Park Elementary School

Q: Is Park Elementary School a good school?

Park Elementary School ranks 602 nd of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Park Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Avon Park, Florida, serving grades PK-5 with a student population of 527. The school is part of the Highlands District, which is ranked 46 out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite the school's high rates of chronic absenteeism and a large percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, Park Elementary School consistently outperforms the Highlands District and the state of Florida in academic proficiency across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 74% of 3rd-grade students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 53% in the Highlands District and 55% statewide. Similarly, 81% of 3rd-grade students were proficient or better in Math, compared to 64% in the Highlands District and 60% statewide. This suggests the school may have effective teaching strategies and interventions in place to support student learning.

Another unique characteristic of Park Elementary School is its diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 30.17% White, 18.98% African American, 44.02% Hispanic, 0.38% Asian, 0.19% Native American, and 6.26% two or more races. This diversity is a stark contrast to the nearby schools, which tend to have a higher percentage of White students. The school's high spending per student, ranging from $8,794 to $11,944 over the past few years, suggests that the district is allocating significant resources to support the school. However, the high chronic absenteeism rate and free/reduced lunch rates may indicate a need for additional targeted interventions and support services to address the unique challenges faced by the student population.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

327 E Palmetto St
Avon Park, FL 33825

(863) 452-4373

District: Highlands

SchoolDigger Rank:
602^nd of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,944

Students who attend Park Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Avon Park Middle School
High:	Avon Park High School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.0

Number of students: 527

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

44.0%

White:

30.2%

African American:

19.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 79.7%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Park Elementary School ranks better than 73.3% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks first among 9 ranked elementary schools in the Highlands School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 71.65. (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 Student population at Park Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (44%), White (30.2%), African American (19%). (See more...)

Compare Details 79.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Park Elementary School is 17, which is the 2^nd best among 9 elementary schools in the Highlands School District. (See more...)

Compare Park Elementary School employs 31 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Park Elementary School is $11,944, which is the 2^nd highest among 9 elementary schools in the Highlands School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Highlands:

SchoolDigger ranks Highlands 46^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Park Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	28.02	1257^th	1688	25.5%
2007	30.21	1312^th	1786	26.5%
2008	37.95	1179^th	1789	34.1%
2009	57.93	816^th	1847	55.8%
2010	38.78	1261^st	1919	34.3%
2011	38.81	1292^nd	1985	34.9%
2012	28.65	1478^th	1984	25.5%
2013	40.67	1212^th	2029	40.3%
2014	36.96	1334^th	2064	35.4%
2016	22.11	1686^th	2087	19.2%
2017	35.73	1362^nd	2112	35.5%
2018	25.45	1655^th	2118	21.9%
2019	38.39	1359^th	2182	37.7%
2021	61.86	812^th	2247	63.9%
2022	38.50	1365^th	2219	38.5%
2023	50.14	1094^th	2240	51.2%
2024	71.65	602^nd	2256	73.3%

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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Enrollment information for Park Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1991	432	159	0	17	1	n/a	n/a	0	609
1992	433	155	5	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	615
1993	417	158	5	26	1	n/a	n/a	0	607
1994	423	166	0	40	1	n/a	n/a	0	630
1995	393	190	1	78	4	n/a	n/a	0	666
1996	393	190	1	78	4	n/a	n/a	0	666
1997	376	203	3	88	6	n/a	n/a	0	676
1998	372	200	3	80	1	n/a	n/a	0	656
1999	358	218	0	63	2	n/a	n/a	0	641
2000	331	212	0	52	3	n/a	n/a	0	598
2001	316	222	0	82	5	n/a	n/a	0	625
2002	295	223	2	96	6	n/a	n/a	0	622
2003	295	223	2	96	6	n/a	n/a	0	622
2004	301	231	3	110	7	n/a	n/a	0	652
2005	297	219	4	111	2	n/a	n/a	0	633
2006	270	207	2	129	2	n/a	n/a	0	610
2007	286	207	3	159	2	n/a	n/a	22	679
2008	278	202	4	164	2	n/a	n/a	23	673
2009	230	131	3	130	3	n/a	n/a	6	503
2010	230	141	4	154	1	n/a	n/a	18	548
2011	214	129	5	151	0	1	23	0	523
2012	239	120	6	193	0	0	19	0	577
2013	229	118	4	178	0	0	26	0	555
2014	211	132	3	210	2	0	33	0	591
2015	201	112	1	208	3	0	24	0	549
2016	169	97	1	227	0	0	26	0	520
2017	169	81	2	227	0	0	19	0	498
2018	184	83	3	223	0	0	24	0	517
2019	185	93	1	222	0	0	32	0	533
2020	163	101	0	210	0	0	31	0	505
2021	143	89	1	199	0	0	19	0	451
2022	147	101	2	219	1	0	23	0	493
2023	159	100	2	232	1	0	33	0	527

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 Park Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	609	33.0	18.4	35.6
1992	615	32.0	19.2	46
1993	607	32.0	19.0	41.4
1994	630	33.0	19.1	47.1
1995	666	37.0	18.0	53.2
1996	666	37.0	18.0	53.2
1997	676	37.0	18.3	50
1998	656	40.0	16.4	54.1
1999	641	38.0	16.9	58
2000	598	36.0	16.6	69.9
2001	625	36.0	17.4	71.4
2002	622	39.0	15.9	71.1
2003	622	39.0	15.9	71.1
2004	652	36.0	18.1	70.7
2005	633	40.0	15.8	73.3
2006	610	45.0	13.6	73.4
2007	679	47.0	14.4	68.3
2008	673	48.0	14.0	75.1
2009	503	41.6	14.0	72.8
2010	548	36.0	15.2	78.1
2011	523	38.0	13.7	75.1
2012	577	40.0	14.4	79
2013	555	41.0	13.5	79.1
2014	591	40.0	14.7	80.9
2015	549	40.0	13.7	83.4
2016	520	38.0	13.6	83.7
2017	498	35.0	14.2	85.1
2018	517	37.0	13.9	80.1
2019	533	35.0	15.2	87.6
2020	505	33.0	15.3	72.9
2021	451	31.0	14.5	77.2
2022	493	31.0	15.9	76.3
2023	527	31.0	17.0	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 Park Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	609	33.0	18.4	35.6
1992	615	32.0	19.2	46
1993	607	32.0	19.0	41.4
1994	630	33.0	19.1	47.1
1995	666	37.0	18.0	53.2
1996	666	37.0	18.0	53.2
1997	676	37.0	18.3	50
1998	656	40.0	16.4	54.1
1999	641	38.0	16.9	58
2000	598	36.0	16.6	69.9
2001	625	36.0	17.4	71.4
2002	622	39.0	15.9	71.1
2003	622	39.0	15.9	71.1
2004	652	36.0	18.1	70.7
2005	633	40.0	15.8	73.3
2006	610	45.0	13.6	73.4
2007	679	47.0	14.4	68.3
2008	673	48.0	14.0	75.1
2009	503	41.6	14.0	72.8
2010	548	36.0	15.2	78.1
2011	523	38.0	13.7	75.1
2012	577	40.0	14.4	79
2013	555	41.0	13.5	79.1
2014	591	40.0	14.7	80.9
2015	549	40.0	13.7	83.4
2016	520	38.0	13.6	83.7
2017	498	35.0	14.2	85.1
2018	517	37.0	13.9	80.1
2019	533	35.0	15.2	87.6
2020	505	33.0	15.3	72.9
2021	451	31.0	14.5	77.2
2022	493	31.0	15.9	76.3
2023	527	31.0	17.0	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 Park Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$832 (10.6%)	$6,981 (89.4%)	$7,813
2019	$805 (10.0%)	$7,244 (90.0%)	$8,050
2020	$806 (9.2%)	$7,988 (90.8%)	$8,794
2021	$2,314 (20.4%)	$9,004 (79.6%)	$11,318
2022	$3,567 (30.0%)	$8,311 (70.0%)	$11,877
2023	$3,099 (25.9%)	$8,845 (74.1%)	$11,944

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Park 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 1359^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 1094^th of 2240 Elementary schools	13.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Park Elementary School)	53	54	1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Highlands)	50	44	6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Park Elementary School)	73	70	3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Highlands)	56	52	4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Park Elementary School)	53	35	18%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Highlands)	49	47	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Park Elementary School)	60	50	10%
4th Grade Mathematics (Highlands)	60	51	9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Park Elementary School)	44	38	6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Highlands)	45	45
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Park Elementary School)	43	42	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Highlands)	49	45	4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Park Elementary School)	35	33	2%
5th Grade Science (Highlands)	43	47	4%
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	533	527	1.1%
African American	93	100	7.5%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	1	2	100%
Hispanic	222	232	4.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	185	159	14.1%
Two or More Races	32	33	3.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	87.6%	79.7%	7.9%

Schools Near Park 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
Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	327 E Palmetto St	Avon Park	33825	Highlands County	Highlands	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 452-4373	527	31	17.0	79.7%	159 (30.2%)	100 (19.0%)	232 (44.0%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (6.3%)	71.7	602^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	73.3%		50.1	1094^th of 2240 public elementary schools	51.2%	492	74.0	64.0	53.0	81.0	58.0	66.0	59.0	$11,944	$3,099	$8,845
Avon Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	705 Winthrop St	Avon Park	33825	Highlands County	Highlands	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 452-4355	523	29	18.0	77.1%	139 (26.6%)	95 (18.2%)	267 (51.1%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.6%)	35.8	1466^th of 2256 public elementary schools	35.0%		33.3	1511^th of 2240 public elementary schools	32.5%	45	57.0	42.0	37.0	66.0	52.0	40.0	37.0	$11,771	$3,676	$8,095
Memorial Elementary School	Public	K-5	867 Memorial Dr	Avon Park	33825	Highlands County	Highlands	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 784-0200	532	29	18.6	78.4%	164 (30.8%)	148 (27.8%)	190 (35.7%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.1%)	35.9	1459^th of 2256 public elementary schools	35.3%		40.2	1334^th of 2240 public elementary schools	40.4%	125	49.0	45.0	44.0	51.0	53.0	46.0	43.0	$10,803	$2,407	$8,395
Sun 'n Lake Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4515 Ponce De Leon Blvd	Sebring	33872	Highlands County	Highlands	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 471-5464	618	32	19.3	67.0%	280 (45.3%)	124 (20.1%)	151 (24.4%)	29 (4.7%)	3 (0.5%)	2 (0.3%)	29 (4.7%)	65.8	730^th of 2256 public elementary schools	67.6%		61.7	801^st of 2240 public elementary schools	64.2%	71	67.0	53.0	61.0	67.0	62.0	63.0	59.0	$10,756	$3,097	$7,659
Woodlawn Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	817 Woodlawn Dr	Sebring	33870	Highlands County	Highlands	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 471-5444	794	44	18.0	73.0%	339 (42.7%)	158 (19.9%)	232 (29.2%)	11 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	51 (6.4%)	58.4	891^st of 2256 public elementary schools	60.5%		52.1	1044^th of 2240 public elementary schools	53.4%	153	41.0	54.0	54.0	64.0	63.0	64.0	64.0	$10,318	$2,632	$7,685
Fred Wild Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3550 Youth Care Ln	Sebring	33870	Highlands County	Highlands	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 471-5400	563	27	20.8	86.7%	186 (33.0%)	100 (17.8%)	243 (43.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (5.9%)	30.8	1599^th of 2256 public elementary schools	29.1%		25	1746^th of 2240 public elementary schools	22.1%	147	47.0	45.0	35.0	58.0	39.0	39.0	44.0	$10,928	$2,827	$8,100
Frostproof Ben Hill Griffin Junior Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	501 McLeod Rd	Frostproof	33843	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 635-7820	917	54	16.9	66.4%	405 (44.2%)	68 (7.4%)	413 (45.0%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	24 (2.6%)	37.6	1412^th of 2256 public elementary schools	37.4%		34.9	1473^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	34.2%	61	39.0	44.0	51.0	54.0	53.0	48.0	48.0	$10,973	$2,234	$8,739
Cracker Trail Elementary School	Public	K-5	8200 Sparta Rd	Sebring	33875	Highlands County	Highlands	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 471-5777	692	41	16.8	61.6%	442 (63.9%)	35 (5.1%)	171 (24.7%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (5.8%)	55.6	952^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	57.8%		57.5	902^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	59.7%	50	59.0	59.0	43.0	63.0	68.0	54.0	50.0	$10,635	$2,522	$8,114
Dale R Fair Babson Park Elementary	Public, Charter	K-5	815 Scenic Hwy N	Babson Park	33827	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	Yes	(863) 678-4664	472	28	16.8	40.0%	345 (73.1%)	37 (7.8%)	74 (15.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (3.0%)	70.6	625^th of 2256 public elementary schools	72.3%		75.7	490^th of 2240 public elementary schools	78.1%	135	66.0	65.0	59.0	71.0	60.0	64.0	61.0	$8,087	$966	$7,121
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	590	41	14.3	78.8%	222 (37.6%)	14 (2.4%)	337 (57.1%)	8 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.5%)	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

Frequently Asked Questions about Park Elementary School

How many students attend Park Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 527 students attended Park Elementary School.

Is Park Elementary School a good school?

Park Elementary School ranks 602^nd of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Park Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Avon Park Middle School
High : Avon Park High School

What is the racial makeup of Park Elementary School?

Students at Park Elementary School are 44% Hispanic, 30% White, 19% African American, 6% Two or more races.

What district is Park Elementary School in?

Highlands

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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.