Nelson Elementary School

Q: Is Nelson Elementary School a good school?

Nelson Elementary School ranks 1151 st of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Nelson Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Dover, Florida, serving grades PK-5 with a student population of 719. The school is part of the Hillsborough School District, which is ranked 45 out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Nelson Elementary has a more diverse student population compared to the nearby schools, with a higher percentage of Hispanic (36.16%) and African American (12.38%) students. However, the school faces some challenges, including a significantly higher chronic absenteeism rate of 33.3% in the 2022-2023 school year, compared to the nearby schools, which range from 10.7% to 27.4%. Additionally, Nelson Elementary's test scores are generally lower than the nearby schools, such as Bevis Elementary and Lithia Springs Elementary, as well as the district and state averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in 5th grade Science was 49%, compared to the Hillsborough district average of 47% and the Florida state average of 53%.

The higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (54.24%) at Nelson Elementary, compared to the nearby schools, which range from 11.61% to 47.64%, suggests that the school may be serving a more economically disadvantaged population. This, combined with the lower spending per student ($8,814 in 2022-2023) at Nelson Elementary compared to the nearby schools, which range from $6,616 to $11,651 per student, may contribute to the school's lower academic performance. Nelson Elementary's statewide ranking has dropped from 727 out of 2,064 Florida elementary schools in 2013-2014 to 1,151 out of 2,256 in 2023-2024, with its star rating fluctuating between 2 and 3 stars over the years.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

5413 Durant Rd
Dover, FL 33527

(813) 651-2120

District: Hillsborough

SchoolDigger Rank:
1151^st of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,814

Students who attend Nelson Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Mulrennan Middle School
High:	Durant High School

Student/teacher ratio: 18.9

Number of students: 719

Racial breakdown:

White:

39.5%

Hispanic:

36.2%

African American:

12.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 54.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Nelson Elementary School ranks worse than 51% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 68^th among 179 ranked elementary schools in the Hillsborough School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 47.68. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a high 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 Nelson Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (39.5%), Hispanic (36.2%), African American (12.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 54.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Nelson Elementary School is 18.9. 166 elementary schools in the Hillsborough School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Nelson Elementary School employs 38 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Nelson Elementary School is $8,814. 162 elementary schools in the Hillsborough School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Nelson 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.)

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Rank History for Nelson Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	69.48	524^th	1688	69.0%
2007	69.81	537^th	1786	69.9%
2008	71.99	486^th	1789	72.8%
2009	67.17	604^th	1847	67.3%
2010	64.73	705^th	1919	63.3%
2011	73.07	524^th	1985	73.6%
2012	66.85	649^th	1984	67.3%
2013	62.54	737^th	2029	63.7%
2014	63.51	727^th	2064	64.8%
2016	55.33	932^nd	2087	55.3%
2017	52.32	1007^th	2112	52.3%
2018	50.81	1033^rd	2118	51.2%
2019	59.08	861^st	2182	60.5%
2021	46.66	1165^th	2247	48.2%
2022	48.63	1101^st	2219	50.4%
2023	51.57	1060^th	2240	52.7%
2024	47.68	1151^st	2256	49.0%

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

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Enrollment information for Nelson Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2004	458	80	15	144	5	n/a	n/a	0	702
2005	547	99	24	163	6	n/a	n/a	0	839
2006	548	105	32	203	10	n/a	n/a	0	898
2007	511	94	35	198	8	n/a	n/a	66	912
2008	497	113	36	215	2	n/a	n/a	65	928
2009	492	88	33	229	3	n/a	n/a	58	903
2010	480	85	28	233	8	n/a	n/a	60	894
2011	425	83	17	262	3	2	40	0	832
2012	400	91	16	253	3	3	36	0	802
2013	360	98	19	261	2	3	41	0	784
2014	341	94	17	277	3	2	45	0	779
2015	407	86	21	256	3	2	63	0	838
2016	397	94	14	268	4	1	53	0	831
2017	389	105	16	272	2	0	46	0	830
2018	402	90	10	270	1	0	50	0	823
2019	383	92	10	275	1	0	41	0	802
2020	357	95	14	259	1	1	48	0	775
2021	291	91	25	249	0	3	49	0	708
2022	272	82	29	262	0	3	49	0	697
2023	284	89	28	260	0	4	54	0	719

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 Nelson Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	702	36.0	19.5	34.5
2005	839	44.0	19.1	35.3
2006	898	51.0	17.6	35.4
2007	912	56.0	16.3	40.8
2008	928	67.5	13.7	42.1
2009	903	69.5	13.7	46.9
2010	894	64.0	13.9	48.9
2011	832	61.5	13.5	49.3
2012	802	57.5	13.9	52.4
2013	784	59.0	13.2	53.2
2014	779	59.0	13.2	58.4
2015	838	60.0	13.9	62.1
2016	831	59.0	14.0	59.8
2017	830	60.0	13.8	62
2018	823	58.0	14.1	60.9
2019	802	53.5	14.9	60.6
2020	775	52.5	14.7	60.5
2021	708	54.0	13.1	63.8
2022	697	40.0	17.4	57.8
2023	719	38.0	18.9	54.2

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 Nelson Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	702	36.0	19.5	34.5
2005	839	44.0	19.1	35.3
2006	898	51.0	17.6	35.4
2007	912	56.0	16.3	40.8
2008	928	67.5	13.7	42.1
2009	903	69.5	13.7	46.9
2010	894	64.0	13.9	48.9
2011	832	61.5	13.5	49.3
2012	802	57.5	13.9	52.4
2013	784	59.0	13.2	53.2
2014	779	59.0	13.2	58.4
2015	838	60.0	13.9	62.1
2016	831	59.0	14.0	59.8
2017	830	60.0	13.8	62
2018	823	58.0	14.1	60.9
2019	802	53.5	14.9	60.6
2020	775	52.5	14.7	60.5
2021	708	54.0	13.1	63.8
2022	697	40.0	17.4	57.8
2023	719	38.0	18.9	54.2

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 Nelson Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$301 (4.0%)	$7,259 (96.0%)	$7,560
2019	$407 (5.0%)	$7,714 (95.0%)	$8,121
2020	$532 (6.0%)	$8,297 (94.0%)	$8,830
2021	$1,119 (12.5%)	$7,841 (87.5%)	$8,960
2022	$904 (10.6%)	$7,611 (89.4%)	$8,515
2023	$1,763 (20.0%)	$7,050 (80.0%)	$8,814

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Nelson 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 861^st of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 1060^th of 2240 Elementary schools	7.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Nelson Elementary School)	64	56	8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hillsborough)	52	49	3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Nelson Elementary School)	65	67	2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Hillsborough)	54	56	2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Nelson Elementary School)	64	45	19%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Hillsborough)	55	55
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Nelson Elementary School)	64	52	12%
4th Grade Mathematics (Hillsborough)	57	60	3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Nelson Elementary School)	58	53	5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Hillsborough)	54	52	2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Nelson Elementary School)	57	50	7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Hillsborough)	54	54
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Nelson Elementary School)	55	38	17%
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	802	719	10.3%
African American	92	89	3.3%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	10	28	180%
Hispanic	275	260	5.5%
Pacific Islander	0	4
White	383	284	25.8%
Two or More Races	41	54	31.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	60.6%	54.2%	6.4%

Schools Near Nelson 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 7th 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
Nelson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5413 Durant Rd	Dover	33527	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 651-2120	719	38	18.9	54.2%	284 (39.5%)	89 (12.4%)	260 (36.2%)	28 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.6%)	54 (7.5%)	47.7	1151^st of 2256 public elementary schools	49.0%		51.6	1060^th of 2240 public elementary schools	52.7%	91	56.0	55.0	49.0				53.0	62.0	45.0				49.0				$8,814	$1,763	$7,050
Buckhorn Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2420 Buckhorn School Ct	Valrico	33594	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 744-8240	759	52	14.7	47.3%	379 (49.9%)	64 (8.4%)	239 (31.5%)	23 (3.0%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	50 (6.6%)	76.8	487^th of 2256 public elementary schools	78.4%		75.6	494^th of 2240 public elementary schools	77.9%	7	66.0	67.0	60.0				82.0	73.0	68.0				60.0				$10,347	$2,051	$8,296
Lithia Springs Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4332 Lynx Paw Trl	Valrico	33596	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 744-8016	620	37	16.7	22.4%	397 (64.0%)	18 (2.9%)	133 (21.5%)	25 (4.0%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	44 (7.1%)	90.4	163^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	92.8%		78.3	440^th of 2240 public elementary schools	80.4%	277	78.0	71.0	81.0				81.0	84.0	74.0				77.0				$8,846	$1,492	$7,354
Valrico Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	609 S Miller Rd	Valrico	33594	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 744-6777	764	50	15.2	47.6%	347 (45.4%)	67 (8.8%)	281 (36.8%)	25 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (5.8%)	78	459^th of 2256 public elementary schools	79.7%		72.2	579^th of 2240 public elementary schools	74.2%	120	59.0	72.0	69.0				67.0	74.0	71.0				65.0				$10,784	$1,990	$8,795
Alafia Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3535 Culbreath Rd	Valrico	33596	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 744-8190	648	42	15.4	38.9%	354 (54.6%)	51 (7.9%)	176 (27.2%)	11 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	53 (8.2%)	63	797^th of 2256 public elementary schools	64.7%		62.8	777^th of 2240 public elementary schools	65.3%	20	52.0	59.0	55.0				53.0	69.0	62.0				73.0				$9,858	$1,608	$8,250
Cimino Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4329 Culbreath Rd	Valrico	33596	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 740-4450	818	57	14.3	37.0%	443 (54.2%)	60 (7.3%)	219 (26.8%)	22 (2.7%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	72 (8.8%)	74.1	543^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	75.9%		71.9	589^th of 2240 public elementary schools	73.7%	46	64.0	58.0	64.0				75.0	78.0	64.0				59.0				$10,331	$1,735	$8,596
Robinson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4801 Turkey Creek Rd	Plant City	33567	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 757-9424	562	41	13.8	77.9%	163 (29.0%)	28 (5.0%)	357 (63.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.5%)	37.4	1418^th of 2256 public elementary schools	37.1%		29.3	1630^th of 2240 public elementary schools	27.2%	212	44.0	40.0	45.0				41.0	53.0	56.0				55.0				$11,651	$2,877	$8,775
Navigator Academy Of Leadership Valrico	Public, Charter	K-8	1101 E Bloomingdale Ave	Valrico	33596	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	Yes	No	No	No	(813) 603-9340	870	34	25.5	11.6%	315 (36.2%)	140 (16.1%)	322 (37.0%)	51 (5.9%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (4.6%)	55.4	959^th of 2256 public elementary schools	57.5%		49.3	1109^th of 2240 public elementary schools	50.5%	150	64.0	49.0	55.0	70.0	57.0	61.0	70.0	53.0	45.0	65.0	19.0	73.0	39.0	57.0	90.0	59.0	$6,616	$675	$5,941
Brooker Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	812 Dewolf Rd	Brandon	33511	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 744-8184	802	52	15.4	48.3%	357 (44.5%)	90 (11.2%)	250 (31.2%)	41 (5.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	63 (7.9%)	69.1	657^th of 2256 public elementary schools	70.9%		52	1046^th of 2240 public elementary schools	53.3%	389	61.0	53.0	65.0				68.0	70.0	71.0				55.0				$9,424	$1,847	$7,577
Bevis Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5720 Osprey Ridge Dr	Lithia	33547	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 740-4000	857	55	15.5	16.9%	533 (62.2%)	20 (2.3%)	176 (20.5%)	70 (8.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	57 (6.7%)	96.7	24^th of 2256 public elementary schools	98.9%		96.7	23^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	99.0%	1	87.0	85.0	82.0				92.0	90.0	90.0				87.0				$9,107	$1,431	$7,676

Frequently Asked Questions about Nelson Elementary School

What district is Nelson Elementary School in?

Hillsborough

What schools do graduates of Nelson Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Mulrennan Middle School
High : Durant High School

What is the racial makeup of Nelson Elementary School?

Students at Nelson Elementary School are 39% White, 36% Hispanic, 12% African American, 8% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

How many students attend Nelson Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 719 students attended Nelson Elementary School.

Is Nelson Elementary School a good school?

Nelson Elementary School ranks 1151^st of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

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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.