Ward-Highlands Elementary School

Q: Is Ward-Highlands Elementary School a good school?

Ward-Highlands Elementary School ranks 692 nd of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Ward-Highlands Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 959 students in grades PK-5 in Ocala, Florida, which is part of the Marion School District. Despite the district's 1-star rating, Ward-Highlands consistently outperforms the district and state averages on standardized tests, with 62% of 5th graders proficient or better in Science compared to 44% for the district and 53% statewide.

However, Ward-Highlands faces some challenges, including higher chronic absenteeism rates ranging from 28.5% to 31.8% compared to 10-15% at higher-performing nearby schools like Madison Street Academy and Dr. N.H. Jones Elementary. The school also has a relatively high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 49.61% to 59.12%, which is higher than the state average and some nearby schools like Eighth Street Elementary (32.84%).

Despite these challenges, Ward-Highlands maintains a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger, ranking in the top half of Florida elementary schools. The school's diverse student population, with a mix of White, Hispanic, and African American students, provides a rich learning environment. While Ward-Highlands outperforms the district, there may be opportunities to learn from the best practices of higher-performing nearby schools to further improve student outcomes and address the chronic absenteeism concerns.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

537 SE 36th Ave
Ocala, FL 34471

(352) 671-6810

District: Marion

SchoolDigger Rank:
692^nd of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,959

Students who attend Ward-Highlands Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:

Fort King Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.4

Number of students: 959

Racial breakdown:

White:

55.9%

Hispanic:

21.5%

African American:

15.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 59.1%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Ward-Highlands Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Ward-Highlands Elementary School ranks better than 69.3% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 5^th among 32 ranked elementary schools in the Marion School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 67.3. (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 Ward-Highlands Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (55.9%), Hispanic (21.5%), African American (15.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 59.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ward-Highlands Elementary School is 17.4. 21 elementary schools in the Marion School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Ward-Highlands Elementary School employs 55 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ward-Highlands Elementary School is $10,959, which is the 16^th highest among 32 elementary schools in the Marion School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Ward-Highlands Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Marion:

SchoolDigger ranks Marion 61^st of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Ward-Highlands Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	62.97	642^nd	1688	62.0%
2007	69.53	545^th	1786	69.5%
2008	67.47	598^th	1789	66.6%
2009	65.89	637^th	1847	65.5%
2010	62.10	772^nd	1919	59.8%
2011	58.02	880^th	1985	55.7%
2012	59.48	812^th	1984	59.1%
2013	64.45	697^th	2029	65.6%
2014	68.17	624^th	2064	69.8%
2016	62.68	765^th	2087	63.3%
2017	65.36	720^th	2112	65.9%
2018	50.37	1045^th	2118	50.7%
2019	45.30	1194^th	2182	45.3%
2021	60.78	838^th	2247	62.7%
2022	59.91	832^nd	2219	62.5%
2023	64.84	745^th	2240	66.7%
2024	67.30	692^nd	2256	69.3%

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 Ward-Highlands Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	657	150	4	13	1	n/a	n/a	0	825
1989	647	162	3	14	0	n/a	n/a	0	826
1990	641	147	5	12	1	n/a	n/a	0	806
1991	645	169	7	14	1	n/a	n/a	0	836
1992	596	127	7	14	0	n/a	n/a	0	744
1993	607	146	9	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	777
1994	617	160	6	18	0	n/a	n/a	0	801
1995	631	170	6	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	820
1996	631	170	6	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	820
1997	625	173	3	19	0	n/a	n/a	0	820
1998	653	143	2	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	813
1999	645	133	2	18	0	n/a	n/a	0	798
2000	635	118	3	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	778
2001	630	124	3	25	2	n/a	n/a	0	784
2002	599	116	3	35	2	n/a	n/a	0	755
2003	599	116	3	35	2	n/a	n/a	0	755
2004	616	118	3	38	1	n/a	n/a	0	776
2005	635	151	7	45	2	n/a	n/a	0	840
2006	598	160	5	60	3	n/a	n/a	0	826
2007	556	194	8	72	3	n/a	n/a	37	870
2008	563	171	10	80	3	n/a	n/a	42	869
2009	535	183	9	71	2	n/a	n/a	45	845
2010	533	155	9	57	4	n/a	n/a	48	806
2011	488	120	9	95	3	1	43	0	759
2012	525	119	12	94	1	1	42	0	794
2013	492	127	11	91	0	1	40	0	762
2014	489	117	12	93	1	1	44	0	757
2015	511	117	14	126	2	1	41	0	812
2016	547	135	13	117	1	0	34	0	847
2017	584	122	14	117	0	1	41	0	879
2018	568	128	12	120	0	1	43	0	872
2019	548	119	12	136	1	0	52	0	868
2020	516	126	14	121	0	1	53	0	831
2021	463	120	11	126	1	1	46	0	768
2022	539	156	8	181	1	0	62	0	947
2023	536	152	11	206	2	1	51	0	959

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 Ward-Highlands Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	825	48.0	17.1	28.4
1989	826	47.0	17.5	26.8
1990	806	48.0	16.7	26.1
1991	836	51.0	16.3	31.7
1992	744	50.0	14.8	25.4
1993	777	47.0	16.5	30.1
1994	801	49.0	16.3	33.3
1995	820	50.0	16.4	37.6
1996	820	50.0	16.4	37.6
1997	820	52.0	15.8	39.5
1998	813	52.0	15.6	34.1
1999	798	49.0	16.3	39.5
2000	778	49.0	15.9	41.5
2001	784	48.0	16.3	43.6
2002	755	49.0	15.4	42.1
2003	755	49.0	15.4	42.1
2004	776	52.0	14.9	41.1
2005	840	54.0	15.6	48.1
2006	826	55.0	15.0	44.3
2007	870	61.0	14.3	47.2
2008	869	62.0	14.0	49
2009	845	67.5	13.9	52.3
2010	806	63.0	12.7	64
2011	759	61.0	12.4	60.1
2012	794	59.0	13.4	65.9
2013	762	55.0	13.8	60.9
2014	757	52.0	14.5	42
2015	812	55.0	14.7	56
2016	847	63.0	13.4	60.7
2017	879	63.0	13.9	54.3
2018	872	65.0	13.4	58.9
2019	868	53.0	16.3	49.3
2020	831	52.0	15.9	49.2
2021	768	52.0	14.7	49.6
2022	947	52.0	18.2	56
2023	959	55.0	17.4	59.1

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 Ward-Highlands Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	825	48.0	17.1	28.4
1989	826	47.0	17.5	26.8
1990	806	48.0	16.7	26.1
1991	836	51.0	16.3	31.7
1992	744	50.0	14.8	25.4
1993	777	47.0	16.5	30.1
1994	801	49.0	16.3	33.3
1995	820	50.0	16.4	37.6
1996	820	50.0	16.4	37.6
1997	820	52.0	15.8	39.5
1998	813	52.0	15.6	34.1
1999	798	49.0	16.3	39.5
2000	778	49.0	15.9	41.5
2001	784	48.0	16.3	43.6
2002	755	49.0	15.4	42.1
2003	755	49.0	15.4	42.1
2004	776	52.0	14.9	41.1
2005	840	54.0	15.6	48.1
2006	826	55.0	15.0	44.3
2007	870	61.0	14.3	47.2
2008	869	62.0	14.0	49
2009	845	67.5	13.9	52.3
2010	806	63.0	12.7	64
2011	759	61.0	12.4	60.1
2012	794	59.0	13.4	65.9
2013	762	55.0	13.8	60.9
2014	757	52.0	14.5	42
2015	812	55.0	14.7	56
2016	847	63.0	13.4	60.7
2017	879	63.0	13.9	54.3
2018	872	65.0	13.4	58.9
2019	868	53.0	16.3	49.3
2020	831	52.0	15.9	49.2
2021	768	52.0	14.7	49.6
2022	947	52.0	18.2	56
2023	959	55.0	17.4	59.1

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 Ward-Highlands Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$760 (8.1%)	$8,648 (91.9%)	$9,408
2019	$669 (7.5%)	$8,247 (92.5%)	$8,916
2020	$614 (6.7%)	$8,576 (93.3%)	$9,190
2021	$914 (9.5%)	$8,745 (90.5%)	$9,658
2022	$1,489 (16.4%)	$7,584 (83.6%)	$9,072
2023	$1,913 (17.5%)	$9,045 (82.5%)	$10,959

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ward-Highlands 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 1194^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 745^th of 2240 Elementary schools	21.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Ward-Highlands Elementary School)	41	43	2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Marion)	44	42	2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Ward-Highlands Elementary School)	44	54	10%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Marion)	49	49
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Ward-Highlands Elementary School)	62	63	1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Marion)	49	50	1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Ward-Highlands Elementary School)	63	77	14%
4th Grade Mathematics (Marion)	54	58	4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Ward-Highlands Elementary School)	57	58	1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Marion)	45	43	2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Ward-Highlands Elementary School)	61	62	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Marion)	45	46	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Ward-Highlands Elementary School)	51	61	10%
5th Grade Science (Marion)	44	43	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	868	959	10.5%
African American	119	152	27.7%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	12	11	8.3%
Hispanic	136	206	51.5%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	548	536	2.2%
Two or More Races	52	51	1.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	49.3%	59.1%	9.8%

Schools Near Ward-Highlands 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
Ward-Highlands Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	537 SE 36th Ave	Ocala	34471	Marion County	Marion	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 671-6810	959	55	17.4	59.1%	536 (55.9%)	152 (15.8%)	206 (21.5%)	11 (1.1%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	51 (5.3%)	67.3	692^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	69.3%		64.8	745^th of 2240 public elementary schools	66.7%	53	56.0	56.0	59.0	68.0	70.0	65.0	62.0	$10,959	$1,913	$9,045
Maplewood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4751 SE 24th St	Ocala	34471	Marion County	Marion	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 671-6820	817	60	13.6	56.3%	424 (51.9%)	165 (20.2%)	183 (22.4%)	11 (1.3%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	32 (3.9%)	53	1018^th of 2256 public elementary schools	54.9%		55.9	950^th of 2240 public elementary schools	57.6%	68	47.0	50.0	51.0	59.0	69.0	59.0	56.0	$14,226	$3,044	$11,183
Marion Elearning	Public, Virtual	K-5	1614 E Ft King St	Ocala	34471	Marion County	Marion	No	No	Yes	No	(352) 236-0570	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Wyomina Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	511 NE 12th Ave	Ocala	34470	Marion County	Marion	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 671-6370	645	36	17.9	82.2%	195 (30.2%)	279 (43.3%)	142 (22.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (4.2%)	11.3	2120^th of 2256 public elementary schools	6.0%		12.9	2083^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	7.0%	37	30.0	38.0	38.0	32.0	29.0	25.0	26.0	$10,745	$2,141	$8,606
South Ocala Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1430 SE 24th Rd	Ocala	34471	Marion County	Marion	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 671-4750	715	48	14.8	60.4%	305 (42.7%)	190 (26.6%)	160 (22.4%)	5 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	54 (7.6%)	28.7	1657^th of 2256 public elementary schools	26.6%		35.9	1443^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	35.6%	214	39.0	50.0	34.0	52.0	53.0	40.0	32.0	$12,675	$2,625	$10,051
Eighth Street Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	513 SE 8th St	Ocala	34471	Marion County	Marion	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 671-7125	405	27	15.0	32.8%	289 (71.4%)	52 (12.8%)	49 (12.1%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.2%)	90.5	159^th of 2256 public elementary schools	93.0%		87.9	218^th of 2240 public elementary schools	90.3%	59	70.0	70.0	85.0	77.0	80.0	95.0	90.0	$11,877	$1,759	$10,118
Oakcrest Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1112 NE 28th St	Ocala	34470	Marion County	Marion	No	Yes	No	Yes	(352) 671-6350	470	29	16.2	82.6%	126 (26.8%)	228 (48.5%)	80 (17.0%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	31 (6.6%)	9.5	2162^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	4.2%		19.5	1912^th of 2240 public elementary schools	14.6%	250	24.0	19.0	38.0	34.0	35.0	27.0	27.0	$12,950	$2,453	$10,496
Madison Street Academy Of Visual And Performing Arts	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	401 NW Martin Luther King Jr	Ocala	34475	Marion County	Marion	No	Yes	No	No	(352) 671-7250	455	32	14.2	30.3%	240 (52.7%)	78 (17.1%)	92 (20.2%)	8 (1.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	35 (7.7%)	93.3	84^th of 2256 public elementary schools	96.3%		90.3	165^th of 2240 public elementary schools	92.6%	81	83.0	83.0	85.0	84.0	88.0	73.0	78.0	$12,666	$1,896	$10,771
Dr N H Jones Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1900 SW 5th St	Ocala	34471	Marion County	Marion	No	Yes	No	No	(352) 671-7260	807	50	16.1	38.0%	281 (34.8%)	242 (30.0%)	145 (18.0%)	84 (10.4%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	51 (6.3%)	86.9	259^th of 2256 public elementary schools	88.5%		87.6	229^th of 2240 public elementary schools	89.8%	30	67.0	85.0	79.0	67.0	80.0	83.0	77.0	$10,302	$1,567	$8,736
Ocala Springs Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5757 NE 40th Avenue Rd	Ocala	34479	Marion County	Marion	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 671-6360	690	43	16.0	67.1%	354 (51.3%)	134 (19.4%)	134 (19.4%)	8 (1.2%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	57 (8.3%)	38.4	1382^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	38.7%		40.9	1310^th of 2240 public elementary schools	41.5%	72	44.0	49.0	49.0	52.0	43.0	48.0	53.0	$11,030	$1,995	$9,033

Frequently Asked Questions about Ward-Highlands Elementary School

How many students attend Ward-Highlands Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 959 students attended Ward-Highlands Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Ward-Highlands Elementary School?

Students at Ward-Highlands Elementary School are 56% White, 21% Hispanic, 16% African American, 5% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Is Ward-Highlands Elementary School a good school?

Ward-Highlands Elementary School ranks 692^nd of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Ward-Highlands Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Ward-Highlands Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Fort King Middle School

What district is Ward-Highlands Elementary School in?

Marion

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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.