in the Okaloosa School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare C. W. Ruckel Middle School employs 52.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at C. W. Ruckel Middle School is $9,015. 6 middle schools in the Okaloosa School District spend more per student. (See more...)

Schooldigger Rankings:

C. W. Ruckel Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks C. W. Ruckel Middle School 139^th of 1205 Florida public middle schools. (See C. W. Ruckel Middle School in the ranking list.)

Okaloosa:

SchoolDigger ranks Okaloosa 12^th of 67 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for C. W. Ruckel Middle School.

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Rank History for C. W. Ruckel Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	92.91	25^th	593	95.8%
2005	96.31	10^th	602	98.3%
2006	92.76	30^th	675	95.6%
2007	93.07	31^st	736	95.8%
2008	93.19	23^rd	740	96.9%
2009	93.36	23^rd	780	97.1%
2010	93.02	24^th	839	97.1%
2011	93.99	17^th	891	98.1%
2012	94.45	24^th	897	97.3%
2013	94.52	23^rd	956	97.6%
2014	93.52	33^rd	999	96.7%
2016	92.91	48^th	997	95.2%
2017	93.62	50^th	1031	95.2%
2018	90.89	77^th	1035	92.6%
2019	88.59	98^th	1099	91.1%
2021	89.07	89^th	1136	92.2%
2022	86.43	120^th	1148	89.5%
2023	88.74	99^th	1177	91.6%
2024	88.45	100^th	1196	91.6%
2025	85.88	139^th	1205	88.5%

See the entire list of Florida Middle School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Florida Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for C. W. Ruckel Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	841	37	21	7	2	n/a	n/a	0	908
1989	935	42	21	15	2	n/a	n/a	0	1015
1990	844	32	22	14	1	n/a	n/a	12	925
1991	889	40	30	14	0	n/a	n/a	0	973
1992	954	45	39	18	3	n/a	n/a	0	1059
1993	968	48	29	30	2	n/a	n/a	0	1077
1994	921	48	44	32	5	n/a	n/a	0	1050
1995	999	52	56	39	2	n/a	n/a	0	1148
1996	999	52	56	39	2	n/a	n/a	0	1148
1997	1005	51	47	37	2	n/a	n/a	0	1142
1998	1005	52	47	30	2	n/a	n/a	0	1136
1999	1023	43	41	28	4	n/a	n/a	0	1139
2000	1016	44	41	30	4	n/a	n/a	0	1135
2001	1008	33	36	37	4	n/a	n/a	0	1118
2002	859	33	21	33	6	n/a	n/a	0	952
2003	859	33	21	33	6	n/a	n/a	0	952
2004	815	29	20	28	6	n/a	n/a	0	898
2005	820	24	22	28	2	n/a	n/a	0	896
2006	784	24	19	21	3	n/a	n/a	0	851
2007	752	15	21	13	3	n/a	n/a	32	836
2008	736	18	20	14	2	n/a	n/a	48	838
2009	775	25	19	20	2	n/a	n/a	43	884
2010	756	21	16	24	3	n/a	n/a	42	862
2011	727	16	18	42	0	1	44	0	848
2012	773	24	13	47	2	1	55	0	915
2013	808	31	14	48	3	1	69	0	974
2014	822	38	21	45	4	0	60	0	990
2015	784	40	22	55	3	0	54	0	958
2016	831	38	22	59	5	3	54	0	1012
2017	851	38	21	72	1	4	80	0	1067
2018	922	40	21	63	3	3	77	0	1129
2019	945	47	22	79	2	5	88	0	1188
2020	947	58	20	89	2	4	81	0	1201
2021	910	43	14	101	1	2	79	0	1150
2022	901	40	9	107	1	2	86	0	1146
2023	894	32	9	107	2	4	88	0	1136
2024	806	27	9	116	0	3	93	0	1054

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at C. W. Ruckel Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	908	43.0	21.1	10.6
1989	1015	50.0	20.3	7.8
1990	925	46.0	20.1	8.5
1991	973	46.0	21.1	11.4
1992	1059	51.0	20.7	7.9
1993	1077	49.0	22.0	8.6
1994	1050	49.0	21.4	10.5
1995	1148	51.0	22.5	9.8
1996	1148	51.0	22.5	9.8
1997	1142	51.0	22.4	7.9
1998	1136	50.0	22.7	7.6
1999	1139	52.0	21.9	9.5
2000	1135	50.0	22.7	7.8
2001	1118	51.0	21.9	11.3
2002	952	44.0	21.6	12.7
2003	952	44.0	21.6	12.7
2004	898	46.0	19.5	16.5
2005	896	42.0	21.3	14.6
2006	851	43.0	19.8	14.6
2007	836	43.0	19.4	15.2
2008	838	49.0	17.1	13.2
2009	884	44.5	20.1	16.8
2010	862	46.5	18.5	14.9
2011	848	52.6	16.1	18.8
2012	915	55.9	16.3	17.8
2013	974	48.0	20.2	18.4
2014	990	50.0	19.8	18.8
2015	958	49.0	19.5	19.9
2016	1012	50.0	20.2	20.8
2017	1067	51.0	20.9	21.6
2018	1129	52.0	21.7	20.1
2019	1188	54.5	21.7	18.5
2020	1201	55.7	21.5	17.5
2021	1150	55.3	20.7	22.2
2022	1146	53.0	21.6	20.9
2023	1136	53.2	21.3	23
2024	1054	52.2	20.1	20.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio C. W. Ruckel Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	908	43.0	21.1	10.6
1989	1015	50.0	20.3	7.8
1990	925	46.0	20.1	8.5
1991	973	46.0	21.1	11.4
1992	1059	51.0	20.7	7.9
1993	1077	49.0	22.0	8.6
1994	1050	49.0	21.4	10.5
1995	1148	51.0	22.5	9.8
1996	1148	51.0	22.5	9.8
1997	1142	51.0	22.4	7.9
1998	1136	50.0	22.7	7.6
1999	1139	52.0	21.9	9.5
2000	1135	50.0	22.7	7.8
2001	1118	51.0	21.9	11.3
2002	952	44.0	21.6	12.7
2003	952	44.0	21.6	12.7
2004	898	46.0	19.5	16.5
2005	896	42.0	21.3	14.6
2006	851	43.0	19.8	14.6
2007	836	43.0	19.4	15.2
2008	838	49.0	17.1	13.2
2009	884	44.5	20.1	16.8
2010	862	46.5	18.5	14.9
2011	848	52.6	16.1	18.8
2012	915	55.9	16.3	17.8
2013	974	48.0	20.2	18.4
2014	990	50.0	19.8	18.8
2015	958	49.0	19.5	19.9
2016	1012	50.0	20.2	20.8
2017	1067	51.0	20.9	21.6
2018	1129	52.0	21.7	20.1
2019	1188	54.5	21.7	18.5
2020	1201	55.7	21.5	17.5
2021	1150	55.3	20.7	22.2
2022	1146	53.0	21.6	20.9
2023	1136	53.2	21.3	23
2024	1054	52.2	20.1	20.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for C. W. Ruckel Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$166 (2.3%)	$6,981 (97.7%)	$7,147
2019	$123 (1.8%)	$6,677 (98.2%)	$6,799
2020	$188 (2.9%)	$6,385 (97.1%)	$6,573
2021	$448 (6.9%)	$6,013 (93.1%)	$6,461
2022	$1,163 (15.0%)	$6,593 (85.0%)	$7,756
2023	$1,291 (15.6%)	$6,983 (84.4%)	$8,274
2024	$362 (4.0%)	$8,653 (96.0%)	$9,015

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on C. W. Ruckel Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 98^th of 1099 Middle schools	Ranks 99^th of 1177 Middle schools	0.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (C. W. Ruckel Middle School)	75	70	5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Okaloosa)	63	58	5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	54	52	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (C. W. Ruckel Middle School)	80	68	12%
6th Grade Mathematics (Okaloosa)	62	54	8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	55	49	6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (C. W. Ruckel Middle School)	67	64	3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Okaloosa)	58	53	5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	52	48	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (C. W. Ruckel Middle School)	88	79	9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Okaloosa)	73	62	11%
7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	54	46	8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (C. W. Ruckel Middle School)	79	69	10%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Okaloosa)	66	55	11%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	49	7%
8th Grade Mathematics (C. W. Ruckel Middle School)	82	80	2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Okaloosa)	65	54	11%
8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	46	42	4%
8th Grade Science (C. W. Ruckel Middle School)	82	76	6%
8th Grade Science (Okaloosa)	67	61	6%
8th Grade Science (Florida)	48	44	4%
End of Course Civics (C. W. Ruckel Middle School)	85	82	3%
End of Course Civics (Okaloosa)	78	70	8%
End of Course Civics (Florida)	71	66	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (C. W. Ruckel Middle School)	99	99
End of Course Algebra 1 (Okaloosa)	78	65	13%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (C. W. Ruckel Middle School)	100	100
End of Course Geometry (Okaloosa)	73	65	8%
End of Course Geometry (Florida)	57	50	7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1188	1136	4.4%
African American	47	32	31.9%
American Indian	2	2
Asian	22	9	59.1%
Hispanic	79	107	35.4%
Pacific Islander	5	4	20%
White	945	894	5.4%
Two or More Races	88	88
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	18.5%	23%	4.5%

Schools Near C. W. Ruckel 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 Geometry (2025)	EOC Civics (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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 5th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th 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
C. W. Ruckel Middle School	Public	6-8	201 Partin Dr N	Niceville	32578	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	No	No	No	(850) 833-4142	1,054	52	20.1	20.5%	806 (76.5%)	27 (2.6%)	116 (11.0%)	9 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.3%)	93 (8.8%)	85.9	139^th of 1205 public middle schools	88.5%		88.5	100^th of 1196 public middle schools	91.6%	39		77.0	74.0	77.0		77.0	89.0	74.0		80.0	98.0	98.0	88.0	$9,015	$362	$8,653
Okaloosa Stemm Center	Public, Magnet	6-8	379 Edge Ave	Valparaiso	32580	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	Yes	No	No	(850) 833-4120	359	23	15.6	25.6%	237 (66.0%)	14 (3.9%)	51 (14.2%)	10 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	45 (12.5%)	98.4	1^st of 1205 public middle schools	99.9%		98.8	1^st of 1196 public middle schools	99.9%			99.0	98.0	96.0			97.0			100.0	99.0	99.0	100.0	$12,310	$671	$11,640
Clifford Meigs Middle School	Public	6-8	150 Richbourg Ave	Shalimar	32579	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	No	No	No	(850) 833-4301	558	33	16.9	54.5%	360 (64.5%)	62 (11.1%)	69 (12.4%)	12 (2.2%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.5%)	50 (9.0%)	60	460^th of 1205 public middle schools	61.8%		62.2	414^th of 1196 public middle schools	65.4%	46		65.0	59.0	58.0		54.0	72.0	65.0		49.0	90.0	95.0	77.0	$11,560	$1,062	$10,499
Destin Middle School	Public	5-8	4608 Legendary Marina Dr	Destin	32541	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	No	No	No	(850) 833-7655	851	42	20.0	35.6%	604 (71.0%)	38 (4.5%)	124 (14.6%)	31 (3.6%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	50 (5.9%)	79.1	218^th of 1205 public middle schools	81.9%		79.7	206^th of 1196 public middle schools	82.8%	12	75.0	74.0	69.0	71.0	80.0	72.0	84.0	61.0	69.0	67.0	93.0	97.0	85.0	$9,063	$224	$8,840
W. C. Pryor Middle School	Public	6-8	201 Racetrack Rd NW	Fort Walton Beach	32547	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	No	No	Yes	(850) 833-3613	679	40	16.9	68.8%	243 (35.8%)	94 (13.8%)	273 (40.2%)	13 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.6%)	52 (7.7%)	40.4	742^nd of 1205 public middle schools	38.4%		42.9	688^th of 1196 public middle schools	42.5%	54		48.0	43.0	46.0		47.0	62.0	46.0		44.0	74.0	96.0	56.0	$11,200	$908	$10,293
Max Bruner Junior Middle School	Public	6-8	322 Holmes Blvd NW	Fort Walton Beach	32548	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	No	No	Yes	(850) 833-3266	739	41	18.2	60.6%	316 (42.8%)	134 (18.1%)	179 (24.2%)	15 (2.0%)	3 (0.4%)	6 (0.8%)	86 (11.6%)	53.7	539^th of 1205 public middle schools	55.3%		49.7	600^th of 1196 public middle schools	49.8%	61		56.0	60.0	49.0		57.0	64.0	42.0		56.0	77.0	100.0	71.0	$11,168	$939	$10,230
Shoal River Middle School	Public	6-8	3200 E Redstone Ave	Crestview	32539	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	No	No	No	(850) 689-7229	895	45	19.8	53.4%	476 (53.2%)	164 (18.3%)	120 (13.4%)	21 (2.3%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.3%)	109 (12.2%)	70	331^st of 1205 public middle schools	72.5%		68.3	351^st of 1196 public middle schools	70.7%	20		70.0	61.0	61.0		64.0	75.0	61.0		64.0	99.0	96.0	96.0	$9,426	$421	$9,006
Davidson Middle School	Public	6-8	6261 Old Bethel Rd	Crestview	32536	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	No	No	No	(850) 683-7500	1,154	57	20.2	50.2%	814 (70.5%)	116 (10.1%)	115 (10.0%)	10 (0.9%)	4 (0.3%)	6 (0.5%)	89 (7.7%)	65.8	377^th of 1205 public middle schools	68.7%		70.3	327^th of 1196 public middle schools	72.7%	50		61.0	66.0	61.0		66.0	77.0	52.0		58.0	92.0	100.0	70.0	$8,838	$423	$8,415

Frequently Asked Questions about C. W. Ruckel Middle School

What district is C. W. Ruckel Middle School in?

Okaloosa

How many students attend C. W. Ruckel Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,054 students attended C. W. Ruckel Middle School.

What high school do graduates of C. W. Ruckel Middle School attend?

Students who attend C. W. Ruckel Middle School usually go on to attend Niceville Senior High School

Is C. W. Ruckel Middle School a good school?

C. W. Ruckel Middle School ranks 139^th of 1205 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of C. W. Ruckel Middle School?

Students at C. W. Ruckel Middle School are 76% White, 11% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 3% African American.

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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.