Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School

Q: Is Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School a good school?

Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School ranks 415 th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School is a public elementary school in Gainesville, Florida, serving 749 students in grades PK-5 and part of the Alachua school district.

Lawton M. Chiles Elementary consistently outperforms the Alachua district and the state of Florida in academic assessments, with 76% of 3rd graders proficient or better in English Language Arts compared to 56% for Alachua and 55% for Florida. The school also has a more racially diverse student population than many nearby schools, with 46.06% White, 20.69% African American, 12.95% Hispanic, and 12.55% Asian students. While chronic absenteeism has increased to 21.3%, Lawton M. Chiles still performs better than some nearby schools, such as Myra Terwilliger Elementary at 48.9%.

Lawton M. Chiles Elementary has maintained a strong academic performance, consistently ranking in the top 20% of Florida elementary schools over the past decade with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's diverse student population and relatively lower spending per student ($9,812) compared to nearby schools suggest efficient resource allocation and effective use of funds to support student learning and achievement.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

2525 School House Rd
Gainesville, FL 32608

(352) 333-2825

District: Alachua

SchoolDigger Rank:
415^th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,812

Students who attend Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Kanapaha Middle School
High:	F. W. Buchholz High School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.6

Number of students: 749

Racial breakdown:

White:

46.1%

African American:

20.7%

Hispanic:

13.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 34.2%

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Compare Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School ranks better than 81.6% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 3^rd among 28 ranked elementary schools in the Alachua School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 79.64. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a high 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 Student population at Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (46.1%), African American (20.7%), Hispanic (13%). (See more...)

Compare Details 34.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School is 17.6. 19 elementary schools in the Alachua School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School employs 42.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School is $9,812. 19 elementary schools in the Alachua School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Alachua:

SchoolDigger ranks Alachua 43^rd of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	82.13	264^th	1688	84.4%
2007	85.39	206^th	1786	88.5%
2008	68.17	584^th	1789	67.4%
2009	70.58	523^rd	1847	71.7%
2010	81.97	280^th	1919	85.4%
2011	77.90	390^th	1985	80.4%
2012	73.24	505^th	1984	74.5%
2013	86.23	213^th	2029	89.5%
2014	78.62	392^nd	2064	81.0%
2016	79.96	377^th	2087	81.9%
2017	78.01	427^th	2112	79.8%
2018	76.07	469^th	2118	77.9%
2019	75.20	511^th	2182	76.6%
2021	81.59	392^nd	2247	82.6%
2022	82.08	367^th	2219	83.5%
2023	84.06	313^th	2240	86.0%
2024	79.64	415^th	2256	81.6%

See the entire list of Florida Elementary 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: 4)

50%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, February 9, 2015

If your child is gifted, this is a great school. If your child is not, they've not got much for your child. The principal is hostile and seems to have the faculty strongly in her grasp. If you advocate for your child, you will likely be targeted as will your child. I was told that my child did not "fit the mold," although it was already very clear to me that they have a mold there. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2000	388	164	17	37	1	n/a	n/a	0	607
2001	478	182	21	37	1	n/a	n/a	0	719
2002	481	200	31	28	3	n/a	n/a	0	743
2003	481	200	31	28	3	n/a	n/a	0	743
2004	477	215	50	34	3	n/a	n/a	0	779
2005	447	226	37	27	1	n/a	n/a	0	738
2006	470	215	61	30	1	n/a	n/a	0	777
2007	430	192	56	43	5	n/a	n/a	58	784
2008	414	220	61	40	4	n/a	n/a	57	796
2009	376	200	54	33	4	n/a	n/a	52	719
2010	364	204	57	31	2	n/a	n/a	53	711
2011	372	206	0	44	4	1	88	0	715
2012	350	250	40	48	4	1	38	0	731
2013	327	170	41	47	4	1	33	0	623
2014	362	173	39	54	3	1	56	0	688
2015	361	198	44	47	4	1	63	0	718
2016	357	200	42	52	5	0	66	0	722
2017	368	193	41	59	3	0	52	0	716
2018	393	183	43	75	3	0	66	0	763
2019	404	196	54	80	2	0	59	0	795
2020	420	181	60	93	0	0	49	0	803
2021	345	166	57	95	0	1	51	0	715
2022	345	157	70	88	0	1	58	0	719
2023	345	155	94	97	0	1	57	0	749

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 Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2000	607	38.0	16.0	41.2
2001	719	40.0	18.0	35.5
2002	743	43.0	17.3	40.2
2003	743	43.0	17.3	40.2
2004	779	44.0	17.7	40.1
2005	738	46.0	16.0	38.1
2006	777	52.0	14.9	33.6
2007	784	50.0	15.7	33.2
2008	796	56.0	14.2	37.8
2009	719	62.0	13.8	38.8
2010	711	52.0	13.6	41.8
2011	715	53.7	13.3	37.1
2012	731	52.5	13.9	40.4
2013	623	50.0	12.4	34.8
2014	688	48.0	14.3	32.8
2015	718	49.0	14.6	38.6
2016	722	50.0	14.4	39.2
2017	716	43.0	16.6	38.7
2018	763	52.0	14.6	39.7
2019	795	54.0	14.7	33.8
2020	803	56.0	14.3	30.5
2021	715	48.4	14.7	31
2022	719	47.4	15.1	31
2023	749	42.4	17.6	34.2

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 Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2000	607	38.0	16.0	41.2
2001	719	40.0	18.0	35.5
2002	743	43.0	17.3	40.2
2003	743	43.0	17.3	40.2
2004	779	44.0	17.7	40.1
2005	738	46.0	16.0	38.1
2006	777	52.0	14.9	33.6
2007	784	50.0	15.7	33.2
2008	796	56.0	14.2	37.8
2009	719	62.0	13.8	38.8
2010	711	52.0	13.6	41.8
2011	715	53.7	13.3	37.1
2012	731	52.5	13.9	40.4
2013	623	50.0	12.4	34.8
2014	688	48.0	14.3	32.8
2015	718	49.0	14.6	38.6
2016	722	50.0	14.4	39.2
2017	716	43.0	16.6	38.7
2018	763	52.0	14.6	39.7
2019	795	54.0	14.7	33.8
2020	803	56.0	14.3	30.5
2021	715	48.4	14.7	31
2022	719	47.4	15.1	31
2023	749	42.4	17.6	34.2

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 Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$459 (5.5%)	$7,829 (94.5%)	$8,288
2019	$569 (6.8%)	$7,744 (93.2%)	$8,312
2020	$816 (9.1%)	$8,151 (90.9%)	$8,967
2021	$924 (9.6%)	$8,688 (90.4%)	$9,612
2022	$993 (10.0%)	$8,931 (90.0%)	$9,923
2023	$1,104 (11.3%)	$8,707 (88.7%)	$9,812

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Lawton M. Chiles Elementary 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 511^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 313^th of 2240 Elementary schools	9.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School)	69	74	5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Alachua)	57	50	7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School)	69	76	7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Alachua)	58	52	6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School)	67	78	11%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Alachua)	55	55
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School)	75	80	5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Alachua)	60	58	2%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School)	70	63	7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Alachua)	55	51	4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School)	71	68	3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Alachua)	57	48	9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School)	66	62	4%
5th Grade Science (Alachua)	55	51	4%
5th Grade Science (Florida)	53	51	2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	795	749	5.8%
African American	196	155	20.9%
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	54	94	74.1%
Hispanic	80	97	21.3%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	404	345	14.6%
Two or More Races	59	57	3.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	33.8%	34.2%	0.3%

Schools Near Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				FAST English Language Arts (2024)			FAST Math (2024)			Statewide Science Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2525 School House Rd	Gainesville	32608	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	No	No	(352) 333-2825	749	42	17.6	34.2%	345 (46.1%)	155 (20.7%)	97 (13.0%)	94 (12.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	57 (7.6%)	79.6	415^th of 2256 public elementary schools	81.6%		84.1	313^th of 2240 public elementary schools	86.0%	102	76.0	69.0	60.0	72.0	70.0	70.0	68.0	$9,812	$1,104	$8,707
Kimball Wiles Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4601 SW 75th St	Gainesville	32608	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 955-6955	862	49	17.7	47.6%	370 (42.9%)	185 (21.5%)	141 (16.4%)	95 (11.0%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	67 (7.8%)	73.3	565^th of 2256 public elementary schools	75.0%		76.7	472^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	78.9%	93	65.0	62.0	73.0	55.0	67.0	72.0	66.0	$10,368	$1,514	$8,854
Myra Terwilliger Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3999 SW 122nd St	Gainesville	32608	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 955-6717	586	31	19.2	78.7%	103 (17.6%)	304 (51.9%)	108 (18.4%)	15 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (9.6%)	21.7	1862^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	17.5%		12	2103^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	6.1%	241	47.0	33.0	35.0	45.0	39.0	31.0	41.0	$10,911	$2,228	$8,684
Hidden Oak Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2100 Fort Clarke Blvd	Gainesville	32606	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	No	No	(352) 333-2801	775	50	15.5	35.9%	375 (48.4%)	147 (19.0%)	119 (15.4%)	76 (9.8%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (7.2%)	79.5	422^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	81.3%		78	450^th of 2240 public elementary schools	79.9%	28	69.0	67.0	71.0	57.0	73.0	79.0	78.0	$10,263	$1,174	$9,091
Healthy Learning Academy Charter School	Public, Charter	K-5	13505 West Newberry Rd	Newberry	32669	Alachua County	Alachua	Yes	No	No	No	(352) 372-2279	107	8	14.1	17.8%	80 (74.8%)	7 (6.5%)	12 (11.2%)	2 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (5.6%)	78.5	447^th of 2256 public elementary schools	80.2%		82.8	345^th of 2240 public elementary schools	84.6%	102	79.0	59.0	78.0	58.0	71.0	72.0	72.0	$8,234	$132	$8,101
Meadowbrook Elementary School	Public	K-5	11525 NW 39th Ave	Gainesville	32606	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	No	No	(352) 333-2828	848	48	17.6	33.7%	439 (51.8%)	150 (17.7%)	118 (13.9%)	69 (8.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	72 (8.5%)	72.9	574^th of 2256 public elementary schools	74.6%		75.6	496^th of 2240 public elementary schools	77.9%	78	71.0	66.0	57.0	72.0	75.0	61.0	58.0	$8,962	$905	$8,055
Littlewood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	812 NW 34th St	Gainesville	32605	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 955-6712	706	47	14.8	47.7%	287 (40.7%)	180 (25.5%)	145 (20.5%)	32 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (8.8%)	52.4	1032^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	54.3%		66.9	694^th of 2240 public elementary schools	69.0%	338	59.0	54.0	55.0	59.0	61.0	45.0	51.0	$11,387	$1,924	$9,463
Glen Springs Elementary School	Public	K-5	2826 NW 31st Ave	Gainesville	32605	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 955-6708	426	25	16.8	46.9%	211 (49.5%)	103 (24.2%)	49 (11.5%)	16 (3.8%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (10.6%)	63.8	778^th of 2256 public elementary schools	65.5%		61.1	817^th of 2240 public elementary schools	63.5%	39	71.0	60.0	61.0	65.0	51.0	51.0	65.0	$11,155	$1,792	$9,363
Carolyn Beatrice Parker Elementary	Public	K-5	1912 NW 5th Ave	Gainesville	32603	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 955-6705	506	29	17.2	40.9%	194 (38.3%)	101 (20.0%)	152 (30.0%)	28 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (6.1%)	38.5	1379^th of 2256 public elementary schools	38.9%		40.8	1311^th of 2240 public elementary schools	41.5%	68	51.0	46.0	50.0	42.0	54.0	48.0	47.0	$11,375	$1,694	$9,681
Expressions Learning Arts Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	5408 SW 13th St	Gainesville	32608	Alachua County	Alachua	Yes	No	No	No	(352) 373-5223	84	8	10.1	35.7%	41 (48.8%)	10 (11.9%)	10 (11.9%)	6 (7.1%)	1 (1.2%)	2 (2.4%)	14 (16.7%)	82.7	346^th of 2256 public elementary schools	84.7%		89.2	188^th of 2240 public elementary schools	91.6%	158	92.0	73.0	60.0	75.0	64.0	70.0	80.0	$9,121	$854	$8,266

Frequently Asked Questions about Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School

Is Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School a good school?

Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School ranks 415^th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Kanapaha Middle School
High : F. W. Buchholz High School

How many students attend Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 749 students attended Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School.

What district is Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School in?

Alachua

What is the racial makeup of Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School?

Students at Lawton M. Chiles Elementary School are 46% White, 21% African American, 13% Hispanic, 13% Asian, 8% Two or more races.

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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.