Bell Elementary School

Q: Is Bell Elementary School a good school?

Bell Elementary School ranks 512 th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Bell Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 661 students in grades PK-5 in Bell, Florida, which is part of the highly-ranked Gilchrist School District. The school consistently outperforms the district and state in academic achievement, with strong test scores across grade levels and subject areas. However, Bell Elementary has seen a concerning rise in chronic absenteeism in recent years, reaching 26.1% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the state average.

Despite having a relatively high percentage of economically disadvantaged students (58.4% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch), Trenton Elementary School and High Springs Community School have lower test scores and higher chronic absenteeism rates than Bell Elementary. This suggests that the higher spending per student ($11,085 in 2022-2023) at Bell Elementary may be contributing to its academic success, even with a relatively high percentage of economically disadvantaged students.

In conclusion, Bell Elementary School is a strong-performing elementary school that consistently outperforms the Gilchrist district and the state of Florida in academic achievement. However, the school's rising chronic absenteeism rates are a concern that should be addressed. The school's higher spending per student and its performance relative to nearby schools suggest that targeted resource allocation and funding can positively impact student outcomes, even in a school with a relatively high percentage of economically disadvantaged students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

2771 E Bell Ave
Bell, FL 32619

(352) 463-3275

District: Gilchrist

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,085

Students who attend Bell Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Bell High School

Student/teacher ratio: 18.7

Number of students: 661

Racial breakdown:

White:

83.5%

Hispanic:

13.2%

Two or more races:

1.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 58.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Bell Elementary School ranks better than 77.3% of elementary schools in Florida. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 75.69. (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: White (83.5%), Hispanic (13.2%), two or more races (1.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 58.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Gilchrist School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bell Elementary School is 18.7. 1 elementary schools in the Gilchrist School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Bell Elementary School employs 35.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bell Elementary School is $11,085, which is the highest among 3 elementary schools in the Gilchrist School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Gilchrist:

SchoolDigger ranks Gilchrist 5^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Bell Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	67.37	561^st	1688	66.8%
2007	72.61	472^nd	1786	73.6%
2008	70.95	506^th	1789	71.7%
2009	62.01	734^th	1847	60.3%
2010	67.39	645^th	1919	66.4%
2011	74.94	469^th	1985	76.4%
2012	67.48	635^th	1984	68.0%
2013	68.52	611^th	2029	69.9%
2014	58.17	863^rd	2064	58.2%
2016	56.75	896^th	2087	57.1%
2017	75.40	485^th	2112	77.0%
2018	71.34	573^rd	2118	72.9%
2019	75.59	502^nd	2182	77.0%
2021	77.47	481^st	2247	78.6%
2022	70.70	616^th	2219	72.2%
2023	67.07	689^th	2240	69.2%
2024	75.69	512^th	2256	77.3%

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

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Bell Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1995	499	1	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	505
1996	499	1	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	505
1997	531	2	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	537
1998	555	2	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	563
1999	599	2	0	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	612
2000	626	2	1	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	642
2001	615	4	0	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	631
2002	543	8	0	17	2	n/a	n/a	0	570
2003	543	8	0	17	2	n/a	n/a	0	570
2004	600	8	0	20	2	n/a	n/a	0	630
2005	597	9	0	27	2	n/a	n/a	0	635
2006	598	9	0	24	2	n/a	n/a	0	633
2007	587	11	1	28	2	n/a	n/a	5	634
2008	586	11	2	27	0	n/a	n/a	4	630
2009	524	13	3	28	0	n/a	n/a	4	572
2010	490	12	3	24	0	n/a	n/a	5	534
2011	509	10	3	25	0	0	6	0	553
2012	463	7	2	21	0	0	14	0	507
2013	447	5	2	36	0	1	15	0	506
2014	470	5	1	35	0	1	16	0	528
2015	474	5	1	46	0	0	21	0	547
2016	496	5	1	48	0	0	17	0	567
2017	516	2	1	53	0	0	13	0	585
2018	498	1	2	67	0	0	15	0	583
2019	529	4	1	75	1	0	14	0	624
2020	555	8	0	90	1	0	20	0	674
2021	470	3	0	76	1	0	10	0	560
2022	547	7	1	85	2	1	11	0	654
2023	552	9	1	87	1	1	10	0	661

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 Bell Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	505	25.0	20.2	60.4
1996	505	25.0	20.2	60.4
1997	537	28.0	19.2	55.1
1998	563	29.0	19.4	51.3
1999	612	32.0	19.1	59.6
2000	642	37.0	17.4	64.6
2001	631	38.0	16.6	47.4
2002	570	34.0	16.8	58.4
2003	570	34.0	16.8	58.4
2004	630	36.0	17.5	58.3
2005	635	41.0	15.5	57.2
2006	633	41.0	15.4	57
2007	634	37.0	17.1	54.8
2008	630	37.5	16.8	50.8
2009	572	39.1	16.1	60.4
2010	534	30.5	17.5	68.2
2011	553	32.0	17.2	60
2012	507	31.0	16.3	66.7
2013	506	30.0	16.8	68.8
2014	528	29.0	18.2	69.1
2015	547	29.0	18.8	56.9
2016	567	30.0	18.9	56.8
2017	585	31.0	18.8	59
2018	583	31.0	18.8	64.2
2019	624	32.8	18.9	53.8
2020	674	34.1	19.7	56.1
2021	560	34.0	16.4	53.4
2022	654	35.8	18.2	56.9
2023	661	35.1	18.7	58.4

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 Bell Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	505	25.0	20.2	60.4
1996	505	25.0	20.2	60.4
1997	537	28.0	19.2	55.1
1998	563	29.0	19.4	51.3
1999	612	32.0	19.1	59.6
2000	642	37.0	17.4	64.6
2001	631	38.0	16.6	47.4
2002	570	34.0	16.8	58.4
2003	570	34.0	16.8	58.4
2004	630	36.0	17.5	58.3
2005	635	41.0	15.5	57.2
2006	633	41.0	15.4	57
2007	634	37.0	17.1	54.8
2008	630	37.5	16.8	50.8
2009	572	39.1	16.1	60.4
2010	534	30.5	17.5	68.2
2011	553	32.0	17.2	60
2012	507	31.0	16.3	66.7
2013	506	30.0	16.8	68.8
2014	528	29.0	18.2	69.1
2015	547	29.0	18.8	56.9
2016	567	30.0	18.9	56.8
2017	585	31.0	18.8	59
2018	583	31.0	18.8	64.2
2019	624	32.8	18.9	53.8
2020	674	34.1	19.7	56.1
2021	560	34.0	16.4	53.4
2022	654	35.8	18.2	56.9
2023	661	35.1	18.7	58.4

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 Bell Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$1,940 (19.2%)	$8,150 (80.8%)	$10,090
2019	$1,446 (16.2%)	$7,492 (83.8%)	$8,937
2020	$1,201 (13.3%)	$7,811 (86.7%)	$9,012
2021	$1,989 (18.0%)	$9,045 (82.0%)	$11,033
2022	$1,636 (16.5%)	$8,267 (83.5%)	$9,904
2023	$2,245 (20.3%)	$8,841 (79.8%)	$11,085

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bell 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 502^nd of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 689^th of 2240 Elementary schools	7.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Bell Elementary School)	67	64	3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Gilchrist)	70	58	12%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Bell Elementary School)	73	73
3rd Grade Mathematics (Gilchrist)	80	66	14%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Bell Elementary School)	68	56	12%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Gilchrist)	67	60	7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Bell Elementary School)	64	75	11%
4th Grade Mathematics (Gilchrist)	72	76	4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Bell Elementary School)	74	64	10%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Gilchrist)	74	69	5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Bell Elementary School)	72	51	21%
5th Grade Mathematics (Gilchrist)	77	54	23%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Bell Elementary School)	74	60	14%
5th Grade Science (Gilchrist)	72	57	15%
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	624	661	5.9%
African American	4	9	125%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	75	87	16%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	529	552	4.3%
Two or More Races	14	10	28.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	53.8%	58.4%	4.6%

Schools Near Bell 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 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 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Bell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2771 E Bell Ave	Bell	32619	Gilchrist County	Gilchrist	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 463-3275	661	35	18.7	58.4%	552 (83.5%)	9 (1.4%)	87 (13.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (1.5%)	75.7	512^th of 2256 public elementary schools	77.3%		67.1	689^th of 2240 public elementary schools	69.2%	177	72.0	65.0	63.0				74.0	69.0	60.0			64.0				$11,085	$2,245	$8,841
Gilchrist Virtual Instruction Program (District Provided)	Public, Virtual	K-5	310 NW 11th Ave	Trenton	32693	Gilchrist County	Gilchrist	No	No	Yes	No	(352) 463-3200	4	0			4 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Trenton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1350 SW State Road 26	Trenton	32693	Gilchrist County	Gilchrist	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 463-3224	809	47	17.3	58.1%	601 (74.3%)	53 (6.6%)	114 (14.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (5.1%)	66.6	709^th of 2256 public elementary schools	68.6%		72.1	584^th of 2240 public elementary schools	73.9%	125	58.0	54.0	65.0				71.0	67.0	66.0			52.0				$10,935	$2,199	$8,737
Old Town Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	221 SE 136th Ave	Old Town	32680	Dixie County	Dixie	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 541-6253	456	31	14.7	80.5%	419 (91.9%)	14 (3.1%)	17 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.9%)	80	408^th of 2256 public elementary schools	81.9%		77.5	456^th of 2240 public elementary schools	79.6%	48	72.0	56.0					78.0	80.0								$13,035	$3,542	$9,494
Fort White Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	18119 SW State Road 47	Fort White	32038	Columbia County	Columbia	No	No	No	Yes	(386) 344-6301	681	40	17.0	66.2%	476 (69.9%)	55 (8.1%)	102 (15.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	46 (6.8%)	37.9	1403^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	37.8%		50.5	1084^th of 2240 public elementary schools	51.6%	319	57.0	44.0	43.0				62.0	58.0	40.0			30.0				$9,570	$1,753	$7,817
Branford Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	26801 State Road 247	Branford	32008	Suwannee County	Suwannee	No	No	No	Yes	(386) 935-5700	710	36	19.4	67.6%	531 (74.8%)	20 (2.8%)	121 (17.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (5.4%)	50.6	1080^th of 2256 public elementary schools	52.1%		64.4	748^th of 2240 public elementary schools	66.6%	332	48.0	57.0	50.0				63.0	60.0	53.0			47.0				$9,102	$1,807	$7,295
Newberry Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	25705 SW 15th Ave	Newberry	32669	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 472-1100	661	38	17.4	44.0%	352 (53.3%)	149 (22.5%)	95 (14.4%)	6 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (8.9%)	56.1	942^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	58.2%		40.1	1336^th of 2240 public elementary schools	40.4%	394	68.0	50.0					59.0	56.0								$10,248	$1,722	$8,526
Whispering Winds Charter School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	2481 NW Old Fannin Rd	Chiefland	32626	Levy County	Levy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(352) 490-5799	126	8	15.7	77.0%	95 (75.4%)	4 (3.2%)	18 (14.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (7.1%)	64.7	759^th of 2256 public elementary schools	66.4%		56.8	922^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	58.8%	163	53.0	56.0	60.0				47.0	72.0	80.0			65.0				$9,943	$1,295	$8,648
High Springs Community School	Public	PK, KG-8	1015 N Main St	High Springs	32643	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	No	No	(386) 454-1958	974	53	18.5	45.1%	690 (70.8%)	87 (8.9%)	127 (13.0%)	10 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	58 (6.0%)	64.6	762^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	66.2%		72.6	572^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	74.5%	190	60.0	67.0	55.0	62.0	64.0	54.0	59.0	72.0	54.0	84.0	78.0	51.0	62.0	98.0	83.0	$9,779	$1,225	$8,554
Kinder Cub School Inc	Public, Charter	PK, KG-2	149 NE 221st Ave	Cross City	32628	Dixie County	Dixie	Yes	No	No	Yes	(352) 498-0002	107	5	21.4	86.0%	77 (72.0%)	23 (21.5%)	2 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (4.7%)								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Bell Elementary School

What district is Bell Elementary School in?

Gilchrist

What schools do graduates of Bell Elementary School attend?

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

High : Bell High School

Is Bell Elementary School a good school?

Bell Elementary School ranks 512^th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Bell Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 661 students attended Bell Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Bell Elementary School?

Students at Bell Elementary School are 84% White, 13% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 1% African American.

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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.