Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School

Q: Is Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School a good school?

Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School ranks 931 st of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School is a public elementary school in Cutler Bay, Florida, serving 643 students in grades PK-5 and part of the Miami-Dade school district.

The school stands out for its significantly higher Hispanic student population (76.05%) compared to nearby schools, which range from 14.69% to 87.84% Hispanic students. While the school's test scores generally outperform the district and state averages, it has experienced a steady increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 21.6% in 2018-2019 to 26.1% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the state and district averages. The school's spending per student has fluctuated over the years, ranging from $11,454 in 2019-2020 to $14,882 in 2021-2022, and it has maintained a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 14.7 to 16.4 over the past few years.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Goulds Elementary (43.2% chronic absenteeism) and Robert Russa Moton Elementary (46.1% chronic absenteeism), Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary has a lower chronic absenteeism rate, suggesting a potential area of strength. Additionally, the school's test scores, particularly in English Language Arts and Math, are generally higher than the nearby schools, indicating strong academic performance.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

21545 SW 87th Ave
Cutler Bay, FL 33189

(305) 234-4840

District: Miami-Dade

SchoolDigger Rank:
931^st of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,199

Students who attend Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Cutler Bay Middle
High:	Miami Southridge Senior High

Student/teacher ratio: 16.4

Number of students: 643

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

76.0%

African American:

15.6%

White:

5.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 64.7%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School ranks better than 58.7% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 131^st among 281 ranked elementary schools in the Miami-Dade School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 56.67. (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 (76%), African American (15.6%), White (5.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 64.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School is 16.4, which is the 140^th best among 281 elementary schools in the Miami-Dade School District. (See more...)

Compare Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School employs 39 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School is $13,199, which is the 142^nd highest among 281 elementary schools in the Miami-Dade School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Miami-Dade:

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

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School.

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Rank History for Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	36.99	1105^th	1688	34.5%
2007	24.24	1431^st	1786	19.9%
2008	28.08	1370^th	1789	23.4%
2009	39.61	1207^th	1847	34.7%
2010	24.24	1551^st	1919	19.2%
2011	27.88	1534^th	1985	22.7%
2012	44.87	1113^th	1984	43.9%
2013	31.19	1452^nd	2029	28.4%
2014	36.39	1348^th	2064	34.7%
2016	42.66	1199^th	2087	42.5%
2017	54.21	955^th	2112	54.8%
2018	47.65	1117^th	2118	47.3%
2019	56.45	929^th	2182	57.4%
2021	50.74	1069^th	2247	52.4%
2022	62.03	797^th	2219	64.1%
2023	54.59	979^th	2240	56.3%
2024	56.67	931^st	2256	58.7%

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: 2.8)

25%

50%

Reviews:

by a parent
Tuesday, August 25, 2015

The worst school I have ever been to. Stale staff. Registration process is a huge mess. Lazy officials. Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, July 24, 2014

We have had two wonderful teachers and my child did well. Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, May 13, 2010

This school is a NIGHTMARE!!! Its filthy, staff is rude and appears to not care at all about anything. There is a very small amount of teachers that actually care, and the majority have nasty scowls on there faces and are completely unaware that the have a job. The school is unorganized and a mess! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1997	115	303	4	193	0	n/a	n/a	0	615
1998	171	408	8	297	0	n/a	n/a	0	884
1999	152	444	7	327	3	n/a	n/a	0	933
2000	136	420	4	354	1	n/a	n/a	0	915
2001	117	416	5	355	3	n/a	n/a	0	896
2002	97	432	3	448	3	n/a	n/a	0	983
2003	97	432	3	448	3	n/a	n/a	0	983
2004	87	424	5	456	3	n/a	n/a	0	975
2005	83	444	3	499	2	n/a	n/a	0	1031
2006	80	477	3	543	3	n/a	n/a	0	1106
2007	94	415	9	570	2	n/a	n/a	44	1134
2008	82	229	15	448	0	n/a	n/a	29	803
2009	77	215	12	401	0	n/a	n/a	36	741
2010	83	239	11	395	0	n/a	n/a	5	733
2011	67	207	9	365	0	0	7	0	655
2012	70	182	9	366	0	0	6	0	633
2013	71	202	9	455	0	0	5	0	742
2014	67	181	14	524	1	0	13	0	800
2015	65	186	13	583	0	0	15	0	862
2016	67	188	17	583	0	0	18	0	873
2017	49	184	20	536	0	1	18	0	808
2018	46	142	15	542	0	1	12	0	758
2019	54	139	16	536	0	1	12	0	758
2020	46	130	19	536	0	0	13	0	744
2021	36	129	18	475	0	0	7	0	665
2022	35	107	14	443	0	0	5	0	604
2023	34	100	12	489	0	0	8	0	643

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 Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1997	615	30.0	20.5	68.5
1998	884	42.0	21.0	59.6
1999	933	43.0	21.7	65.9
2000	915	44.0	20.8	72.8
2001	896	46.0	19.5	73.4
2002	983	54.0	18.2	80.7
2003	983	54.0	18.2	80.7
2004	975	52.0	18.8	83.2
2005	1031	55.0	18.7	84.6
2006	1106	62.0	17.8	78.2
2007	1134	71.0	16.0	74.7
2008	803	52.0	15.4	66.7
2009	741	50.2	14.8	71.1
2010	733	49.0	14.9	67
2011	655	43.0	15.2	74.8
2012	633	43.0	14.7	81.5
2013	742	49.0	15.1	80.2
2014	800	52.0	15.3	80.5
2015	862	53.0	16.2	80.7
2016	873	53.0	16.4	80.6
2017	808	51.0	15.8	81.8
2018	758	47.0	16.1	76.9
2019	758	45.0	16.8	77.7
2020	744	45.0	16.5	74.9
2021	665	44.0	15.1	78.2
2022	604	41.0	14.7	79.1
2023	643	39.0	16.4	64.7

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 Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1997	615	30.0	20.5	68.5
1998	884	42.0	21.0	59.6
1999	933	43.0	21.7	65.9
2000	915	44.0	20.8	72.8
2001	896	46.0	19.5	73.4
2002	983	54.0	18.2	80.7
2003	983	54.0	18.2	80.7
2004	975	52.0	18.8	83.2
2005	1031	55.0	18.7	84.6
2006	1106	62.0	17.8	78.2
2007	1134	71.0	16.0	74.7
2008	803	52.0	15.4	66.7
2009	741	50.2	14.8	71.1
2010	733	49.0	14.9	67
2011	655	43.0	15.2	74.8
2012	633	43.0	14.7	81.5
2013	742	49.0	15.1	80.2
2014	800	52.0	15.3	80.5
2015	862	53.0	16.2	80.7
2016	873	53.0	16.4	80.6
2017	808	51.0	15.8	81.8
2018	758	47.0	16.1	76.9
2019	758	45.0	16.8	77.7
2020	744	45.0	16.5	74.9
2021	665	44.0	15.1	78.2
2022	604	41.0	14.7	79.1
2023	643	39.0	16.4	64.7

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 Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$901 (9.1%)	$8,983 (90.9%)	$9,884
2019	$760 (7.7%)	$9,148 (92.3%)	$9,907
2020	$763 (6.7%)	$10,691 (93.3%)	$11,454
2021	$2,069 (15.6%)	$11,167 (84.4%)	$13,237
2022	$2,489 (16.7%)	$12,394 (83.3%)	$14,882
2023	$1,910 (14.5%)	$11,290 (85.5%)	$13,199

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Dr. Edward L. Whigham 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 929^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 979^th of 2240 Elementary schools	1.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School)	60	58	2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Miami-Dade)	60	56	4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School)	78	70	8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Miami-Dade)	67	60	7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School)	63	61	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Miami-Dade)	64	62	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School)	67	51	16%
4th Grade Mathematics (Miami-Dade)	69	65	4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School)	55	61	6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Miami-Dade)	60	59	1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School)	54	53	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Miami-Dade)	65	54	11%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School)	42	49	7%
5th Grade Science (Miami-Dade)	53	50	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	758	643	15.2%
African American	139	100	28.1%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	16	12	25%
Hispanic	536	489	8.8%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	54	34	37%
Two or More Races	12	8	33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	77.7%	64.7%	13%

Schools Near Dr. Edward L. Whigham 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)		EOC Algebra 1 (2024)	EOC Geometry (2024)	EOC Biology 1 (2024)	EOC Civics (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 English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	21545 SW 87th Ave	Cutler Bay	33189	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	No	No	Yes	(305) 234-4840	643	39	16.4	64.7%	34 (5.3%)	100 (15.6%)	489 (76.0%)	12 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.2%)	56.7	931^st of 2256 public elementary schools	58.7%		54.6	979^th of 2240 public elementary schools	56.3%	48	65.0	44.0	56.0				74.0	43.0	58.0				60.0						$13,199	$1,910	$11,290
Mater Academy Bay Elementary	Public, Charter	K-5	22025 SW 87th Ave	Cutler Bay	33190	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	Yes	No	No	No	(305) 969-5989	962	12	80.1	53.3%	54 (5.6%)	53 (5.5%)	845 (87.8%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (0.8%)	89.6	192^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	91.5%		90.5	161^st of 2240 public elementary schools	92.8%	31	82.0	77.0	80.0				78.0	79.0	68.0				80.0						$9,907	$336	$9,571
Gulfstream Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	20900 SW 97th Ave	Cutler Bay	33189	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	No	No	Yes	(305) 235-6811	603	54	11.1	70.8%	27 (4.5%)	142 (23.5%)	420 (69.7%)	10 (1.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	54.5	985^th of 2256 public elementary schools	56.3%		52.2	1041^st of 2240 public elementary schools	53.5%	56	42.0	49.0	70.0				39.0	70.0	68.0				71.0						$22,041	$4,790	$17,251
Cutler Ridge Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	20210 Coral Sea Rd	Cutler Bay	33189	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	No	No	Yes	(305) 235-4611	396	23	17.2	67.4%	22 (5.6%)	97 (24.5%)	274 (69.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	39	1369^th of 2256 public elementary schools	39.3%		40.5	1324^th of 2240 public elementary schools	40.9%	45	49.0	48.0	58.0				47.0	56.0	43.0				39.0						$14,845	$2,852	$11,993
Whispering Pines Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	18929 SW 89th Rd	Miami	33157	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	No	No	No	(305) 238-7382	483	28	17.2	47.8%	75 (15.5%)	41 (8.5%)	342 (70.8%)	8 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.5%)	82.4	347^th of 2256 public elementary schools	84.6%		75.7	488^th of 2240 public elementary schools	78.2%	141	75.0	71.0	66.0				78.0	75.0	63.0				69.0						$12,480	$1,472	$11,008
Coral Reef Montessori Academy Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	10853 SW 216th St	Cutler Bay	33170	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	Yes	No	No	No	(305) 255-0064	532	24	22.1	33.6%	41 (7.7%)	123 (23.1%)	345 (64.8%)	6 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.0%)	43.1	1265^th of 2256 public elementary schools	43.9%		46	1187^th of 2240 public elementary schools	47.0%	78	63.0	54.0	65.0	65.0	66.0	68.0	42.0	30.0	44.0	52.0	67.0	61.0	37.0	48.0	73.0			86.0	$9,646	$339	$9,308
Bel-Aire Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	10205 SW 194th St	Cutler Bay	33157	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	No	No	Yes	(305) 233-5401	319	20	15.9	75.9%	11 (3.4%)	101 (31.7%)	198 (62.1%)	7 (2.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	39.3	1360^th of 2256 public elementary schools	39.7%		33.3	1514^th of 2240 public elementary schools	32.4%	154	47.0	32.0	52.0				67.0	49.0	56.0				32.0						$15,094	$3,432	$11,662
Goulds Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	23555 SW 112th Ave	Homestead	33032	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	No	No	Yes	(305) 257-4400	407	26	15.6	74.4%	11 (2.7%)	197 (48.4%)	191 (46.9%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.5%)	11.7	2114^th of 2256 public elementary schools	6.3%		21.2	1865^th of 2240 public elementary schools	16.7%	249	14.0	28.0	31.0				43.0	41.0	31.0				23.0						$16,422	$3,496	$12,926
Robert Russa Moton Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	18050 Homestead Ave	Perrine	33157	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	Yes	No	Yes	(305) 235-3612	177	13	13.6	82.5%	3 (1.7%)	147 (83.1%)	26 (14.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	26.7	1717^th of 2256 public elementary schools	23.9%		14.3	2047^th of 2240 public elementary schools	8.6%	330	34.0	42.0	32.0				52.0	55.0	32.0				40.0						$23,728	$7,655	$16,072
Somerset Academy Silver Palms	Public, Charter	K-8	23255 SW 115th Ave	Homestead	33032	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	Yes	No	No	Yes	(305) 257-3737	1,939	0	25.0	71.3%	65 (3.4%)	147 (7.6%)	1,676 (86.4%)	32 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	18 (0.9%)	81	382^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	83.1%		81.2	383^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	82.9%	1	64.0	67.0	68.0	85.0	84.0	74.0	82.0	83.0	59.0	78.0	86.0	76.0	62.0	45.0	86.0	93.0	99.0	93.0	$9,319	$994	$8,324

Frequently Asked Questions about Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Cutler Bay Middle
High : Miami Southridge Senior High

What is the racial makeup of Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School?

Students at Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School are 76% Hispanic, 16% African American, 5% White, 2% Asian, 1% Two or more races.

How many students attend Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 643 students attended Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School.

What district is Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School in?

Miami-Dade

Is Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School a good school?

Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School ranks 931^st of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School!

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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.