Laura C. Saunders Elementary School

Summary:

Laura C. Saunders Elementary School is a public elementary school in Homestead, Florida, serving 477 students in grades PK-5 as part of the Miami-Dade County Public School District.

While the school has a significantly higher percentage of African American (57.23%) and Hispanic (41.72%) students compared to nearby schools, it faces significant challenges. Laura C. Saunders Elementary has consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 25.1% to 50.6%, which are much higher than state and district averages. Academically, the school's performance on standardized tests is significantly lower than state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, only 21% of 3rd-grade students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 55% statewide and 56% in the district. Additionally, the school has an exceptionally high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 79.66% to 96.76%, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

While nearby charter schools, such as Somerset Oaks Academy, Somerset Arts Academy, and Somerset Academy Charter Elementary School (South Homestead), generally outperform Laura C. Saunders Elementary on academic measures, they still struggle to meet state and district averages, suggesting broader challenges in the local education landscape. Despite the higher spending per student at Laura C. Saunders Elementary, the school's academic performance remains significantly below state and district averages, indicating that simply increasing funding may not be the sole solution to improving educational outcomes.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 505 SW 8th St
       Homestead, FL  33030


(305) 247-3933

District: Miami-Dade

SchoolDigger Rank:
2091st of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,488 Help


Students who attend Laura C. Saunders Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Homestead Middle School
High:    Homestead Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio:  15.9 Help
Number of students:  477

Racial breakdown:

African American:
57.2%
Hispanic:
41.7%
White:
0.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  79.7% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Laura C. Saunders Elementary School ranks worse than 92.7% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 268th among 281 ranked elementary schools in the Miami-Dade School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.75. (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: African American (57.2%), Hispanic (41.7%), White (0.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 79.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Laura C. Saunders Elementary School is 15.9, which is the 106th best among 281 elementary schools in the Miami-Dade School District. (See more...)
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Compare Laura C. Saunders Elementary School employs 30 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Laura C. Saunders Elementary School is $14,488, which is the 97th highest among 281 elementary schools in the Miami-Dade School District.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Laura C. Saunders Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Miami-Dade:

SchoolDigger ranks Miami-Dade 24th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Laura C. Saunders Elementary School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools FL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 12.50 1530th 1688 9.4%
2007 14.51 1599th 1786 10.5%
2008 13.83 1626th 1789 9.1%
2009 5.07 1795th 1847 2.8%
2010 9.38 1815th 1919 5.4%
2011 3.01 1965th 1985 1.0%
2012 14.44 1786th 1984 10.0%
2013 35.20 1350th 2029 33.5%
2014 22.05 1706th 2064 17.3%
2016 13.67 1893rd 2087 9.3%
2017 26.81 1580th 2112 25.2%
2018 17.94 1835th 2118 13.4%
2019 15.80 1942nd 2182 11.0%
2021 11.94 2074th 2247 7.7%
2022 15.99 1971st 2219 11.2%
2023 17.43 1973rd 2240 11.9%
2024 12.75 2091st 2256 7.3%
See the entire list of Florida Elementary School Rankings!

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

Laura C. Saunders 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
Monday, August 5, 2019

Open Quote My daughter since she been in Laura c Saunders is done so well since she started Close Quote



Enrollment information for Laura C. Saunders 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 3 535 0 26 0 n/a n/a 0 564
1989 4 572 0 36 0 n/a n/a 0 612
1990 1 574 0 33 0 n/a n/a 0 608
1991 4 572 2 34 0 n/a n/a 0 612
1992 1 614 0 26 0 n/a n/a 0 641
1993 2 535 0 19 0 n/a n/a 0 556
1994 2 488 0 19 0 n/a n/a 0 509
1995 4 489 0 24 0 n/a n/a 0 517
1996 4 489 0 24 0 n/a n/a 0 517
1997 5 404 2 202 0 n/a n/a 0 613
1998 20 474 3 359 0 n/a n/a 0 856
1999 21 517 2 441 0 n/a n/a 0 981
2000 17 583 2 439 0 n/a n/a 0 1041
2001 16 571 2 444 0 n/a n/a 0 1033
2002 20 629 1 500 0 n/a n/a 0 1150
2003 20 629 1 500 0 n/a n/a 0 1150
2004 13 530 1 480 0 n/a n/a 0 1024
2005 14 490 0 437 0 n/a n/a 0 941
2006 17 468 1 438 0 n/a n/a 0 924
2007 18 441 0 429 0 n/a n/a 7 895
2008 11 469 1 443 0 n/a n/a 6 930
2009 9 497 1 459 0 n/a n/a 6 972
2010 10 431 0 396 0 n/a n/a 2 839
2011 15 389 2 390 0 0 1 0 797
2012 15 368 1 342 0 0 0 0 726
2013 12 336 1 353 0 0 0 0 702
2014 11 356 1 365 0 1 2 0 736
2015 11 355 1 298 0 1 0 0 666
2016 9 379 1 302 0 0 1 0 692
2017 3 335 1 255 0 0 1 0 595
2018 6 340 1 249 0 0 2 0 598
2019 5 337 0 255 0 0 1 0 598
2020 8 348 1 256 0 0 1 0 614
2021 3 313 1 207 0 0 1 0 525
2022 5 311 0 227 1 0 0 0 544
2023 4 273 0 199 1 0 0 0 477

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 Laura C. Saunders Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 564 37.0 15.2 77.3
1989 612 39.0 15.6 95.9
1990 608 36.0 16.8 93.3
1991 612 34.0 18.0 94.4
1992 641 35.0 18.3 87.7
1993 556 32.0 17.4 41
1994 509 33.0 15.4 95.1
1995 517 32.0 16.2 95
1996 517 32.0 16.2 95
1997 613 37.0 16.6 94.9
1998 856 48.0 17.8 95
1999 981 55.0 17.8 94.9
2000 1041 57.0 18.3 99.5
2001 1033 61.0 16.9 99.2
2002 1150 74.0 15.5 98.9
2003 1150 74.0 15.5 98.9
2004 1024 64.0 16.0 99.7
2005 941 70.0 13.4 99.5
2006 924 72.0 12.8 92.2
2007 895 71.0 12.6 94.8
2008 930 74.5 12.5 96.1
2009 972 63.2 15.4 96.3
2010 839 61.0 13.7 97.3
2011 797 57.0 13.9 99.2
2012 726 51.0 14.2 99.4
2013 702 49.0 14.3 99.6
2014 736 49.0 15.0 99.6
2015 666 47.0 14.1 99.7
2016 692 47.0 14.7 99.1
2017 595 43.0 13.8 97.5
2018 598 42.0 14.2 94.3
2019 598 39.0 15.3 97.2
2020 614 38.0 16.1 97.2
2021 525 37.0 14.1 96.8
2022 544 35.0 15.5 94.5
2023 477 30.0 15.9 79.7

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 Laura C. Saunders Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 564 37.0 15.2 77.3
1989 612 39.0 15.6 95.9
1990 608 36.0 16.8 93.3
1991 612 34.0 18.0 94.4
1992 641 35.0 18.3 87.7
1993 556 32.0 17.4 41
1994 509 33.0 15.4 95.1
1995 517 32.0 16.2 95
1996 517 32.0 16.2 95
1997 613 37.0 16.6 94.9
1998 856 48.0 17.8 95
1999 981 55.0 17.8 94.9
2000 1041 57.0 18.3 99.5
2001 1033 61.0 16.9 99.2
2002 1150 74.0 15.5 98.9
2003 1150 74.0 15.5 98.9
2004 1024 64.0 16.0 99.7
2005 941 70.0 13.4 99.5
2006 924 72.0 12.8 92.2
2007 895 71.0 12.6 94.8
2008 930 74.5 12.5 96.1
2009 972 63.2 15.4 96.3
2010 839 61.0 13.7 97.3
2011 797 57.0 13.9 99.2
2012 726 51.0 14.2 99.4
2013 702 49.0 14.3 99.6
2014 736 49.0 15.0 99.6
2015 666 47.0 14.1 99.7
2016 692 47.0 14.7 99.1
2017 595 43.0 13.8 97.5
2018 598 42.0 14.2 94.3
2019 598 39.0 15.3 97.2
2020 614 38.0 16.1 97.2
2021 525 37.0 14.1 96.8
2022 544 35.0 15.5 94.5
2023 477 30.0 15.9 79.7

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 Laura C. Saunders Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018 $1,478 (13.2%) $9,692 (86.8%) $11,170
2019 $1,179 (11.9%) $8,727 (88.1%) $9,905
2020 $1,158 (10.5%) $9,854 (89.5%) $11,012
2021 $2,529 (18.9%) $10,820 (81.1%) $13,349
2022 $3,016 (22.6%) $10,313 (77.4%) $13,328
2023 $3,527 (24.3%) $10,961 (75.7%) $14,488

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Laura C. Saunders 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 1942nd of 2182 Elementary schoolsRanks 1973rd of 2240 Elementary schools
 0.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Laura C. Saunders Elementary School)2523
 2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Miami-Dade)6056
 4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5853
 5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Laura C. Saunders Elementary School)3435
 1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Miami-Dade)6760
 7%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)6258
 4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Laura C. Saunders Elementary School)3334
 1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Miami-Dade)6462
 2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5857
 1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Laura C. Saunders Elementary School)5946
 13%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Miami-Dade)6965
 4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)6461
 3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Laura C. Saunders Elementary School)2438
 14%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Miami-Dade)6059
 1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5655
 1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Laura C. Saunders Elementary School)4838
 10%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Miami-Dade)6554
 11%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)6052
 8%
5th Grade Science (Laura C. Saunders Elementary School)2738
 11%
   5th Grade Science (Miami-Dade)5350
 3%
   5th Grade Science (Florida)5351
 2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students598477
 20.2%
African American337273
 19%
American Indian01
Asian00
Hispanic255199
 22%
Pacific Islander00
White54
 20%
Two or More Races10
 100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients97.2%79.7%
 17.5%


Schools Near Laura C. Saunders Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Laura C. Saunders Elementary School

Students who attend Laura C. Saunders Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Homestead Middle School
High : Homestead Senior High School

Laura C. Saunders Elementary School ranks in the bottom 7.3% of Florida elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 477 students attended Laura C. Saunders Elementary School.

Students at Laura C. Saunders Elementary School are 57% African American, 42% Hispanic.


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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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