Tara Elementary School

Q: Is Tara Elementary School a good school?

Tara Elementary School ranks 304 th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Tara Elementary School is a public elementary school in Bradenton, Florida, serving 559 students in grades PK-5 as part of the Manatee School District. This high-performing school consistently outperforms the district and state in academic assessments, ranking in the top 15% of Florida elementary schools.

Tara Elementary's academic excellence is evident in its exceptional test scores, with proficiency rates significantly higher than the district and state averages in English Language Arts and Math for grades 3-5. For example, in 3rd grade ELA, Tara had 75% proficiency compared to 51% for the district and 55% for the state. The school's strong statewide ranking, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger, further demonstrates its academic prowess. Tara's diverse student population, with 27.55% Hispanic, 6.26% African American, and 6.8% Asian students, adds to the school's unique character.

While Tara Elementary excels academically, the school has experienced fluctuations in chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 15.4% to 26.7% in recent years. Additionally, over half of Tara's students come from low-income families, qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. When compared to nearby schools like B.D. Gullett Elementary and Freedom Elementary, Tara generally outperforms in academic assessments, but some of these neighboring schools also demonstrate strong performance and rankings.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

6950 Linger Lodge Rd E
Bradenton, FL 34203

(941) 751-7660

District: Manatee

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,560

Students who attend Tara Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Braden River Middle School
High:	Braden River High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.6

Number of students: 559

Racial breakdown:

White:

53.1%

Hispanic:

27.5%

Asian:

6.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 51.5%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Tara Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Tara Elementary School ranks better than 86.5% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 8^th among 41 ranked elementary schools in the Manatee School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 84.85. (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: White (53.1%), Hispanic (27.5%), Asian (6.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 51.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Tara Elementary School is 13.6, which is the 12^th best among 41 elementary schools in the Manatee School District. (See more...)

Compare Tara Elementary School employs 41 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Tara Elementary School is $12,560, which is the 18^th highest among 41 elementary schools in the Manatee School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Manatee:

SchoolDigger ranks Manatee 34^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Tara Elementary School.

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Rank History for Tara Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	54.69	778^th	1688	53.9%
2007	55.33	839^th	1786	53.0%
2008	56.00	831^st	1789	53.5%
2009	58.06	813^th	1847	56.0%
2010	50.21	1026^th	1919	46.5%
2011	57.16	903^rd	1985	54.5%
2012	58.21	836^th	1984	57.9%
2013	49.03	1028^th	2029	49.3%
2014	64.71	704^th	2064	65.9%
2016	72.14	560^th	2087	73.2%
2017	65.40	716^th	2112	66.1%
2018	65.68	714^th	2118	66.3%
2019	61.86	794^th	2182	63.6%
2021	83.08	355^th	2247	84.2%
2022	83.29	333^rd	2219	85.0%
2023	88.44	207^th	2240	90.8%
2024	84.85	304^th	2256	86.5%

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: 4)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Saturday, August 18, 2012

As parents of students at Tara we have been very pleased with their progress there and also with the teachers they have had through their experiences. We have also had foster children attending there and they have always had a good experience at the school and earned good grades.
Dr. Foust was always a fair, kind principal who had the best interest of the children in mind. We look forward to getting to know our new principal this coming year, Steve Royce.
Thank you Tara teachers and all the people who work at Tara. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Tara Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1993	509	98	7	28	0	n/a	n/a	0	642
1994	554	92	7	31	0	n/a	n/a	0	684
1995	662	63	11	40	1	n/a	n/a	0	777
1996	662	63	11	40	1	n/a	n/a	0	777
1997	657	61	11	57	1	n/a	n/a	0	787
1998	692	76	7	56	1	n/a	n/a	0	832
1999	645	76	17	70	0	n/a	n/a	0	808
2000	651	66	21	82	0	n/a	n/a	0	820
2001	576	49	16	95	1	n/a	n/a	0	737
2002	637	44	26	148	0	n/a	n/a	0	855
2003	637	44	26	148	0	n/a	n/a	0	855
2004	558	55	35	157	1	n/a	n/a	0	806
2005	598	57	32	175	3	n/a	n/a	0	865
2006	544	67	39	181	4	n/a	n/a	0	835
2007	518	50	34	186	2	n/a	n/a	33	823
2008	452	44	41	200	0	n/a	n/a	37	774
2009	420	52	28	167	2	n/a	n/a	29	698
2010	355	56	34	163	3	n/a	n/a	11	622
2011	361	42	36	171	2	0	11	0	623
2012	348	46	39	177	0	0	16	0	626
2013	321	45	42	172	0	0	19	0	599
2014	303	37	36	169	1	0	21	0	567
2015	318	46	31	188	1	0	22	0	606
2016	339	44	32	203	1	0	23	0	642
2017	346	52	39	207	1	0	19	0	664
2018	359	49	31	255	1	1	19	0	715
2019	360	58	31	257	0	1	18	0	725
2020	356	73	29	260	1	2	23	0	744
2021	337	55	24	162	0	0	26	0	604
2022	307	51	34	154	0	1	25	0	572
2023	297	35	38	154	0	1	34	0	559

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 Tara Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1993	642	35.0	18.3	34.3
1994	684	37.0	18.5	34.6
1995	777	39.0	19.9	30.5
1996	777	39.0	19.9	30.5
1997	787	43.0	18.3	30.7
1998	832	42.0	19.8	24.9
1999	808	43.0	18.8	33.4
2000	820	47.0	17.4	31.2
2001	737	45.0	16.4	30.5
2002	855	46.0	18.6	29.6
2003	855	46.0	18.6	29.6
2004	806	47.0	17.1	34.2
2005	865	45.0	19.2	38.2
2006	835	48.0	17.4	35.2
2007	823	51.0	16.1	35.8
2008	774	47.0	16.5	40.8
2009	698	44.3	16.6	43.5
2010	622	40.0	15.5	47.5
2011	623	39.6	15.7	45.6
2012	626	41.0	15.2	48.2
2013	599	41.0	14.6	50.4
2014	567	36.0	15.7	55.4
2015	606	40.0	15.1	56.3
2016	642	43.0	14.9	57.3
2017	664	43.0	15.4	53.2
2018	715	47.0	15.2	57.1
2019	725	48.0	15.1	57.5
2020	744	48.0	15.5	57.4
2021	604	41.0	14.7	53.3
2022	572	40.1	14.2	41.6
2023	559	41.0	13.6	51.5

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 Tara Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1993	642	35.0	18.3	34.3
1994	684	37.0	18.5	34.6
1995	777	39.0	19.9	30.5
1996	777	39.0	19.9	30.5
1997	787	43.0	18.3	30.7
1998	832	42.0	19.8	24.9
1999	808	43.0	18.8	33.4
2000	820	47.0	17.4	31.2
2001	737	45.0	16.4	30.5
2002	855	46.0	18.6	29.6
2003	855	46.0	18.6	29.6
2004	806	47.0	17.1	34.2
2005	865	45.0	19.2	38.2
2006	835	48.0	17.4	35.2
2007	823	51.0	16.1	35.8
2008	774	47.0	16.5	40.8
2009	698	44.3	16.6	43.5
2010	622	40.0	15.5	47.5
2011	623	39.6	15.7	45.6
2012	626	41.0	15.2	48.2
2013	599	41.0	14.6	50.4
2014	567	36.0	15.7	55.4
2015	606	40.0	15.1	56.3
2016	642	43.0	14.9	57.3
2017	664	43.0	15.4	53.2
2018	715	47.0	15.2	57.1
2019	725	48.0	15.1	57.5
2020	744	48.0	15.5	57.4
2021	604	41.0	14.7	53.3
2022	572	40.1	14.2	41.6
2023	559	41.0	13.6	51.5

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 Tara Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$342 (4.1%)	$7,964 (95.9%)	$8,306
2019	$445 (4.8%)	$8,827 (95.2%)	$9,273
2020	$542 (5.6%)	$9,140 (94.4%)	$9,682
2021	$582 (5.5%)	$9,976 (94.5%)	$10,558
2022	$1,136 (9.9%)	$10,291 (90.1%)	$11,426
2023	$1,147 (9.1%)	$11,413 (90.9%)	$12,560

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Tara 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 794^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 207^th of 2240 Elementary schools	27.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Tara Elementary School)	56	73	17%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Manatee)	51	46	5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Tara Elementary School)	73	90	17%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Manatee)	60	59	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Tara Elementary School)	65	65
4th Grade English Language Arts (Manatee)	56	55	1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Tara Elementary School)	71	74	3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Manatee)	65	65
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Tara Elementary School)	55	63	8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Manatee)	52	57	5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Tara Elementary School)	63	84	21%
5th Grade Mathematics (Manatee)	60	63	3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Tara Elementary School)	54	66	12%
5th Grade Science (Manatee)	48	49	1%
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	725	559	22.9%
African American	58	35	39.7%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	31	38	22.6%
Hispanic	257	154	40.1%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	360	297	17.5%
Two or More Races	18	34	88.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	57.5%	51.5%	6%

Schools Near Tara 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
Tara Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6950 Linger Lodge Rd E	Bradenton	34203	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 751-7660	559	41	13.6	51.5%	297 (53.1%)	35 (6.3%)	154 (27.5%)	38 (6.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	34 (6.1%)	84.8	304^th of 2256 public elementary schools	86.5%		88.4	207^th of 2240 public elementary schools	90.8%	97	75.0	70.0	61.0				89.0	83.0	79.0				61.0						$12,560	$1,147	$11,413
Braden River Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6125 River Club Blvd	Bradenton	34202	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 751-7012	568	40	14.2	40.0%	356 (62.7%)	28 (4.9%)	132 (23.2%)	18 (3.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (5.8%)	81.1	374^th of 2256 public elementary schools	83.4%		80.4	397^th of 2240 public elementary schools	82.3%	23	67.0	62.0	69.0				79.0	71.0	79.0				67.0						$12,743	$1,148	$11,596
William H. Bashaw Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3515 57th St E	Bradenton	34208	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 741-3307	684	40	17.1	69.3%	255 (37.3%)	128 (18.7%)	240 (35.1%)	10 (1.5%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	48 (7.0%)	33.7	1523^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	32.5%		31.8	1558^th of 2240 public elementary schools	30.4%	35	41.0	36.0	41.0				47.0	54.0	56.0				48.0						$10,148	$1,368	$8,779
Marjorie G. Kinnan Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3415 Tallevast Rd	Sarasota	34243	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 358-2888	516	36	14.3	73.4%	165 (32.0%)	44 (8.5%)	241 (46.7%)	32 (6.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (6.6%)	40.8	1322^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	41.4%		43.4	1245^th of 2240 public elementary schools	44.4%	77	45.0	40.0	46.0				47.0	43.0	65.0				55.0						$13,240	$1,826	$11,414
B.D. Gullett Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	12125 44th Ave E	Bradenton	34211	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 727-2607	1,121	68	16.4	20.5%	790 (70.5%)	30 (2.7%)	187 (16.7%)	44 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	70 (6.2%)	85.9	287^th of 2256 public elementary schools	87.3%		90.6	158^th of 2240 public elementary schools	92.9%	129	70.0	75.0	69.0				75.0	79.0	76.0				71.0						$9,273	$745	$8,527
Manatee Charter School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	4550 30th St E	Bradenton	34203	Manatee County	Manatee	Yes	No	No	Yes	(941) 465-4296	526	39	13.4	73.4%	90 (17.1%)	117 (22.2%)	289 (54.9%)	6 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (4.4%)	14.1	2062^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	8.6%		19.1	1931^st of 2240 public elementary schools	13.8%	131	19.0	45.0	31.0	37.0	41.0	44.0	32.0	47.0	24.0	26.0	35.0	50.0	31.0	27.0	63.0	64.0	79.0	66.0	$9,991	$1,754	$8,238
Oneco Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5214 22nd Street Ct E	Bradenton	34203	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	Yes	(941) 751-7018	596	41	14.5	78.7%	138 (23.2%)	143 (24.0%)	278 (46.6%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (5.9%)	19.3	1924^th of 2256 public elementary schools	14.7%		16.8	1989^th of 2240 public elementary schools	11.2%	65	31.0	20.0	26.0				61.0	47.0	34.0				19.0						$12,483	$2,666	$9,817
Imagine Charter At Lakewood Ranch	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	10535 Portal Crossing	Bradenton	34211	Manatee County	Manatee	Yes	No	No	No	(941) 750-0900	550	30	18.3	50.4%	342 (62.2%)	36 (6.5%)	150 (27.3%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	19 (3.5%)	31.9	1568^th of 2256 public elementary schools	30.5%		37.5	1398^th of 2240 public elementary schools	37.6%	170	61.0	40.0	34.0	49.0	51.0	59.0	46.0	45.0	35.0	54.0	62.0	34.0	33.0	39.0	83.0			68.0	$9,282	$428	$8,854
Freedom Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	9515 E State Road 64	Bradenton	34212	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 708-4990	574	45	12.7	41.5%	352 (61.3%)	22 (3.8%)	123 (21.4%)	25 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (9.1%)	82.2	354^th of 2256 public elementary schools	84.3%		87.3	238^th of 2240 public elementary schools	89.4%	116	59.0	70.0	74.0				73.0	77.0	81.0				72.0						$12,879	$1,220	$11,659
Gilbert W McNeal Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6325 Lorraine Rd	Lakewood Ranch	34202	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 751-8165	678	43	15.7	20.4%	492 (72.6%)	28 (4.1%)	107 (15.8%)	11 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	39 (5.8%)	92.3	106^th of 2256 public elementary schools	95.3%		92.1	113^th of 2240 public elementary schools	95.0%	7	81.0	70.0	83.0				91.0	71.0	89.0				84.0						$10,962	$1,077	$9,886

Frequently Asked Questions about Tara Elementary School

Is Tara Elementary School a good school?

Tara Elementary School ranks 304^th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Tara Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Braden River Middle School
High : Braden River High School

What district is Tara Elementary School in?

Manatee

What is the racial makeup of Tara Elementary School?

Students at Tara Elementary School are 53% White, 28% Hispanic, 7% Asian, 6% African American, 6% Two or more races.

How many students attend Tara Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 559 students attended Tara Elementary School.

Rate Tara Elementary 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.