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Very Good

#1416 of 3,778 schools in FL

Top 38% in state

Heron Creek Middle School

Middle School · Sarasota · North Port, FL

A Sarasota middle school where students score 11 points above what's typical for similar communities.

6501 W PRICE BLVD, North Port, FL 34291

  • Math 53% vs FL 53% (2024)
  • Reading 53% vs FL 52% (2024)
  • 15.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.5Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.06 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics7.6Very Good35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency53% (2024 FAST)
Reading/ELA Proficiency53.3% (2024 FAST)
Math vs. State Avg-2.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-1.1 pts
Overall Proficiency53% (2024 FAST, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)42% (model expectation from 2024 FAST)
vs. Expected+11.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile64th
Resources & Environment8.7Excellent25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.4:1
District spending per student$14,033
Chronic Absenteeism28.6%

Students at Heron Creek Middle School score 53% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 42%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 FAST proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. FL average.

Math Proficiency53%(2024 FAST)
School
State
53%(2024 FAST)
ELA Proficiency53%(2024 FAST)
School
State
52%(2024 FAST)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 11 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 53% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
65%
ELA
64%
2010
Math
71%
ELA
70%
2011
Math
66%
ELA
65%
2012
Math
65%
ELA
63%
2013
ELA
64%
2014
Math
65%
ELA
61%
2015
Math
68%
ELA
58%
2016
Math
68%
ELA
57%
2017
Math
67%
ELA
55%
2018
Math
66%
ELA
57%
2019
Math
66%
ELA
57%
2020*
Math
54%
ELA
52%
2021*
Math
54%
ELA
52%
2022
Math
55%
ELA
47%
2024
Math
53%
ELA
53%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 62% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 58% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 33 test records from FL state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

72.3%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Heron Creek Middle School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 8Car-Dependent
  • Transit 10Minimal Transit
  • Bike 30Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: Elevated875/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (North Port), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$88,109

Median home value

$327,200

Median rent

$1,798/mo

College educated

19.8%

Homeownership

81.7%

Poverty rate

8.7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 34291; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Imagine School at North PortCharter · enrollment unverified7.5K–124.6 mi1,177Compare →
Brookside Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.36–8Not available703Compare →
Pine View SchoolEnrollment path unverified9.32–12Not available1,674Compare →
Sarasota Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.46–8Not available1,308Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Sarasota

Schools in district
63
Rank in district
#36 of 56
District spending per student
$14,033NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
11.0%Census SAIPE · 2024

Heron Creek Middle School is listed in SARASOTA; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Heron Creek Middle School

Heron Creek Middle School is a public middle school in North Port, FL, part of Sarasota, serving approximately 909 students in grades 6th-8th with a 15.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.0 out of 10 and ranks #1,416 of 3,778 schools in FL. State assessment records show 62% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 58% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Heron Creek Middle School

What grades does Heron Creek Middle School serve?

Heron Creek Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Heron Creek Middle School?

Heron Creek Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 909 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Heron Creek Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Heron Creek Middle School is 15.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Heron Creek Middle School rank in FL?

Heron Creek Middle School ranks #1,416 of 3,778 schools in FL.

What is Heron Creek Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Heron Creek Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.0 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Heron Creek Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Heron Creek Middle School has 62% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 58% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Heron Creek Middle School a charter school?

No, Heron Creek Middle School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Heron Creek Middle School a Title I school?

No, Heron Creek Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Heron Creek Middle School?

72.3% of students at Heron Creek Middle School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
909
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
59
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Sarasota County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
28.6%
Area population (ZIP 34291)
8,089
Area average commute
31.9 min
Area median age
46.8
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 FAST · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 FAST. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 FAST · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 FAST. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 34291; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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