Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

John F. Kennedy Middle School

Q: Is John F. Kennedy Middle School a good school?

John F. Kennedy Middle School ranks 903 rd of 1224 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public, Magnet Grades 6-8

903^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,224 Florida Middle Schools

Better than 26% of Florida middle schools

Summary

John F. Kennedy Middle School in Riviera Beach, FL, is a public school serving 821 students in grades 6-8 as part of the Palm Beach School District, and it presents a fascinating mix of high achievement in advanced math alongside broader academic challenges.

The most striking feature of Kennedy Middle is its "two schools" phenomenon. In advanced math courses, students excel dramatically: 88% of students were proficient in Algebra 1 and 85% in Geometry, far outpacing district and state averages. However, on grade-level math tests, only 34% of 7th graders and 45% of 6th graders met proficiency standards. This pattern extends to other core subjects, where proficiency rates in English Language Arts (44-49%), 8th Grade Science (39%), and Civics (58%) all fall well below state averages. This contrast is especially notable when compared to nearby Bak Middle School Of The Arts, a top-ranked magnet school just over two miles away, which serves a very different student population and achieves near-perfect test scores. In contrast, Howell L. Watkins Middle School, also nearby, shares a very similar profile to Kennedy, with a 1-star rating and comparable academic struggles.

Despite these academic hurdles, Kennedy has some bright spots. Its chronic absenteeism rate is remarkably low at just 12%, roughly half the district average and less than half the state average, indicating strong student engagement and family support. The school also spends more per student ($14,672) than higher-performing neighbors like Jupiter Middle School ($13,386), suggesting funding is not the primary issue. Encouragingly, there is a clear upward trend in ELA and math proficiency over the last three years, hinting that recent interventions may be starting to work. The key to future improvement likely lies in understanding how to replicate the success of its advanced math program for all students.

821

Students ?

16.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,672

Per pupil spending ?

66.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1901 Avenue S
Riviera Beach, FL 33404

(561) 845-4500

District: Palm Beach

Feeder schools for John F. Kennedy Middle School:

Elementary:	Lincoln Elementary School
	Washington Elementary Magnet School
	West Riviera Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

61.1%

Hispanic:

29.5%

White:

5.7%

See top rated Florida middle schools

Compare John F. Kennedy Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 12th percentile in 2016 → 26th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 14 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Florida average (51% vs 61% meeting standards)

!Civics scores 19 pts below the Florida average

!Near the bottom of Palm Beach's ranking

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school51%

District avg64%

Florida avg61%

903^rd of 1,224

Florida public middle schools ?

Bottom 26%▲ up 14 pts since 2016

From bottom 12% (2016) to bottom 26% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

29^th of 38Middle Schools in the Palm Beach

35^th of 70Palm Beach 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	31.0	903 of 1224	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	20.9	990 of 1205	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	23.8	949 of 1196	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	17.7	1002 of 1177	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	23.3	911 of 1148	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	18.2	955 of 1136	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	8.3	1025 of 1099	6.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	12.5	929 of 1035	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	11.9	935 of 1031	9.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	15.8	876 of 997	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	12.6	890 of 999	10.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	10.6	852 of 956	10.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	10.3	798 of 897	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	13.9	770 of 891	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	13.0	725 of 839	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	11.5	686 of 780	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	7.3	676 of 740	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	9.9	650 of 736	11.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	9.7	598 of 675	11.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	10.9	541 of 602	10.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	12.3	524 of 593	11.6%	★☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Algebra 188%+25 vs state

Geometry85%+29 vs state

Civics58%-19 vs state

Math51%-7 vs state

English Language Arts45%-16 vs state

Science39%-13 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate John F. Kennedy Middle School and help other families decide.

Rate John F. Kennedy Middle School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near John F. Kennedy Middle School

Load more schools when map is moved

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 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 (2025)	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
John F. Kennedy Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	1901 Avenue S	Riviera Beach	33404	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 845-4500	821	50	16.4	66.6%	47 (5.7%)	502 (61.1%)	242 (29.5%)	5 (0.6%)	14 (1.7%)	4 (0.5%)	7 (0.9%)	31	903^rd of 1224 public middle schools	26.2%		20.9	990^th of 1205 public middle schools	17.8%	87	44.0	44.0	49.0	45.0	34.0	78.0	39.0	88.0	85.0		58.0	$14,672	$1,074	$13,598
Bak Middle School Of The Arts	Public, Magnet	6-8	1725 Echo Lake Dr	West Palm Beach	33407	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	No	(561) 882-3870	1,246	72	17.3	19.7%	481 (38.6%)	188 (15.1%)	320 (25.7%)	167 (13.4%)	9 (0.7%)	3 (0.2%)	78 (6.3%)	96.3	8^th of 1224 public middle schools	99.3%		96.6	11^th of 1205 public middle schools	99.1%	3	96.0	95.0	96.0	96.0	93.0	99.0	89.0	100.0	99.0		98.0	$13,313	$402	$12,911
Howell L. Watkins Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	9480 MacArthur Blvd	Palm Beach Gardens	33403	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 776-3600	705	43	16.3	67.1%	54 (7.7%)	494 (70.1%)	131 (18.6%)	7 (1.0%)	6 (0.9%)	2 (0.3%)	11 (1.6%)	28	947^th of 1224 public middle schools	22.6%		30.3	886^th of 1205 public middle schools	26.5%	61	46.0	44.0	53.0	37.0	39.0	46.0	42.0	89.0			63.0	$16,206	$1,298	$14,907
Bear Lakes Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	3505 Shenandoah Blvd	West Palm Beach	33409	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 615-7700	841	50	16.9	64.8%	44 (5.2%)	538 (64.0%)	238 (28.3%)	8 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	11 (1.3%)	29.7	925^th of 1224 public middle schools	24.4%		26	930^th of 1205 public middle schools	22.8%	5	42.0	45.0	52.0	37.0	41.0	64.0	36.0	92.0	100.0		60.0	$15,296	$1,357	$13,940
Roosevelt Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	1900 N Australian Ave	West Palm Beach	33407	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 822-0200	793	57	13.9	73.4%	17 (2.1%)	481 (60.7%)	276 (34.8%)	7 (0.9%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.0%)	38.6	805^th of 1224 public middle schools	34.2%		43.2	701^st of 1205 public middle schools	41.8%	104	54.0	47.0	47.0	58.0	55.0	61.0	40.0	85.0	87.0		57.0	$16,580	$827	$15,753
Jeaga Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	3777 N Jog Rd	West Palm Beach	33411	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 242-8000	862	50	17.2	61.7%	50 (5.8%)	386 (44.8%)	399 (46.3%)	6 (0.7%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	17 (2.0%)	24.4	991^st of 1224 public middle schools	19.0%		25.1	939^th of 1205 public middle schools	22.1%	52	41.0	46.0	43.0	23.0	20.0	68.0	29.0	89.0	86.0		49.0	$14,760	$1,022	$13,739
Watson B. Duncan Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	5150 117th Ct N	Palm Beach Gardens	33418	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 776-3500	1,042	66	15.8	39.0%	419 (40.2%)	263 (25.2%)	252 (24.2%)	59 (5.7%)	4 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (4.3%)	58	502^nd of 1224 public middle schools	59.0%		68.2	343^rd of 1205 public middle schools	71.5%	159	58.0	68.0	60.0	54.0	26.0	80.0	59.0	93.0	100.0		80.0	$14,578	$753	$13,826
Conniston Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	3630 Parker Ave	West Palm Beach	33405	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 802-5400	1,153	74	15.5	60.3%	147 (12.7%)	160 (13.9%)	816 (70.8%)	9 (0.8%)	9 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (1.0%)	32.8	883^rd of 1224 public middle schools	27.9%		29.4	891^st of 1205 public middle schools	26.1%	8	58.0	49.0	49.0	41.0	25.0	53.0	41.0	88.0	100.0		62.0	$14,398	$1,205	$13,193
Sports Leadership And Management (Slam) Middle School Palm	Public, Charter	6-8	2845 Summit Blvd	West Palm Beach	33406	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	Yes	No	No	Yes	(561) 641-4449	324	15	21.0	57.7%	28 (8.6%)	24 (7.4%)	263 (81.2%)	2 (0.6%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.5%)	33.3	875^th of 1224 public middle schools	28.5%		35.9	803^rd of 1205 public middle schools	33.4%	72	57.0	46.0	53.0	54.0	49.0	31.0	35.0	57.0			72.0	$8,230	$807	$7,423
Independence Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	4001 Greenway Dr	Jupiter	33458	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	No	(561) 799-7500	1,236	65	19.0	20.1%	802 (64.9%)	42 (3.4%)	287 (23.2%)	56 (4.5%)	6 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	42 (3.4%)	77.2	223^rd of 1224 public middle schools	81.8%		80.1	208^th of 1205 public middle schools	82.7%	15	82.0	79.0	72.0	67.0		72.0	67.0	92.0	99.0		83.0	$11,575	$340	$11,234

Frequently Asked Questions about John F. Kennedy Middle School

What is the racial makeup of John F. Kennedy Middle School?

Students at John F. Kennedy Middle School are 61% African American, 29% Hispanic, 6% White, 2% American Indian.

How many students attend John F. Kennedy Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 821 students attended John F. Kennedy Middle School.

What district is John F. Kennedy Middle School in?

Palm Beach

Is John F. Kennedy Middle School a good school?

John F. Kennedy Middle School ranks 903^rd of 1224 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Rate John F. Kennedy Middle School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

FLFlorida Middle School Rankings

FLFlorida District Rankings

Schools in Riviera Beach, FL

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for John F. Kennedy Middle School!

Latest Florida data All new data »

2024–25 attendance dataAug 18, 2026

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

2024–25 school spending dataMar 20, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesJan 13, 2026

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.