Colson Elementary School

Q: Is Colson Elementary School a good school?

Colson Elementary School ranks 1613 th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

Colson Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Seffner, Florida, serving grades PK-5 with a student population of 674. The school is part of the Hillsborough County School District, which is ranked 45th out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Colson Elementary has a more diverse student population compared to nearby schools, with a higher percentage of Hispanic (39.91%) and African American (18.4%) students. However, the school faces significant challenges, including consistently lower proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Math, and Science compared to the Hillsborough County and Florida state averages across all grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, Colson's 3rd-grade ELA proficiency was 40% compared to 51% for Hillsborough and 55% for Florida. Additionally, Colson Elementary has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 61.42% to 77.24% over the past few years, indicating a higher proportion of economically disadvantaged students.

Despite the higher per-student spending at Colson Elementary, ranging from $9,455 to $10,940 per student, the school's academic performance lags behind many of the nearby schools, such as Limona Elementary School and Independence Academy, which have higher proficiency rates and better statewide rankings. Additionally, Colson Elementary has significantly higher chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 26.3% to 36.0% over the past few years, compared to the nearby schools, which have lower rates (e.g., Dover Elementary at 16.0%).

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

1520 Lakeview Ave
Seffner, FL 33584

(813) 744-8031

District: Hillsborough

SchoolDigger Rank:
1613^th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,758

Students who attend Colson Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Burnett Middle School
High:	Armwood High School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.0

Number of students: 624

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

42.0%

White:

31.7%

African American:

19.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 60.4%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Colson Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Colson Elementary School ranks worse than 71.5% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 101^st among 179 ranked elementary schools in the Hillsborough School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 30.21. (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 Colson Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (42%), White (31.7%), African American (19.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 60.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Colson Elementary School is 16. 107 elementary schools in the Hillsborough School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Colson Elementary School employs 39 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Colson Elementary School is $10,758, which is the 84^th highest among 179 elementary schools in the Hillsborough School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Hillsborough:

SchoolDigger ranks Hillsborough 45^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Colson Elementary School.

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Rank History for Colson Elementary School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	64.62	606^th	1688	64.1%
2007	55.39	838^th	1786	53.1%
2008	57.37	797^th	1789	55.4%
2009	45.97	1064^th	1847	42.4%
2010	45.32	1135^th	1919	40.9%
2011	44.77	1168^th	1985	41.2%
2012	48.61	1025^th	1984	48.3%
2013	50.08	998^th	2029	50.8%
2014	46.98	1092^nd	2064	47.1%
2016	55.50	930^th	2087	55.4%
2017	41.99	1231^st	2112	41.7%
2018	30.18	1514^th	2118	28.5%
2019	42.22	1267^th	2182	41.9%
2021	24.18	1719^th	2247	23.5%
2022	31.86	1517^th	2219	31.6%
2023	35.34	1461^st	2240	34.8%
2024	30.21	1613^th	2256	28.5%

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:

by a parent
Saturday, April 20, 2019

I love Colson Elementary School! I am a parent to a 1st grade student and also a teacher. Last year our scores dropped because there was a lot of transitioning and changes taking place. There's no doubt it was a challenging year. This year we are back on track with a consistent school wide behavior program and a strong school improvement plan. Teams meet regularly to discuss data and lesson planning. We are also strongly encouraged to attend professional development courses on a regular basis to continue to develop our teaching skills. The school is very clean and engages in a large volume of fundraisers and extracirricular events to support a positive learning culture and environment. My son was reading at a pre-K level at the beginning of 1st grade. WIth the help of Mrs. Jones, he is now reading on-level and might even get honor roll this last 9 weeks! I truly enjoy working at this school and appreciate the growth my son has made while attending here. Most families seem very happy and satisfied with how things are done. We welcome everyone to check us out! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Colson Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1993	487	126	5	27	1	n/a	n/a	0	646
1994	550	117	3	28	2	n/a	n/a	0	700
1995	577	134	11	48	2	n/a	n/a	0	772
1996	577	134	11	48	2	n/a	n/a	0	772
1997	598	126	6	41	3	n/a	n/a	0	774
1998	604	98	9	55	2	n/a	n/a	0	768
1999	549	81	8	50	1	n/a	n/a	0	689
2000	549	85	15	60	5	n/a	n/a	0	714
2001	520	84	18	74	4	n/a	n/a	0	700
2002	535	104	14	115	0	n/a	n/a	0	768
2003	535	104	14	115	0	n/a	n/a	0	768
2004	535	103	16	100	0	n/a	n/a	0	754
2005	528	88	21	124	1	n/a	n/a	0	762
2006	479	105	23	139	2	n/a	n/a	0	748
2007	438	104	18	142	1	n/a	n/a	41	744
2008	423	116	24	161	1	n/a	n/a	41	766
2009	411	105	18	155	2	n/a	n/a	50	741
2010	379	103	8	167	3	n/a	n/a	53	713
2011	346	129	10	216	6	1	32	0	740
2012	351	101	12	211	3	1	36	0	715
2013	326	113	15	199	4	1	36	0	694
2014	326	116	16	196	5	2	37	0	698
2015	318	112	16	207	0	1	27	0	681
2016	283	128	20	213	0	1	21	0	666
2017	251	139	25	205	0	1	22	0	643
2018	262	166	22	213	0	1	37	0	701
2019	274	139	20	229	0	2	49	0	713
2020	263	132	21	241	1	2	43	0	703
2021	215	122	11	221	2	1	52	0	624
2022	224	129	12	242	2	0	46	0	655
2023	218	124	16	269	2	0	45	0	674
2024	198	119	10	262	1	0	34	0	624

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 Colson Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1993	646	36.0	17.9	32.5
1994	700	46.0	15.2	35.4
1995	772	48.0	16.1	37
1996	772	48.0	16.1	37
1997	774	47.0	16.5	43.3
1998	768	47.0	16.3	38
1999	689	44.0	15.7	49.5
2000	714	44.0	16.2	45.9
2001	700	42.0	16.7	45.6
2002	768	42.0	18.3	46
2003	768	42.0	18.3	46
2004	754	49.0	15.4	51.6
2005	762	52.0	14.7	55.9
2006	748	52.0	14.4	50.4
2007	744	46.0	16.2	55.8
2008	766	59.5	12.9	58.6
2009	741	60.0	13.0	64.3
2010	713	56.0	12.7	70.5
2011	740	60.7	12.1	65.7
2012	715	56.0	12.7	66.7
2013	694	57.0	12.1	66.9
2014	698	58.0	12.0	68.5
2015	681	59.0	11.5	68.9
2016	666	55.0	12.1	68.6
2017	643	51.0	12.6	70.9
2018	701	51.0	13.7	73.3
2019	713	49.0	14.5	74.1
2020	703	48.0	14.6	73.1
2021	624	50.0	12.4	77.2
2022	655	44.0	14.8	74.5
2023	674	39.5	17.0	61.4
2024	624	39.0	16.0	60.4

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 Colson Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1993	646	36.0	17.9	32.5
1994	700	46.0	15.2	35.4
1995	772	48.0	16.1	37
1996	772	48.0	16.1	37
1997	774	47.0	16.5	43.3
1998	768	47.0	16.3	38
1999	689	44.0	15.7	49.5
2000	714	44.0	16.2	45.9
2001	700	42.0	16.7	45.6
2002	768	42.0	18.3	46
2003	768	42.0	18.3	46
2004	754	49.0	15.4	51.6
2005	762	52.0	14.7	55.9
2006	748	52.0	14.4	50.4
2007	744	46.0	16.2	55.8
2008	766	59.5	12.9	58.6
2009	741	60.0	13.0	64.3
2010	713	56.0	12.7	70.5
2011	740	60.7	12.1	65.7
2012	715	56.0	12.7	66.7
2013	694	57.0	12.1	66.9
2014	698	58.0	12.0	68.5
2015	681	59.0	11.5	68.9
2016	666	55.0	12.1	68.6
2017	643	51.0	12.6	70.9
2018	701	51.0	13.7	73.3
2019	713	49.0	14.5	74.1
2020	703	48.0	14.6	73.1
2021	624	50.0	12.4	77.2
2022	655	44.0	14.8	74.5
2023	674	39.5	17.0	61.4
2024	624	39.0	16.0	60.4

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 Colson Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$438 (5.7%)	$7,269 (94.3%)	$7,707
2019	$711 (8.0%)	$8,193 (92.0%)	$8,904
2020	$820 (8.7%)	$8,636 (91.3%)	$9,455
2021	$1,612 (15.0%)	$9,154 (85.0%)	$10,766
2022	$1,529 (14.0%)	$9,410 (86.0%)	$10,940
2023	$2,232 (20.7%)	$8,526 (79.3%)	$10,758

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Colson 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 1267^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 1461^st of 2240 Elementary schools	7.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colson Elementary School)	42	40	2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hillsborough)	52	49	3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Colson Elementary School)	47	41	6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Hillsborough)	54	56	2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Colson Elementary School)	62	44	18%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Hillsborough)	55	55
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Colson Elementary School)	61	58	3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Hillsborough)	57	60	3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Colson Elementary School)	52	43	9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Hillsborough)	54	52	2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Colson Elementary School)	60	51	9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Hillsborough)	54	54
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Colson Elementary School)	45	45
5th Grade Science (Hillsborough)	51	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	713	674	5.5%
African American	139	124	10.8%
American Indian	0	2
Asian	20	16	20%
Hispanic	229	269	17.5%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	274	218	20.4%
Two or More Races	49	45	8.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	74.1%	61.4%	12.6%

Schools Near Colson 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
Colson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1520 Lakeview Ave	Seffner	33584	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 744-8031	624	39	16.0	60.4%	198 (31.7%)	119 (19.1%)	262 (42.0%)	10 (1.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (5.4%)	30.2	1613^th of 2256 public elementary schools	28.5%		35.3	1461^st of 2240 public elementary schools	34.8%	152	40.0	40.0	51.0				45.0	41.0	44.0				45.0						$10,758	$2,232	$8,526
Lopez Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	200 N Kingsway Rd	Seffner	33584	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 744-8000	575	37	15.7	72.3%	205 (35.7%)	96 (16.7%)	226 (39.3%)	5 (0.9%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	40 (7.0%)	40.9	1317^th of 2256 public elementary schools	41.6%		35.9	1441^st of 2240 public elementary schools	35.7%	124	49.0	39.0	51.0				49.0	58.0	55.0				45.0						$10,723	$2,252	$8,472
Seffner Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	109 Cactus Rd	Seffner	33584	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 744-8171	360	24	15.0	65.6%	113 (31.4%)	44 (12.2%)	176 (48.9%)	9 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	16 (4.4%)	31.4	1579^th of 2256 public elementary schools	30.0%		39.6	1346^th of 2240 public elementary schools	39.9%	233	43.0	34.0	54.0				50.0	34.0	47.0				47.0						$12,951	$2,987	$9,965
Mango Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4220 Hwy 579	Seffner	33584	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 744-8208	731	46	15.8	79.2%	102 (14.0%)	274 (37.5%)	310 (42.4%)	16 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (4.0%)	10.4	2146^th of 2256 public elementary schools	4.9%		8.4	2163^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	3.4%	17	27.0	37.0	25.0				27.0	40.0	32.0				23.0						$10,258	$2,852	$7,406
Limona Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1115 Telfair Rd	Brandon	33510	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 744-8200	559	33	17.2	53.5%	183 (32.7%)	97 (17.4%)	211 (37.7%)	32 (5.7%)	3 (0.5%)	4 (0.7%)	29 (5.2%)	65.1	753^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	66.6%		72.8	569^th of 2240 public elementary schools	74.6%	184	60.0	54.0	57.0				71.0	60.0	64.0				60.0						$9,734	$1,750	$7,983
Yates Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	301 Kingsway Rd	Brandon	33510	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 744-8177	620	36	17.2	75.0%	121 (19.5%)	140 (22.6%)	308 (49.7%)	9 (1.5%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	37 (6.0%)	8.5	2180^th of 2256 public elementary schools	3.4%		10.3	2128^th of 2240 public elementary schools	5.0%	52	23.0	30.0	29.0				22.0	28.0	36.0				27.0						$9,542	$2,095	$7,447
McDonald Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	501 W Pruett Rd	Seffner	33584	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 744-8154	577	36	16.2	78.3%	239 (41.4%)	86 (14.9%)	204 (35.4%)	14 (2.4%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (5.5%)	27.3	1705^th of 2256 public elementary schools	24.4%		19.6	1909^th of 2240 public elementary schools	14.8%	204	36.0	41.0	47.0				32.0	47.0	53.0				39.0						$11,946	$2,934	$9,012
Independence Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	12902 E Us Highway 92	Dover	33527	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	Yes	No	No	No	(813) 473-8600	907	46	19.7	45.4%	545 (60.1%)	51 (5.6%)	251 (27.7%)	15 (1.7%)	4 (0.4%)	3 (0.3%)	38 (4.2%)	47.9	1145^th of 2256 public elementary schools	49.2%		33.1	1522^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	32.1%	377	68.0	62.0	39.0	61.0	60.0	53.0	74.0	57.0	34.0	50.0	60.0	55.0	36.0	16.0	67.0	68.0	90.0	79.0	$7,856	$1,595	$6,261
Schmidt Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1250 Williams Rd	Brandon	33510	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 651-2110	540	29	18.6	77.4%	75 (13.9%)	195 (36.1%)	229 (42.4%)	7 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	32 (5.9%)	25	1769^th of 2256 public elementary schools	21.6%		30.3	1605^th of 2240 public elementary schools	28.3%	164	38.0	34.0	38.0				50.0	44.0	39.0				47.0						$10,751	$2,610	$8,141
Bailey Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4630 Gallagher Rd	Dover	33527	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 707-7531	760	45	16.8	64.2%	328 (43.2%)	33 (4.3%)	361 (47.5%)	6 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	30 (3.9%)	18	1957^th of 2256 public elementary schools	13.3%		32.5	1542^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	31.2%	415	29.0	32.0	30.0				37.0	48.0	44.0				35.0						$10,232	$2,280	$7,952

Frequently Asked Questions about Colson Elementary School

How many students attend Colson Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 624 students attended Colson Elementary School.

What district is Colson Elementary School in?

Hillsborough

What is the racial makeup of Colson Elementary School?

Students at Colson Elementary School are 42% Hispanic, 32% White, 19% African American, 5% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Is Colson Elementary School a good school?

Colson Elementary School ranks 1613^th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Colson Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Burnett Middle School
High : Armwood High 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.