Bowling Green Elementary School

Q: Is Bowling Green Elementary School a good school?

Bowling Green Elementary School ranks 1501 st of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Bowling Green Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-5 in Bowling Green, Florida, with a student population of 302 and is part of the Hardee School District, which is ranked 55 out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Bowling Green Elementary has several key factors that differentiate it from the surrounding schools. The school has a significantly higher Hispanic student population (67.55%) compared to the nearby schools, which range from 50-63% Hispanic students. Additionally, Bowling Green Elementary has consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 33.9% to 36.3% over the past few years, notably higher than the surrounding schools, which have rates ranging from 31.2% to 38.2%. The school's test scores are generally lower than the Hardee district and Florida state averages across various subjects and grade levels, with its 3rd grade ELA proficiency rate at 47% compared to the district at 51% and the state at 55%. Bowling Green Elementary also has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 64.29% to 82.78% over the past few years, significantly higher than the surrounding schools, which have rates ranging from 55.81% to 78.81%.

Despite having the highest spending per student among the analyzed schools, ranging from $10,150 to $14,807 over the past few years, Bowling Green Elementary's academic performance is still lagging behind. The school's statewide ranking has steadily declined over the years, from a high of 473 out of 2,247 Florida elementary schools in 2020-2021 to a low of 1,501 out of 2,256 in 2023-2024. This suggests that the school may require more focused attention and support from the Hardee School District to address its unique challenges, such as high chronic absenteeism and the needs of its diverse student population, in order to improve its performance and outcomes.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

4530 Church Ave
Bowling Green, FL 33834

(863) 773-5471

District: Hardee

SchoolDigger Rank:
1501^st of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,807

Students who attend Bowling Green Elementary School usually attend:

High:	Hardee Junior High School
	Hardee Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.5

Number of students: 291

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

65.6%

White:

28.9%

African American:

4.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 66.3%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Bowling Green Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Bowling Green Elementary School ranks worse than 66.5% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 3^rd among 5 ranked elementary schools in the Hardee School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 34.62. (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 (65.6%), White (28.9%), African American (4.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 66.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bowling Green Elementary School is 14.5, which is the 3^rd best among 5 elementary schools in the Hardee School District. (See more...)

Compare Bowling Green Elementary School employs 20 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bowling Green Elementary School is $14,807, which is the highest among 6 elementary schools in the Hardee School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Hardee:

SchoolDigger ranks Hardee 55^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Bowling Green Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	13.23	1516^th	1688	10.2%
2007	26.51	1387^th	1786	22.3%
2008	31.52	1316^th	1789	26.4%
2009	26.89	1450^th	1847	21.5%
2010	35.51	1329^th	1919	30.7%
2011	34.39	1372^nd	1985	30.9%
2012	38.80	1238^th	1984	37.6%
2013	42.43	1170^th	2029	42.3%
2014	50.11	1023^rd	2064	50.4%
2016	61.08	797^th	2087	61.8%
2017	41.50	1241^st	2112	41.2%
2018	42.12	1240^th	2118	41.5%
2019	31.67	1551^st	2182	28.9%
2021	77.95	473^rd	2247	78.9%
2022	57.82	889^th	2219	59.9%
2023	39.07	1357^th	2240	39.4%
2024	34.62	1501^st	2256	33.5%

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:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Bowling Green Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	235	61	0	165	0	n/a	n/a	0	461
1989	248	54	0	196	1	n/a	n/a	0	499
1990	228	59	0	238	0	n/a	n/a	0	525
1991	219	54	0	215	0	n/a	n/a	0	488
1992	222	49	0	224	0	n/a	n/a	0	495
1993	211	54	0	278	0	n/a	n/a	0	543
1994	211	47	0	275	0	n/a	n/a	0	533
1995	210	52	0	373	0	n/a	n/a	0	635
1996	210	52	0	373	0	n/a	n/a	0	635
1997	215	52	0	445	0	n/a	n/a	0	712
1998	190	57	0	438	0	n/a	n/a	0	685
1999	180	59	0	433	0	n/a	n/a	0	672
2000	188	48	0	428	0	n/a	n/a	0	664
2001	159	48	0	449	0	n/a	n/a	0	656
2002	154	41	3	547	0	n/a	n/a	0	745
2003	154	41	3	547	0	n/a	n/a	0	745
2004	162	36	3	544	0	n/a	n/a	0	745
2005	126	29	6	488	0	n/a	n/a	0	649
2006	134	33	4	444	0	n/a	n/a	0	615
2007	88	33	1	287	0	n/a	n/a	10	419
2008	79	31	0	293	1	n/a	n/a	12	416
2009	75	32	0	307	2	n/a	n/a	14	430
2010	78	38	0	330	1	n/a	n/a	9	456
2011	81	33	0	352	1	0	8	0	475
2012	71	26	1	343	0	0	9	0	450
2013	84	20	0	337	1	0	6	0	448
2014	76	24	0	334	0	0	6	0	440
2015	77	20	1	320	0	0	4	0	422
2016	63	20	2	324	0	0	4	0	413
2017	62	18	2	323	1	0	4	0	410
2018	65	19	0	292	1	0	3	0	380
2019	65	20	0	262	1	0	2	0	350
2020	63	16	0	259	1	0	4	0	343
2021	83	11	0	195	1	0	5	0	295
2022	58	12	0	221	2	0	1	0	294
2023	78	16	2	204	2	0	0	0	302
2024	84	13	1	191	2	0	0	0	291

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 Bowling Green Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	461	31.0	14.8	65.1
1989	499	28.0	17.8	65.9
1990	525	26.0	20.1	70.3
1991	488	29.0	16.8	79.7
1992	495	31.0	15.9	45.9
1993	543	33.0	16.5	72.9
1994	533	29.0	18.4	75.8
1995	635	32.0	19.8	44.3
1996	635	32.0	19.8	44.3
1997	712	34.0	20.9	77.7
1998	685	35.0	19.6	81
1999	672	34.0	19.8	78.9
2000	664	34.0	19.5	86
2001	656	37.0	17.7	37.5
2002	745	39.0	19.1	83.5
2003	745	39.0	19.1	83.5
2004	745	41.0	18.2	84.6
2005	649	42.0	15.5	89.1
2006	615	42.0	14.6	83.1
2007	419	29.0	14.4	84.8
2008	416	29.0	14.3	88.9
2009	430	30.6	15.1	92.8
2010	456	30.0	15.2	92.2
2011	475	31.0	15.3	92.6
2012	450	32.0	14.0	90.7
2013	448	33.0	13.5	90
2014	440	30.0	14.6	90.7
2015	422	30.0	14.0	89.6
2016	413	27.0	15.2	84
2017	410	27.0	15.1	76.1
2018	380	26.0	14.6	82.9
2019	350	23.0	15.2	76.9
2020	343	24.0	14.2	79.3
2021	295	24.0	12.2	75.6
2022	294	22.0	13.3	64.3
2023	302	21.0	14.3	82.8
2024	291	20.0	14.5	66.3

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 Bowling Green Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	461	31.0	14.8	65.1
1989	499	28.0	17.8	65.9
1990	525	26.0	20.1	70.3
1991	488	29.0	16.8	79.7
1992	495	31.0	15.9	45.9
1993	543	33.0	16.5	72.9
1994	533	29.0	18.4	75.8
1995	635	32.0	19.8	44.3
1996	635	32.0	19.8	44.3
1997	712	34.0	20.9	77.7
1998	685	35.0	19.6	81
1999	672	34.0	19.8	78.9
2000	664	34.0	19.5	86
2001	656	37.0	17.7	37.5
2002	745	39.0	19.1	83.5
2003	745	39.0	19.1	83.5
2004	745	41.0	18.2	84.6
2005	649	42.0	15.5	89.1
2006	615	42.0	14.6	83.1
2007	419	29.0	14.4	84.8
2008	416	29.0	14.3	88.9
2009	430	30.6	15.1	92.8
2010	456	30.0	15.2	92.2
2011	475	31.0	15.3	92.6
2012	450	32.0	14.0	90.7
2013	448	33.0	13.5	90
2014	440	30.0	14.6	90.7
2015	422	30.0	14.0	89.6
2016	413	27.0	15.2	84
2017	410	27.0	15.1	76.1
2018	380	26.0	14.6	82.9
2019	350	23.0	15.2	76.9
2020	343	24.0	14.2	79.3
2021	295	24.0	12.2	75.6
2022	294	22.0	13.3	64.3
2023	302	21.0	14.3	82.8
2024	291	20.0	14.5	66.3

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 Bowling Green Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$1,087 (11.6%)	$8,278 (88.4%)	$9,365
2019	$1,208 (12.0%)	$8,839 (88.0%)	$10,047
2020	$1,175 (11.6%)	$8,975 (88.4%)	$10,150
2021	$1,797 (15.1%)	$10,095 (84.9%)	$11,893
2022	$2,498 (20.1%)	$9,931 (79.9%)	$12,429
2023	$4,159 (28.1%)	$10,648 (71.9%)	$14,807

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bowling Green 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 1551^st of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 1357^th of 2240 Elementary schools	10.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Bowling Green Elementary School)	45	34	11%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hardee)	59	47	12%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Bowling Green Elementary School)	54	46	8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Hardee)	69	58	11%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Bowling Green Elementary School)	46	63	17%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Hardee)	57	57
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Bowling Green Elementary School)	75	70	5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Hardee)	73	68	5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Bowling Green Elementary School)	34	60	26%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Hardee)	48	54	6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Bowling Green Elementary School)	51	74	23%
5th Grade Mathematics (Hardee)	62	59	3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Bowling Green Elementary School)	26	45	19%
5th Grade Science (Hardee)	42	35	7%
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	350	302	13.7%
African American	20	16	20%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	0	2
Hispanic	262	204	22.1%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	65	78	20%
Two or More Races	2	0	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	76.9%	82.8%	5.9%

Schools Near Bowling Green 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
Bowling Green Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4530 Church Ave	Bowling Green	33834	Hardee County	Hardee	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 773-5471	291	20	14.5	66.3%	84 (28.9%)	13 (4.5%)	191 (65.6%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34.6	1501^st of 2256 public elementary schools	33.5%		39.1	1357^th of 2240 public elementary schools	39.4%	144	47.0	40.0	45.0	36.0	53.0	64.0	42.0	$14,807	$4,159	$10,648
Hilltop Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2401 Us Highway 17 N	Wauchula	33873	Hardee County	Hardee	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 773-2750	264	17	15.5	72.0%	52 (19.7%)	10 (3.8%)	186 (70.5%)	6 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	9 (3.4%)	31.9	1567^th of 2256 public elementary schools	30.5%		33	1525^th of 2240 public elementary schools	31.9%	42	41.0	37.0	47.0	33.0	65.0	51.0	35.0	$12,524	$3,571	$8,953
North Wauchula Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1120 N Florida Ave	Wauchula	33873	Hardee County	Hardee	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 773-2183	545	37	14.7	66.6%	153 (28.1%)	48 (8.8%)	332 (60.9%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.8%)	31.4	1582^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	29.9%		42.8	1259^th of 2240 public elementary schools	43.8%	323	46.0	50.0	38.0	49.0	51.0	38.0	36.0	$12,343	$3,086	$9,258
Hardee Virtual Instruction Program (District Provided)	Public, Virtual	K-5	1009 N 6th Ave	Wauchula	33873	Hardee County	Hardee	No	No	Yes	No	(863) 773-9058	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Wauchula Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	400 S Florida Ave	Wauchula	33873	Hardee County	Hardee	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 773-3141	572	41	13.9	65.0%	187 (32.7%)	55 (9.6%)	314 (54.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.4%)	57.6	906^th of 2256 public elementary schools	59.8%		61.4	805^th of 2240 public elementary schools	64.1%	101	63.0	57.0	50.0	64.0	65.0	55.0	43.0	$11,549	$2,669	$8,880
Lewis Anna Woodbury Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	610 Charleston Ave S	Fort Meade	33841	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 285-1133	587	38	15.4	79.9%	178 (30.3%)	70 (11.9%)	325 (55.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.2%)	27.4	1701^st of 2256 public elementary schools	24.6%		34.1	1495^th of 2240 public elementary schools	33.3%	206	43.0	42.0	32.0	46.0	50.0	41.0	43.0	$11,889	$1,962	$9,927
Zolfo Springs Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3215 School House Rd	Zolfo Springs	33890	Hardee County	Hardee	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 773-5473	550	38	14.4	72.2%	202 (36.7%)	11 (2.0%)	321 (58.4%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.0%)	35.5	1474^th of 2256 public elementary schools	34.7%		37.9	1387^th of 2240 public elementary schools	38.1%	87	51.0	49.0	34.0	56.0	52.0	43.0	40.0	$11,274	$2,746	$8,529
Floral Avenue Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1530 Floral Ave S	Bartow	33830	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 534-7420	629	39	16.1	70.1%	288 (45.8%)	114 (18.1%)	198 (31.5%)	9 (1.4%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	16 (2.5%)	38.8	1375^th of 2256 public elementary schools	39.1%		33.8	1498^th of 2240 public elementary schools	33.1%	123	40.0	41.0	55.0	32.0	64.0	57.0	49.0	$10,089	$1,763	$8,326
Gibbons Street Pk Center	Public	PK	1860 Gibbons St E	Bartow	33830	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 535-6489	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Alturas Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	420 4th St	Alturas	33820	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 519-3917	296	19	15.5	78.4%	193 (65.2%)	23 (7.8%)	68 (23.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.7%)	58.2	894^th of 2256 public elementary schools	60.4%		52.3	1037^th of 2240 public elementary schools	53.7%	143	55.0	51.0	58.0	62.0	54.0	56.0	75.0	$10,451	$1,519	$8,931

Frequently Asked Questions about Bowling Green Elementary School

How many students attend Bowling Green Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 291 students attended Bowling Green Elementary School.

Is Bowling Green Elementary School a good school?

Bowling Green Elementary School ranks 1501^st of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Bowling Green Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Bowling Green Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Hardee Junior High School
High : Hardee Senior High School

What is the racial makeup of Bowling Green Elementary School?

Students at Bowling Green Elementary School are 66% Hispanic, 29% White, 4% African American.

What district is Bowling Green Elementary School in?

Hardee

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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.