James Elementary School

Summary:

James Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-5 in Tampa, Florida, with a student population of 386. The school is part of the Hillsborough School District, which is ranked 45 out of 68 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. The student population at James Elementary is predominantly African American (70.98% in 2022-2023).

Despite serving a high-needs student population, James Elementary is struggling to provide a quality education. The school has consistently had very high chronic absenteeism rates, reaching 62.6% in the 2022-2023 school year, which is significantly higher than the district and state averages. Additionally, James Elementary students perform well below district and state averages on standardized tests, with only 20-31% of students proficient in English Language Arts and Math, compared to 49-56% for the district and 53-60% for the state. The school also has an extremely high percentage of students (over 90%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. As a result, James Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom 5-10% of Florida elementary schools, receiving a 0-star rating every year.

Interestingly, the nearby schools in the Hillsborough district, such as Oak Park Elementary, Foster Elementary, and Lockhart Elementary Magnet, also have high percentages of economically disadvantaged students and low test scores, but generally perform better than James Elementary on key metrics. Additionally, Lomax Magnet Elementary, located about 1.4 miles from James Elementary, has significantly higher test scores and a lower chronic absenteeism rate, despite serving a student population that is also predominantly African American and economically disadvantaged. The presence of the Early Childhood and After School Programs facility in the immediate vicinity also highlights the potential impact of early childhood education interventions on student outcomes.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

4302 E Ellicott St
Tampa, FL 33610

(813) 740-4800

District: Hillsborough

SchoolDigger Rank:
2211^th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,198

Student/teacher ratio: 16.0

Number of students: 386

Racial breakdown:

African American:

71.0%

Hispanic:

22.8%

White:

5.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 90.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details James Elementary School ranks worse than 98% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 172^nd among 179 ranked elementary schools in the Hillsborough School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 6.23. (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: African American (71%), Hispanic (22.8%), White (5.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 90.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James Elementary School is 16. 112 elementary schools in the Hillsborough School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare James Elementary School employs 24 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at James Elementary School is $14,198, which is the 16^th highest among 179 elementary schools in the Hillsborough School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

James 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:

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Rank History for James Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2005	3.47	197^th	202	2.5%
2006	3.34	1666^th	1688	1.3%
2007	6.16	1723^rd	1786	3.5%
2008	12.17	1656^th	1789	7.4%
2009	12.73	1691^st	1847	8.4%
2010	16.74	1686^th	1919	12.1%
2011	6.20	1928^th	1985	2.9%
2012	9.53	1887^th	1984	4.9%
2013	12.56	1893^rd	2029	6.7%
2014	15.23	1863^rd	2064	9.7%
2016	5.62	2036^th	2087	2.4%
2017	4.85	2068^th	2112	2.1%
2018	3.33	2090^th	2118	1.3%
2019	0.99	2168^th	2182	0.6%
2021	3.45	2233^rd	2247	0.6%
2022	4.24	2194^th	2219	1.1%
2023	6.85	2181^st	2240	2.6%
2024	6.23	2211^th	2256	2.0%

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
Monday, October 17, 2016

I have a nephew who goes here and hopefully my two daughters will too great school Close Quote

Enrollment information for James Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1998	3	36	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	40
1999	8	65	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	77
2000	5	53	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	63
2001	10	52	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	64
2002	12	43	0	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	62
2003	12	43	0	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	62
2005	49	666	2	76	0	n/a	n/a	0	793
2006	33	789	3	56	0	n/a	n/a	0	881
2007	19	335	2	21	0	n/a	n/a	7	384
2008	16	515	2	33	0	n/a	n/a	15	581
2009	22	594	1	42	0	n/a	n/a	22	681
2010	24	633	0	52	0	n/a	n/a	10	719
2011	24	632	0	60	1	0	15	0	732
2012	21	564	0	60	1	0	15	0	661
2013	20	533	0	63	0	0	10	0	626
2014	16	508	0	79	0	0	15	0	618
2015	18	574	1	83	0	1	10	0	687
2016	24	527	2	81	1	0	10	0	645
2017	24	552	3	100	1	2	14	0	696
2018	22	569	2	107	1	3	14	0	718
2019	21	501	1	108	1	3	15	0	650
2020	13	419	1	99	1	3	11	0	547
2021	11	326	2	78	1	2	6	0	426
2022	12	321	1	73	0	2	8	0	417
2023	20	274	0	88	0	0	4	0	386

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 James Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1998	40	6.0	6.7	55
1999	77	8.0	9.6	94.8
2000	63	10.0	6.3	84.1
2001	64	12.0	5.3	95.3
2002	62	9.0	6.9	82.3
2003	62	9.0	6.9	82.3
2005	793	49.0	16.2	91.7
2006	881	41.0	21.5	87.2
2007	384	16.0	24.0	93.1
2008	581	44.5	13.1	90.5
2009	681	54.3	13.2	93.5
2010	719	55.0	13.0	94.9
2011	732	57.1	12.8	94.5
2012	661	52.2	12.6	93.9
2013	626	55.0	11.3	96
2014	618	64.0	9.6	97.6
2015	687	62.0	11.0	98.4
2016	645	53.0	12.1	98.8
2017	696	57.0	12.2	97.7
2018	718	54.0	13.2	97.1
2019	650	33.0	19.6	98.8
2020	547	34.5	15.8	96.9
2021	426	38.5	11.0	97.4
2022	417	30.0	13.9	92.8
2023	386	24.0	16.0	90.4

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 James Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1998	40	6.0	6.7	55
1999	77	8.0	9.6	94.8
2000	63	10.0	6.3	84.1
2001	64	12.0	5.3	95.3
2002	62	9.0	6.9	82.3
2003	62	9.0	6.9	82.3
2005	793	49.0	16.2	91.7
2006	881	41.0	21.5	87.2
2007	384	16.0	24.0	93.1
2008	581	44.5	13.1	90.5
2009	681	54.3	13.2	93.5
2010	719	55.0	13.0	94.9
2011	732	57.1	12.8	94.5
2012	661	52.2	12.6	93.9
2013	626	55.0	11.3	96
2014	618	64.0	9.6	97.6
2015	687	62.0	11.0	98.4
2016	645	53.0	12.1	98.8
2017	696	57.0	12.2	97.7
2018	718	54.0	13.2	97.1
2019	650	33.0	19.6	98.8
2020	547	34.5	15.8	96.9
2021	426	38.5	11.0	97.4
2022	417	30.0	13.9	92.8
2023	386	24.0	16.0	90.4

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 James Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$1,662 (18.5%)	$7,325 (81.5%)	$8,987
2019	$1,335 (16.7%)	$6,648 (83.3%)	$7,982
2020	$2,250 (20.0%)	$9,023 (80.0%)	$11,273
2021	$2,913 (21.5%)	$10,648 (78.5%)	$13,561
2022	$3,686 (27.8%)	$9,569 (72.2%)	$13,255
2023	$3,612 (25.4%)	$10,587 (74.6%)	$14,198

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on James 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 2168^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 2181^st of 2240 Elementary schools	2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (James Elementary School)	9	21	12%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hillsborough)	52	49	3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (James Elementary School)	14	26	12%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Hillsborough)	54	56	2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (James Elementary School)	13	24	11%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Hillsborough)	55	55
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (James Elementary School)	11	24	13%
4th Grade Mathematics (Hillsborough)	57	60	3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (James Elementary School)	20	16	4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Hillsborough)	54	52	2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (James Elementary School)	5	21	16%
5th Grade Mathematics (Hillsborough)	54	54
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (James Elementary School)	11	21	10%
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	650	386	40.6%
African American	501	274	45.3%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	108	88	18.5%
Pacific Islander	3	0	100%
White	21	20	4.8%
Two or More Races	15	4	73.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	98.8%	90.4%	8.4%

Schools Near James 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
James Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4302 E Ellicott St	Tampa	33610	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 740-4800	386	24	16.0	90.4%	20 (5.2%)	274 (71.0%)	88 (22.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	6.2	2211^th of 2256 public elementary schools	2.0%		6.9	2181^st of 2240 public elementary schools	2.6%	30	20.0	29.0	31.0	17.0	17.0	29.0	21.0	$14,198	$3,612	$10,587
Potter Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3224 E Cayuga St	Tampa	33610	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 276-5564	472	29	16.2	89.0%	16 (3.4%)	364 (77.1%)	80 (16.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (2.1%)	7	2202^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	2.4%		3.8	2213^th of 2240 public elementary schools	1.2%	11	23.0	31.0	23.0	28.0	31.0	28.0	15.0	$13,196	$3,994	$9,201
Sheehy Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6402 N 40th St	Tampa	33610	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 233-3800	323	23	14.0	90.1%	11 (3.4%)	254 (78.6%)	54 (16.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	5.6	2217^th of 2256 public elementary schools	1.7%		5	2203^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	1.7%	14	23.0	24.0	22.0	32.0	17.0	18.0	30.0	$13,049	$3,565	$9,483
Robles Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4405 E Sligh Ave	Tampa	33610	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 744-8033	604	33	18.3	88.6%	29 (4.8%)	458 (75.8%)	96 (15.9%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (2.6%)	5.2	2221^st of 2256 public elementary schools	1.6%		8.6	2158^th of 2240 public elementary schools	3.7%	63	20.0	21.0	29.0	26.0	31.0	15.0	21.0	$10,952	$2,738	$8,213
Lomax Magnet Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	4207 N 26th St	Tampa	33610	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	Yes	No	Yes	(813) 276-5569	285	21	13.5	80.7%	7 (2.5%)	237 (83.2%)	26 (9.1%)	12 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.1%)	28.5	1661^st of 2256 public elementary schools	26.4%		18.9	1938^th of 2240 public elementary schools	13.5%	277	51.0	46.0	39.0	53.0	57.0	27.0	20.0	$13,477	$3,199	$10,277
The Collaboratory Preparatory Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	6406 E Chelsea St	Tampa	33610	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	Yes	No	No	Yes	(844) 702-3123	73	3	24.3	98.6%	2 (2.7%)	45 (61.6%)	19 (26.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.4%)	6 (8.2%)	4.4	2226^th of 2256 public elementary schools	1.3%					(n/a)			8.0			31.0	0.0	$15,931	$1,504	$14,428
Oak Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2716 N 46th St	Tampa	33605	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 740-7733	354	27	13.1	89.8%	19 (5.4%)	266 (75.1%)	56 (15.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.7%)	16.6	1990^th of 2256 public elementary schools	11.8%		18.8	1940^th of 2240 public elementary schools	13.4%	50	26.0	22.0	31.0	37.0	43.0	48.0	32.0	$15,629	$4,037	$11,592
Foster Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2014 E Diana St	Tampa	33610	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 276-5573	423	25	16.9	86.1%	13 (3.1%)	280 (66.2%)	115 (27.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (3.3%)	10.8	2130^th of 2256 public elementary schools	5.6%		9.7	2137^th of 2240 public elementary schools	4.6%	7	29.0	29.0	24.0	48.0	31.0	24.0	22.0	$12,749	$3,804	$8,947
Lockhart Elementary Magnet School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	3719 N 17th St	Tampa	33610	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	Yes	No	Yes	(813) 276-5727	395	30	13.3	88.6%	18 (4.6%)	342 (86.6%)	26 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.3%)	11.4	2119^th of 2256 public elementary schools	6.1%		11.8	2107^th of 2240 public elementary schools	5.9%	12	22.0	30.0	43.0	28.0	29.0	37.0	24.0	$15,622	$4,340	$11,282
Edison Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1607 E Curtis St	Tampa	33610	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 276-5579	315	26	12.1	87.6%	20 (6.3%)	222 (70.5%)	64 (20.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.9%)	4.3	2228^th of 2256 public elementary schools	1.2%		9.8	2136^th of 2240 public elementary schools	4.6%	92	16.0	15.0	30.0	32.0	21.0	23.0	10.0	$17,374	$5,088	$12,286

Frequently Asked Questions about James Elementary School

What district is James Elementary School in?

Hillsborough

How many students attend James Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 386 students attended James Elementary School.

Is James Elementary School a good school?

James Elementary School ranks in the bottom 2.0% of Florida elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of James Elementary School?

Students at James Elementary School are 71% African American, 23% Hispanic, 5% White, 1% Two or more races.

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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.