Okeeheelee Middle School

Okeeheelee Middle School in Greenacres, FL, is a large public school serving 1,401 students in grades 6-8 within the Palm Beach School District, where 60% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. The school has a notable split in math performance: it excels in advanced math, with 91% of students proficient in Algebra 1 and 89% in Geometry—far above district and state averages—but struggles with grade-level math, especially in 7th grade where only 18% of students are proficient, a pattern seen at nearby schools like Polo Park Middle (39%) and Emerald Cove Middle (43%). This suggests the school successfully accelerates a select group of students into advanced coursework while the majority in standard classes face challenges.

Chronic absenteeism is a critical weakness, with a 33.2% rate in 2023-2024—nearly 10 points higher than the district average and more than double that of high-performing peers like Polo Park Middle (14.4%) and Woodlands Middle (12.5%). Only Lake Worth Community Middle (45.3%) has a higher rate in the area. Despite this, Okeeheelee outperforms its closest neighbor, L C Swain Middle, in nearly every academic metric, including Algebra 1 (91% vs. 85%), Civics (67% vs. 56%), and all grade-level ELA and math subjects.

There are positive trends: English Language Arts proficiency has improved across all grades over the past three years, rising from 39% to 53% in 6th grade, and Civics proficiency jumped from 47% to 67%. However, 8th-grade science remains low at 45%, well below the state average of 52%. The school spends $13,052 per student, higher than some higher-performing schools, indicating that challenges like absenteeism and instructional strategies, not funding alone, drive performance. For parents, Okeeheelee offers strong advanced math opportunities but requires attention to attendance and support in grade-level math and science.