Blackburn Elementary School

Summary:

Blackburn Elementary School is a public elementary school in Palmetto, Florida, serving 551 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Manatee School District, which is ranked 34 out of 68 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating.

Blackburn Elementary stands out for its diverse student population, with a higher percentage of Hispanic (43.74%) and African American (24.68%) students compared to nearby schools like Palmetto Charter School and Virgil Mills Elementary School. However, the school faces significant challenges, including a much higher chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 16.3% to 42.8% over the past few years, which is much higher than the surrounding schools.

Academically, Blackburn Elementary consistently underperforms the Manatee district and the state of Florida in standardized test scores across all grade levels and subjects. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Blackburn's 5th-grade science proficiency was 28%, compared to 49% for the Manatee district and 53% for the state. Additionally, the school has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 68.69% to 78.22% over the past few years, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. Despite the relatively high per-student spending at Blackburn Elementary, the school's academic outcomes remain poor, suggesting that simply increasing funding may not be the sole solution to the school's challenges.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

3904 17th St E
Palmetto, FL 34221

(941) 723-4800

District: Manatee

SchoolDigger Rank:
1753^rd of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,714

Students who attend Blackburn Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Buffalo Creek Middle School
High:	Palmetto High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.2

Number of students: 551

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

43.7%

White:

24.9%

African American:

24.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 78.2%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Blackburn Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Blackburn Elementary School ranks worse than 77.7% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 30^th among 41 ranked elementary schools in the Manatee School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 25.5. (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 Blackburn Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (43.7%), White (24.9%), African American (24.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 78.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Blackburn Elementary School is 13.2, which is the 9^th best among 41 elementary schools in the Manatee School District. (See more...)

Compare Blackburn Elementary School employs 41.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Blackburn Elementary School is $13,714, which is the 8^th highest among 41 elementary schools in the Manatee School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Blackburn 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.)

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Rank History for Blackburn Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	39.99	1046^th	1688	38.0%
2007	31.03	1295^th	1786	27.5%
2008	16.10	1583^rd	1789	11.5%
2009	16.76	1624^th	1847	12.1%
2010	25.23	1528^th	1919	20.4%
2011	30.01	1500^th	1985	24.4%
2012	15.75	1759^th	1984	11.3%
2013	12.87	1884^th	2029	7.1%
2014	8.27	1992^nd	2064	3.5%
2016	44.94	1149^th	2087	44.9%
2017	24.11	1665^th	2112	21.2%
2018	22.55	1724^th	2118	18.6%
2019	44.69	1204^th	2182	44.8%
2021	48.61	1108^th	2247	50.7%
2022	39.03	1346^th	2219	39.3%
2023	34.13	1492^nd	2240	33.4%
2024	25.50	1753^rd	2256	22.3%

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 Blackburn Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	171	132	0	119	0	n/a	n/a	0	422
1989	187	114	0	119	0	n/a	n/a	0	420
1990	216	118	0	158	0	n/a	n/a	0	492
1991	205	121	0	148	0	n/a	n/a	0	474
1992	206	113	0	134	0	n/a	n/a	0	453
1993	410	26	0	116	0	n/a	n/a	0	552
1994	458	40	2	139	0	n/a	n/a	0	639
1995	493	56	4	99	0	n/a	n/a	0	652
1996	493	56	4	99	0	n/a	n/a	0	652
1997	529	63	3	98	0	n/a	n/a	0	693
1998	567	62	1	121	0	n/a	n/a	0	751
1999	513	61	1	123	0	n/a	n/a	0	698
2000	534	80	1	123	0	n/a	n/a	0	738
2001	571	86	2	136	0	n/a	n/a	0	795
2002	662	86	4	173	0	n/a	n/a	0	925
2003	662	86	4	173	0	n/a	n/a	0	925
2004	751	77	5	185	0	n/a	n/a	0	1018
2005	343	80	4	204	0	n/a	n/a	0	631
2006	331	85	9	236	2	n/a	n/a	0	663
2007	284	75	9	268	2	n/a	n/a	21	659
2008	200	92	8	207	1	n/a	n/a	27	535
2009	181	113	10	188	1	n/a	n/a	30	523
2010	170	112	11	180	1	n/a	n/a	23	497
2011	159	91	13	209	1	0	5	0	478
2012	133	84	7	230	0	0	5	0	459
2013	131	71	5	224	0	0	7	0	438
2014	111	107	5	236	0	0	7	0	466
2015	114	90	2	247	0	0	10	0	463
2016	118	109	8	208	2	0	4	0	449
2017	137	126	12	220	2	2	11	0	510
2018	152	116	10	212	1	0	11	0	502
2019	166	112	7	214	0	2	15	0	516
2020	147	116	2	217	0	0	19	0	501
2021	147	100	2	228	0	0	18	0	495
2022	147	121	6	250	0	0	25	0	549
2023	137	136	9	241	0	0	28	0	551

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 Blackburn Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	422	25.0	16.8	66.6
1989	420	24.0	17.5	66
1990	492	29.0	16.9	69.9
1991	474	29.0	16.3	70
1992	453	29.0	15.6	63.1
1993	552	31.0	17.8	41.3
1994	639	34.0	18.8	38
1995	652	34.0	19.2	33
1996	652	34.0	19.2	33
1997	693	37.0	18.7	33.2
1998	751	41.0	18.3	33.3
1999	698	43.0	16.2	39.8
2000	738	45.0	16.4	38.9
2001	795	46.0	17.3	37.5
2002	925	51.0	18.1	35.2
2003	925	51.0	18.1	35.2
2004	1018	57.0	17.9	33.8
2005	631	44.0	14.3	51.3
2006	663	43.0	15.4	56.3
2007	659	44.0	15.0	60
2008	535	37.0	14.5	66.9
2009	523	34.8	15.8	69.4
2010	497	34.0	14.6	73.2
2011	478	33.0	14.4	73.6
2012	459	33.0	13.9	73.6
2013	438	32.0	13.6	77.2
2014	466	27.0	17.2	81.3
2015	463	33.0	14.0	97.4
2016	449	35.0	12.8	65.5
2017	510	36.0	14.1	64.1
2018	502	35.0	14.3	62.4
2019	516	32.0	16.1	63.6
2020	501	36.0	13.9	71.7
2021	495	35.0	14.1	68.7
2022	549	37.6	14.6	74.1
2023	551	41.6	13.2	78.2

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 Blackburn Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	422	25.0	16.8	66.6
1989	420	24.0	17.5	66
1990	492	29.0	16.9	69.9
1991	474	29.0	16.3	70
1992	453	29.0	15.6	63.1
1993	552	31.0	17.8	41.3
1994	639	34.0	18.8	38
1995	652	34.0	19.2	33
1996	652	34.0	19.2	33
1997	693	37.0	18.7	33.2
1998	751	41.0	18.3	33.3
1999	698	43.0	16.2	39.8
2000	738	45.0	16.4	38.9
2001	795	46.0	17.3	37.5
2002	925	51.0	18.1	35.2
2003	925	51.0	18.1	35.2
2004	1018	57.0	17.9	33.8
2005	631	44.0	14.3	51.3
2006	663	43.0	15.4	56.3
2007	659	44.0	15.0	60
2008	535	37.0	14.5	66.9
2009	523	34.8	15.8	69.4
2010	497	34.0	14.6	73.2
2011	478	33.0	14.4	73.6
2012	459	33.0	13.9	73.6
2013	438	32.0	13.6	77.2
2014	466	27.0	17.2	81.3
2015	463	33.0	14.0	97.4
2016	449	35.0	12.8	65.5
2017	510	36.0	14.1	64.1
2018	502	35.0	14.3	62.4
2019	516	32.0	16.1	63.6
2020	501	36.0	13.9	71.7
2021	495	35.0	14.1	68.7
2022	549	37.6	14.6	74.1
2023	551	41.6	13.2	78.2

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 Blackburn Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$1,083 (10.3%)	$9,456 (89.7%)	$10,539
2019	$1,531 (13.5%)	$9,840 (86.5%)	$11,371
2020	$1,656 (14.0%)	$10,147 (86.0%)	$11,803
2021	$1,784 (14.1%)	$10,884 (85.9%)	$12,667
2022	$2,389 (18.7%)	$10,398 (81.3%)	$12,786
2023	$2,320 (16.9%)	$11,394 (83.1%)	$13,714

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Blackburn 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 1204^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 1492^nd of 2240 Elementary schools	11.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Blackburn Elementary School)	40	37	3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Manatee)	51	46	5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Blackburn Elementary School)	67	63	4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Manatee)	60	59	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Blackburn Elementary School)	48	39	9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Manatee)	56	55	1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Blackburn Elementary School)	76	65	11%
4th Grade Mathematics (Manatee)	65	65
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Blackburn Elementary School)	42	37	5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Manatee)	52	57	5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Blackburn Elementary School)	64	55	9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Manatee)	60	63	3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Blackburn Elementary School)	41	31	10%
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	516	551	6.8%
African American	112	136	21.4%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	7	9	28.6%
Hispanic	214	241	12.6%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	166	137	17.5%
Two or More Races	15	28	86.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	63.6%	78.2%	14.7%

Schools Near Blackburn 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 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 Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Blackburn Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3904 17th St E	Palmetto	34221	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	Yes	(941) 723-4800	551	42	13.2	78.2%	137 (24.9%)	136 (24.7%)	241 (43.7%)	9 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.1%)	25.5	1753^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	22.3%		34.1	1492^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	33.4%	261	38.0	40.0	36.0				57.0	42.0	46.0				28.0					$13,714	$2,320	$11,394
Hola! Elementary @ Msa	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	700 Haben Blvd	Palmetto	34221	Manatee County	Manatee	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(941) 708-8770	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)	47.0	37.0	43.0				58.0	60.0	53.0				37.0
James Tillman Elementary Magnet School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1415 29th St E	Palmetto	34221	Manatee County	Manatee	No	Yes	No	Yes	(941) 723-4833	520	31	16.7	74.0%	101 (19.4%)	156 (30.0%)	219 (42.1%)	9 (1.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (6.5%)	50.5	1081^st of 2256 public elementary schools	52.1%		50.2	1093^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	51.2%	12	39.0	48.0	40.0				72.0	72.0	69.0				45.0					$11,893	$2,243	$9,650
Manatee Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1609 6th Ave E	Bradenton	34208	Manatee County	Manatee	No	Yes	No	Yes	(941) 741-3319	525	33	15.9	85.7%	36 (6.9%)	174 (33.1%)	297 (56.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.0%)	11.1	2124^th of 2256 public elementary schools	5.9%		7.8	2176^th of 2240 public elementary schools	2.9%	52	19.0	23.0	34.0				28.0	29.0	40.0				35.0					$12,978	$2,783	$10,194
Just For Girls Elementary School	Public	K-5	3809 59th St W	Bradenton	34209	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 293-3954	43	5	8.6	86.0%	11 (25.6%)	16 (37.2%)	13 (30.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (7.0%)								(n/a)	9.0						27.0											$6,902	$34	$6,868
Palm View K-8 School	Public	PK, KG-8	6025 Bayshore Rd	Palmetto	34221	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	Yes	(941) 723-4812	653	51	12.8	77.0%	157 (24.0%)	120 (18.4%)	335 (51.3%)	8 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	32 (4.9%)	30.3	1609^th of 2256 public elementary schools	28.7%		30	1608^th of 2240 public elementary schools	28.2%	1	39.0	33.0	36.0	46.0	39.0	43.0	60.0	49.0	45.0	57.0	68.0	44.0	31.0	28.0	92.0		64.0	$14,041	$2,878	$11,164
Palmetto Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	1607 17th St W	Palmetto	34221	Manatee County	Manatee	Yes	No	No	No	(941) 723-3711	418	29	14.4	27.0%	313 (74.9%)	27 (6.5%)	59 (14.1%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.6%)	92.7	93^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	95.9%		94	64^th of 2240 public elementary schools	97.1%	29	78.0	80.0	77.0	74.0	89.0	83.0	94.0	89.0	81.0	89.0	93.0	86.0	86.0	76.0	96.0		91.0	$13,757	$00	$13,757
Palmetto Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1540 10th St W	Palmetto	34221	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	Yes	(941) 723-4822	570	40	14.2	77.9%	117 (20.5%)	89 (15.6%)	323 (56.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	39 (6.8%)	30.2	1617^th of 2256 public elementary schools	28.3%		43.7	1234^th of 2240 public elementary schools	44.9%	383	43.0	42.0	40.0				54.0	50.0	45.0				36.0					$13,164	$2,542	$10,623
Louise R Johnson K-8 School Of International Studies	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	2121 26th Ave E	Bradenton	34208	Manatee County	Manatee	No	Yes	No	No	(941) 741-3344	936	63	14.8	64.9%	275 (29.4%)	190 (20.3%)	413 (44.1%)	21 (2.2%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (3.8%)	70.6	626^th of 2256 public elementary schools	72.3%		66.7	701^st of 2240 public elementary schools	68.7%	75	59.0	70.0	54.0	69.0	63.0	59.0	75.0	70.0	63.0	82.0	80.0	29.0	43.0	54.0	95.0	100.0	78.0	$11,021	$1,101	$9,920
Virgil Mills Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	7200 69th St E	Palmetto	34221	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 721-2140	818	52	15.7	43.3%	518 (63.3%)	63 (7.7%)	163 (19.9%)	27 (3.3%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (5.4%)	70.5	629^th of 2256 public elementary schools	72.1%		72	585^th of 2240 public elementary schools	73.9%	44	68.0	66.0	58.0				70.0	69.0	62.0				54.0					$10,454	$1,059	$9,396

Frequently Asked Questions about Blackburn Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Blackburn Elementary School?

Students at Blackburn Elementary School are 44% Hispanic, 25% White, 25% African American, 5% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Blackburn Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Buffalo Creek Middle School
High : Palmetto High School

Is Blackburn Elementary School a good school?

Blackburn Elementary School ranks in the bottom 22.3% of Florida elementary schools.

What district is Blackburn Elementary School in?

Manatee

How many students attend Blackburn Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 551 students attended Blackburn Elementary School.

Rate Blackburn 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.