Stephen Foster Elementary School

Q: Is Stephen Foster Elementary School a good school?

Stephen Foster Elementary School ranks 744 th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Stephen Foster Elementary School is a public elementary school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, serving 691 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Broward County School District, which is ranked 30th out of 68 districts in the state.

Stephen Foster stands out for its significantly higher Hispanic student population (73.81%) compared to nearby schools, which range from 2.46% to 44.69% Hispanic. The school also faces challenges, including consistently high chronic absenteeism rates (30.4% to 39.3%) and lower test scores in English Language Arts and Math compared to the Broward County and Florida state averages. For example, in 2023-2024, only 50% of 3rd graders were proficient in ELA, compared to 57% in Broward and 55% statewide. Additionally, Stephen Foster has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 69.69% to 74.67%, higher than the nearby schools, which range from 27.87% to 91.6%.

Despite these challenges, Stephen Foster has some strengths, such as its 5th-grade science proficiency being higher than the Broward and Florida averages in 2023-2024. However, the school's statewide ranking has been consistently low, ranging from 744 out of 2,256 schools in 2023-2024 to as low as 1,980 out of 2,247 schools in 2020-2021, placing it in the bottom half of elementary schools in the state. Addressing the school's resource needs and equity issues within the district will be crucial in helping Stephen Foster improve its performance and provide a high-quality education for its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

3471 SW 22nd St
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312

(754) 323-5750

District: Broward

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,261

Students who attend Stephen Foster Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	New River Middle School
High:	Stranahan High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.1

Number of students: 691

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

73.8%

African American:

15.9%

White:

8.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 74.7%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Stephen Foster Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Stephen Foster Elementary School ranks better than 67% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 74^th among 189 ranked elementary schools in the Broward School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 65.3. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a 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 Racial makeup is: Hispanic (73.8%), African American (15.9%), White (8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 74.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Stephen Foster Elementary School is 15.1, which is the 26^th best among 189 elementary schools in the Broward School District. (See more...)

Compare Stephen Foster Elementary School employs 45.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Stephen Foster Elementary School is $12,261, which is the 88^th highest among 189 elementary schools in the Broward School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Broward:

SchoolDigger ranks Broward 30^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Stephen Foster Elementary School.

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Rank History for Stephen Foster Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	60.29	683^rd	1688	59.5%
2007	61.12	724^th	1786	59.5%
2008	52.53	894^th	1789	50.0%
2009	52.03	947^th	1847	48.7%
2010	51.56	1002^nd	1919	47.8%
2011	47.70	1103^rd	1985	44.4%
2012	36.21	1293^rd	1984	34.8%
2013	36.38	1320^th	2029	34.9%
2014	23.80	1657^th	2064	19.7%
2016	29.76	1519^th	2087	27.2%
2017	22.98	1696^th	2112	19.7%
2018	24.65	1668^th	2118	21.2%
2019	19.73	1849^th	2182	15.3%
2021	15.21	1980^th	2247	11.9%
2022	17.36	1928^th	2219	13.1%
2023	40.34	1327^th	2240	40.8%
2024	65.30	744^th	2256	67.0%

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: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, September 24, 2018

Amazing teachers who love and care about our kids! Support staff equally amazing! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Stephen Foster Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	333	132	2	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	475
1989	337	135	0	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	477
1990	340	136	0	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	486
1991	386	126	1	19	0	n/a	n/a	0	532
1992	394	146	1	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	564
1993	405	140	0	25	0	n/a	n/a	0	570
1994	402	155	0	47	0	n/a	n/a	0	604
1995	398	131	1	69	0	n/a	n/a	0	599
1996	398	131	1	69	0	n/a	n/a	0	599
1997	426	153	4	84	2	n/a	n/a	0	669
1998	406	171	13	98	2	n/a	n/a	0	690
1999	391	217	10	113	2	n/a	n/a	0	733
2000	356	209	11	120	1	n/a	n/a	0	697
2001	353	214	15	175	2	n/a	n/a	0	759
2002	283	224	14	215	4	n/a	n/a	0	740
2003	283	224	14	215	4	n/a	n/a	0	740
2004	289	177	16	255	1	n/a	n/a	0	738
2005	287	157	14	240	1	n/a	n/a	0	699
2006	263	159	16	240	4	n/a	n/a	0	682
2007	229	141	22	252	2	n/a	n/a	10	656
2008	217	143	28	247	2	n/a	n/a	9	646
2009	205	152	21	247	1	n/a	n/a	12	638
2010	203	132	21	257	1	n/a	n/a	9	623
2011	201	148	15	244	2	0	9	0	619
2012	195	141	19	233	1	0	12	0	601
2013	194	144	19	256	0	0	5	0	618
2014	185	167	17	296	1	0	5	0	671
2015	155	172	11	314	1	1	8	0	662
2016	124	157	17	347	1	0	10	0	656
2017	119	148	15	375	3	0	10	0	670
2018	111	126	15	389	3	0	9	0	653
2019	98	138	17	411	2	1	8	0	675
2020	88	129	18	434	1	1	10	0	681
2021	77	111	15	449	1	1	11	0	665
2022	71	116	7	482	0	1	6	0	683
2023	55	110	7	510	0	1	8	0	691

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 Stephen Foster Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	475	19.0	25.0	30.3
1989	477	23.0	20.7	28.9
1990	486	24.0	20.2	35.6
1991	532	27.0	19.7	32.9
1992	564	28.0	20.1	33.5
1993	570	27.0	21.1	34.7
1994	604	27.0	22.4	30.6
1995	599	29.0	20.7	32.2
1996	599	29.0	20.7	32.2
1997	669	29.0	23.1	42.9
1998	690	31.0	22.3	49.1
1999	733	34.0	21.6	61.9
2000	697	34.0	20.5	65.1
2001	759	37.0	20.5	67.5
2002	740	41.0	18.0	69.7
2003	740	41.0	18.0	69.7
2004	738	43.0	17.2	63.7
2005	699	44.0	15.9	58.5
2006	682	45.0	15.2	58.8
2007	656	41.0	16.0	62.5
2008	646	45.0	14.4	67.7
2009	638	53.4	14.5	69.6
2010	623	42.0	14.8	71.5
2011	619	44.0	14.0	76.7
2012	601	38.0	15.8	78.5
2013	618	42.0	14.7	78
2014	671	42.0	15.9	81.2
2015	662	42.0	15.7	81
2016	656	45.0	14.5	78.8
2017	670	47.0	14.2	83
2018	653	47.0	13.8	85.5
2019	675	42.0	16.0	79.7
2020	681	44.0	15.4	80.6
2021	665	43.0	15.4	70.4
2022	683	44.0	15.5	69.7
2023	691	45.5	15.1	74.7

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 Stephen Foster Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	475	19.0	25.0	30.3
1989	477	23.0	20.7	28.9
1990	486	24.0	20.2	35.6
1991	532	27.0	19.7	32.9
1992	564	28.0	20.1	33.5
1993	570	27.0	21.1	34.7
1994	604	27.0	22.4	30.6
1995	599	29.0	20.7	32.2
1996	599	29.0	20.7	32.2
1997	669	29.0	23.1	42.9
1998	690	31.0	22.3	49.1
1999	733	34.0	21.6	61.9
2000	697	34.0	20.5	65.1
2001	759	37.0	20.5	67.5
2002	740	41.0	18.0	69.7
2003	740	41.0	18.0	69.7
2004	738	43.0	17.2	63.7
2005	699	44.0	15.9	58.5
2006	682	45.0	15.2	58.8
2007	656	41.0	16.0	62.5
2008	646	45.0	14.4	67.7
2009	638	53.4	14.5	69.6
2010	623	42.0	14.8	71.5
2011	619	44.0	14.0	76.7
2012	601	38.0	15.8	78.5
2013	618	42.0	14.7	78
2014	671	42.0	15.9	81.2
2015	662	42.0	15.7	81
2016	656	45.0	14.5	78.8
2017	670	47.0	14.2	83
2018	653	47.0	13.8	85.5
2019	675	42.0	16.0	79.7
2020	681	44.0	15.4	80.6
2021	665	43.0	15.4	70.4
2022	683	44.0	15.5	69.7
2023	691	45.5	15.1	74.7

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 Stephen Foster Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$802 (9.0%)	$8,104 (91.0%)	$8,906
2019	$1,014 (11.0%)	$8,237 (89.0%)	$9,252
2020	$1,196 (11.6%)	$9,076 (88.3%)	$10,273
2021	$1,412 (12.7%)	$9,669 (87.2%)	$11,082
2022	$3,096 (24.3%)	$9,657 (75.7%)	$12,753
2023	$2,474 (20.2%)	$9,786 (79.8%)	$12,261

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Stephen Foster 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 1849^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 1327^th of 2240 Elementary schools	25.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Stephen Foster Elementary School)	32	32
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Broward)	60	54	6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Stephen Foster Elementary School)	35	40	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Broward)	65	58	7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Stephen Foster Elementary School)	41	41
4th Grade English Language Arts (Broward)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Stephen Foster Elementary School)	41	43	2%
4th Grade Mathematics (Broward)	67	61	6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Stephen Foster Elementary School)	39	34	5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Broward)	59	58	1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Stephen Foster Elementary School)	52	34	18%
5th Grade Mathematics (Broward)	64	53	11%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Stephen Foster Elementary School)	41	31	10%
5th Grade Science (Broward)	49	46	3%
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	675	691	2.4%
African American	138	110	20.3%
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	17	7	58.8%
Hispanic	411	510	24.1%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	98	55	43.9%
Two or More Races	8	8
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	79.7%	74.7%	5%

Schools Near Stephen Foster 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
Stephen Foster Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3471 SW 22nd St	Fort Lauderdale	33312	Broward County	Broward	No	No	No	Yes	(754) 323-5750	691	46	15.1	74.7%	55 (8.0%)	110 (15.9%)	510 (73.8%)	7 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	8 (1.2%)	65.3	744^th of 2256 public elementary schools	67.0%		40.3	1327^th of 2240 public elementary schools	40.8%	583	50.0	58.0	48.0	76.0	73.0	80.0	53.0	$12,261	$2,474	$9,786
New Life Charter Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	3550 Davie Blvd	Fort Lauderdale	33312	Broward County	Broward	Yes	No	No	Yes	(954) 381-5199	122	0		27.9%	7 (5.7%)	77 (63.1%)	37 (30.3%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37.8	1405^th of 2256 public elementary schools	37.7%		25.9	1726^th of 2240 public elementary schools	22.9%	321	57.0	43.0	64.0	57.0	21.0	45.0	14.0	$10,124	$1,356	$8,768
Westwood Heights Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2861 SW 9th St	Fort Lauderdale	33312	Broward County	Broward	No	No	No	Yes	(754) 323-7900	522	30	17.4	86.8%	12 (2.3%)	444 (85.1%)	57 (10.9%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.1%)	48	1143^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	49.3%		26.3	1705^th of 2240 public elementary schools	23.9%	562	46.0	48.0	50.0	63.0	49.0	68.0	50.0	$15,245	$3,736	$11,508
Meadowbrook Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2300 SW 46th Ave	Fort Lauderdale	33317	Broward County	Broward	No	No	No	Yes	(754) 323-6500	719	49	14.6	81.5%	69 (9.6%)	125 (17.4%)	513 (71.3%)	5 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.0%)	21.9	1848^th of 2256 public elementary schools	18.1%		18.7	1944^th of 2240 public elementary schools	13.2%	96	36.0	37.0	38.0	40.0	52.0	42.0	30.0	$14,099	$3,759	$10,340
Riverland Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	2600 SW 11th Ct	Fort Lauderdale	33312	Broward County	Broward	No	Yes	No	Yes	(754) 323-7200	490	28	17.5	86.5%	23 (4.7%)	227 (46.3%)	219 (44.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	18 (3.7%)	39.4	1358^th of 2256 public elementary schools	39.8%		29.8	1615^th of 2240 public elementary schools	27.9%	257	36.0	50.0	59.0	35.0	52.0	55.0	48.0	$13,195	$2,714	$10,482
Broward Estates Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	441 NW 35th Ave	Lauderhill	33311	Broward County	Broward	No	Yes	No	Yes	(754) 322-5550	276	18	15.3	89.5%	2 (0.7%)	255 (92.4%)	16 (5.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.1%)	25.2	1759^th of 2256 public elementary schools	22.0%		10.3	2126^th of 2240 public elementary schools	5.1%	367	36.0	33.0	43.0	61.0	42.0	40.0	37.0	$16,093	$2,879	$13,214
Plantation Park Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	875 SW 54th Ave	Plantation	33317	Broward County	Broward	No	No	No	No	(754) 323-7150	512	33	15.5	52.1%	176 (34.4%)	120 (23.4%)	178 (34.8%)	14 (2.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (4.3%)	59.6	872^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	61.3%		66.6	706^th of 2240 public elementary schools	68.5%	166	65.0	64.0	49.0	73.0	61.0	39.0	50.0	$12,147	$1,660	$10,487
Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Montessori Academy	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	591 NW 31st Ave	Lauderhill	33311	Broward County	Broward	No	Yes	No	Yes	(754) 322-6550	488	27	18.0	91.6%	4 (0.8%)	467 (95.7%)	12 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	28.4	1666^th of 2256 public elementary schools	26.2%		26.8	1687^th of 2240 public elementary schools	24.7%	21	42.0	25.0	26.0	64.0	52.0	49.0	28.0	$13,672	$3,432	$10,239
Plantation Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	651 NW 42nd Ave	Plantation	33317	Broward County	Broward	No	Yes	No	Yes	(754) 322-8000	577	40	14.4	82.5%	12 (2.1%)	502 (87.0%)	49 (8.5%)	6 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.4%)	53.8	997^th of 2256 public elementary schools	55.8%		36.5	1428^th of 2240 public elementary schools	36.3%	431	58.0	50.0	54.0	56.0	46.0	59.0	66.0	$14,257	$3,064	$11,192
North Fork Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	101 NW 15th Ave	Fort Lauderdale	33311	Broward County	Broward	No	Yes	No	Yes	(754) 322-7350	358	22	16.2	93.3%	5 (1.4%)	318 (88.8%)	30 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	39.6	1353^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	40.0%		24.3	1760^th of 2240 public elementary schools	21.4%	407	33.0	34.0	44.0	74.0	55.0	57.0	44.0	$17,162	$4,238	$12,925

Frequently Asked Questions about Stephen Foster Elementary School

How many students attend Stephen Foster Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 691 students attended Stephen Foster Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Stephen Foster Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Stephen Foster Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : New River Middle School
High : Stranahan High School

What is the racial makeup of Stephen Foster Elementary School?

Students at Stephen Foster Elementary School are 74% Hispanic, 16% African American, 8% White, 1% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Is Stephen Foster Elementary School a good school?

Stephen Foster Elementary School ranks 744^th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Stephen Foster Elementary School in?

Broward

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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.