Tropical Elementary School

Summary:

Tropical Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Merritt Island, Florida, serving grades PK-6 with a student population of 671. This school stands out as a high-performing institution, consistently achieving strong academic results and maintaining a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger, ranking among the top 25% of Florida elementary schools.

Tropical Elementary School's academic performance is particularly impressive, with students consistently outperforming the Brevard County and Florida state averages in standardized test scores across all grade levels and subjects. In the 2023-2024 school year, 69% of 5th-grade students were proficient or better in Statewide Science, compared to 58% in Brevard County and 53% statewide. The school's 4th-grade English Language Arts (ELA) and Math proficiency rates were 77%, significantly higher than the Brevard County and Florida averages. Additionally, the school's 6th-grade Math proficiency rate was 76%, compared to 66% in Brevard County and 56% statewide.

Tropical Elementary School's diverse student population, with 77.2% White, 9.69% Hispanic, and 8.79% two or more races, is higher than some nearby schools, such as Lewis Carroll Elementary (80.19% White) and Robert L. Stevenson Elementary (85.38% White). However, the school's relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 51.27%, is an interesting point of comparison to nearby schools like Endeavour Elementary (72.11%) and Cambridge Elementary Magnet (78.38%).


Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

 885 S Courtenay Pkwy
       Merritt Island, FL  32952


(321) 454-1080

District: Brevard

SchoolDigger Rank:
547th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,333 Help


Students who attend Tropical Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Thomas Jefferson Middle School
High:    Merritt Island High School

Student/teacher ratio:  18.1 Help
Number of students:  671

Racial breakdown:

White:
77.2%
Hispanic:
9.7%
Two or more races:
8.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  51.3% Help


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 Compare Tropical Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Tropical Elementary School ranks better than 75.8% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 24th among 66 ranked elementary schools in the Brevard School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 74.01. (See more...)
Help
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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (77.2%), Hispanic (9.7%), two or more races (8.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 51.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Tropical Elementary School is 18.1. 59 elementary schools in the Brevard School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Tropical Elementary School employs 37 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Tropical Elementary School is $9,333. 55 elementary schools in the Brevard School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Tropical Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Brevard:

SchoolDigger ranks Brevard 22nd of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Tropical Elementary School?

Rank History for Tropical Elementary School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools FL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 93.43 15th 199 92.5%
2005 94.53 13th 202 93.6%
2006 87.83 160th 1688 90.5%
2007 92.18 61st 1786 96.6%
2008 92.35 63rd 1789 96.5%
2009 90.51 91st 1847 95.1%
2010 89.39 116th 1919 94.0%
2011 87.33 174th 1985 91.2%
2012 89.21 148th 1984 92.5%
2013 85.57 229th 2029 88.7%
2014 83.32 307th 2064 85.1%
2016 87.22 215th 2087 89.7%
2017 86.53 231st 2112 89.1%
2018 78.92 415th 2118 80.4%
2019 72.04 582nd 2182 73.3%
2021 72.17 598th 2247 73.4%
2022 76.60 487th 2219 78.1%
2023 79.08 427th 2240 80.9%
2024 74.01 547th 2256 75.8%
See the entire list of Florida Elementary School Rankings!

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

Tropical Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    






Data source: Florida Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Saturday, December 30, 2017

Open Quote So awesome! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Tropical Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 822 10 10 12 0 n/a n/a 0 854
1989 907 12 7 16 2 n/a n/a 0 944
1990 987 12 9 14 2 n/a n/a 0 1024
1991 1026 9 14 21 5 n/a n/a 0 1075
1992 1029 7 14 26 5 n/a n/a 0 1081
1993 1029 7 14 16 5 n/a n/a 0 1071
1994 1048 3 16 15 7 n/a n/a 0 1089
1995 966 7 15 24 6 n/a n/a 0 1018
1996 966 7 15 24 6 n/a n/a 0 1018
1997 956 8 9 15 2 n/a n/a 0 990
1998 966 8 18 20 0 n/a n/a 0 1012
1999 947 7 20 27 1 n/a n/a 0 1002
2000 906 6 21 30 2 n/a n/a 0 965
2001 865 11 13 29 4 n/a n/a 0 922
2002 780 9 13 42 2 n/a n/a 0 846
2003 780 9 13 42 2 n/a n/a 0 846
2004 764 9 16 45 1 n/a n/a 0 835
2005 774 15 18 39 0 n/a n/a 0 846
2006 773 15 16 44 3 n/a n/a 0 851
2007 706 7 21 43 0 n/a n/a 37 814
2008 646 15 21 38 2 n/a n/a 36 758
2009 633 15 21 32 2 n/a n/a 37 740
2010 612 8 27 27 4 n/a n/a 34 712
2011 549 7 26 57 2 0 49 0 690
2012 527 6 27 53 1 0 54 0 668
2013 501 9 24 62 1 0 46 0 643
2014 513 19 19 68 3 1 51 0 674
2015 583 19 14 59 2 1 58 0 736
2016 591 31 18 64 3 2 56 0 765
2017 596 31 18 78 0 1 63 0 787
2018 599 29 15 80 1 2 70 0 796
2019 608 36 14 92 1 1 73 0 825
2020 605 31 11 84 0 1 72 0 804
2021 510 27 10 73 0 1 60 0 681
2022 505 20 7 50 0 0 60 0 642
2023 518 16 11 65 0 2 59 0 671

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 Tropical Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 854 44.0 19.4 7.8
1989 944 50.0 18.8 9.9
1990 1024 53.0 19.3 13.3
1991 1075 56.0 19.1 13.1
1992 1081 55.0 19.6 11.4
1993 1071 55.0 19.5 12.5
1994 1089 55.0 19.8 11.8
1995 1018 53.0 19.2 15.6
1996 1018 53.0 19.2 15.6
1997 990 52.0 19.0 11.8
1998 1012 53.0 19.1 11.4
1999 1002 53.0 18.9 15.2
2000 965 52.0 18.6 16.1
2001 922 50.0 18.4 15.9
2002 846 47.0 18.0 16.1
2003 846 47.0 18.0 16.1
2004 835 46.0 18.2 13.8
2005 846 49.0 17.3 19
2006 851 53.0 16.1 18.6
2007 814 49.0 16.6 17.2
2008 758 48.0 15.8 19.8
2009 740 51.1 15.7 24.3
2010 712 45.5 15.6 28.6
2011 690 45.8 15.0 32.6
2012 668 44.8 14.9 32.2
2013 643 44.0 14.6 31.9
2014 674 46.0 14.6 35.3
2015 736 48.0 15.3 43.2
2016 765 50.0 15.3 46.8
2017 787 52.0 15.1 47.1
2018 796 54.0 14.7 42.2
2019 825 52.0 15.8 44.8
2020 804 51.0 15.7 44.5
2021 681 47.0 14.4 49.3
2022 642 43.0 14.9 50
2023 671 37.0 18.1 51.3

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 Tropical Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 854 44.0 19.4 7.8
1989 944 50.0 18.8 9.9
1990 1024 53.0 19.3 13.3
1991 1075 56.0 19.1 13.1
1992 1081 55.0 19.6 11.4
1993 1071 55.0 19.5 12.5
1994 1089 55.0 19.8 11.8
1995 1018 53.0 19.2 15.6
1996 1018 53.0 19.2 15.6
1997 990 52.0 19.0 11.8
1998 1012 53.0 19.1 11.4
1999 1002 53.0 18.9 15.2
2000 965 52.0 18.6 16.1
2001 922 50.0 18.4 15.9
2002 846 47.0 18.0 16.1
2003 846 47.0 18.0 16.1
2004 835 46.0 18.2 13.8
2005 846 49.0 17.3 19
2006 851 53.0 16.1 18.6
2007 814 49.0 16.6 17.2
2008 758 48.0 15.8 19.8
2009 740 51.1 15.7 24.3
2010 712 45.5 15.6 28.6
2011 690 45.8 15.0 32.6
2012 668 44.8 14.9 32.2
2013 643 44.0 14.6 31.9
2014 674 46.0 14.6 35.3
2015 736 48.0 15.3 43.2
2016 765 50.0 15.3 46.8
2017 787 52.0 15.1 47.1
2018 796 54.0 14.7 42.2
2019 825 52.0 15.8 44.8
2020 804 51.0 15.7 44.5
2021 681 47.0 14.4 49.3
2022 642 43.0 14.9 50
2023 671 37.0 18.1 51.3

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 Tropical Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018 $366 (5.0%) $6,897 (95.0%) $7,263
2019 $390 (5.4%) $6,867 (94.6%) $7,256
2020 $423 (5.5%) $7,261 (94.5%) $7,684
2021 $685 (8.2%) $7,631 (91.8%) $8,315
2022 $1,267 (13.4%) $8,169 (86.6%) $9,436
2023 $1,602 (17.2%) $7,731 (82.8%) $9,333

Data source: Florida Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Tropical 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 582nd of 2182 Elementary schoolsRanks 427th of 2240 Elementary schools
 7.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Tropical Elementary School)6357
 6%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Brevard)6458
 6%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5853
 5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Tropical Elementary School)5751
 6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Brevard)6159
 2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)6258
 4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Tropical Elementary School)6675
 9%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Brevard)6160
 1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5857
 1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Tropical Elementary School)6665
 1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Brevard)6460
 4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)6461
 3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Tropical Elementary School)7772
 5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Brevard)6061
 1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5655
 1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Tropical Elementary School)6871
 3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Brevard)6056
 4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)6052
 8%
5th Grade Science (Tropical Elementary School)6479
 15%
   5th Grade Science (Brevard)5657
 1%
   5th Grade Science (Florida)5351
 2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Tropical Elementary School)7577
 2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Brevard)6064
 4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5452
 2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Tropical Elementary School)8570
 15%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Brevard)6766
 1%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Florida)5549
 6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students825671
 18.7%
African American3616
 55.6%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian1411
 21.4%
Hispanic9265
 29.3%
Pacific Islander12
 100%
White608518
 14.8%
Two or More Races7359
 19.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients44.8%51.3%
 6.4%


Schools Near Tropical Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Tropical Elementary School

In the 2022-23 school year, 671 students attended Tropical Elementary School.

Students who attend Tropical Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Thomas Jefferson Middle School
High : Merritt Island High School

Students at Tropical Elementary School are 77% White, 10% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 2% African American, 2% Asian.

Tropical Elementary School ranks 547th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.


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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.





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