Central Elementary School

Summary:

Central Elementary School is a public elementary school in Okeechobee, Florida, serving 530 students in grades PK-5. The school faces several challenges, including high chronic absenteeism, low test scores, and a high percentage of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Central Elementary School has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism rates, rising from 10.2% in 2019-2020 to 43.0% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the state average and the rates of nearby schools like Everglades Elementary (43.3%), Seminole Elementary (44.3%), and North Elementary (43.6%). The school's test scores are consistently lower than the Okeechobee district and the state of Florida averages across various subjects and grade levels, with only 38% of 3rd graders proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 48% in the district and 55% statewide.

Central Elementary School has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, reaching 76.04% in 2022-2023, which is significantly higher than the nearby schools. While the school has seen a steady increase in spending per student, from $7,261 in 2019-2020 to $10,005 in 2022-2023, its performance has remained relatively stagnant, consistently ranking in the bottom quartile of Florida elementary schools and maintaining a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. In contrast, the nearby Pemayetv Emahakv Charter Our Way School stands out as a high-performing school with significantly better test scores and a 5-star rating.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

610 SW 5th Ave
Okeechobee, FL 34974

(863) 462-5077

District: Okeechobee

SchoolDigger Rank:
1735^th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,005

Students who attend Central Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Osceola Middle School
High:	Okeechobee High School

Student/teacher ratio: 19.0

Number of students: 548

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

48.7%

White:

42.2%

African American:

6.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 61.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Central Elementary School ranks worse than 76.9% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks last among 5 ranked elementary schools in the Okeechobee School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 26.22. (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: Hispanic (48.7%), White (42.2%), African American (6.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 61.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 19, which is the 3^rd best among 5 elementary schools in the Okeechobee School District. (See more...)

Compare Central Elementary School employs 28.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central Elementary School is $10,005. 3 elementary schools in the Okeechobee School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Okeechobee:

SchoolDigger ranks Okeechobee 64^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Central Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	47.73	902^nd	1688	46.6%
2007	38.95	1156^th	1786	35.3%
2008	41.59	1105^th	1789	38.2%
2009	55.27	868^th	1847	53.0%
2010	54.11	951^st	1919	50.4%
2011	43.31	1196^th	1985	39.7%
2012	30.37	1434^th	1984	27.7%
2013	34.83	1367^th	2029	32.6%
2014	25.39	1618^th	2064	21.6%
2016	29.46	1527^th	2087	26.8%
2017	33.14	1417^th	2112	32.9%
2018	41.30	1258^th	2118	40.6%
2019	34.83	1463^rd	2182	33.0%
2021	27.09	1648^th	2247	26.7%
2022	27.40	1630^th	2219	26.5%
2023	25.60	1734^th	2240	22.6%
2024	26.22	1735^th	2256	23.1%

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 Central Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	649	91	1	121	3	n/a	n/a	0	865
1989	458	88	2	136	0	n/a	n/a	0	684
1990	386	73	2	155	0	n/a	n/a	0	616
1991	398	73	4	159	3	n/a	n/a	0	637
1992	340	66	1	185	2	n/a	n/a	0	594
1993	309	58	3	234	2	n/a	n/a	0	606
1994	387	53	8	169	2	n/a	n/a	0	619
1995	355	66	5	178	1	n/a	n/a	0	605
1996	355	66	5	178	1	n/a	n/a	0	605
1997	320	52	6	140	1	n/a	n/a	0	519
1998	324	55	4	156	3	n/a	n/a	0	542
1999	326	56	4	153	1	n/a	n/a	0	540
2000	327	50	4	161	2	n/a	n/a	0	544
2001	336	57	4	182	4	n/a	n/a	0	583
2002	343	53	4	215	7	n/a	n/a	0	622
2003	343	53	4	215	7	n/a	n/a	0	622
2004	353	49	5	203	16	n/a	n/a	0	626
2005	388	54	4	245	20	n/a	n/a	0	711
2006	396	54	4	227	24	n/a	n/a	0	705
2007	370	53	5	254	18	n/a	n/a	17	717
2008	317	43	10	250	15	n/a	n/a	26	661
2009	261	38	3	206	10	n/a	n/a	22	540
2010	250	51	10	181	7	n/a	n/a	45	544
2011	239	50	6	220	6	0	23	0	544
2012	273	62	8	235	6	0	20	0	604
2013	243	60	7	239	6	0	20	0	575
2014	223	67	4	273	6	0	20	0	593
2015	224	74	2	287	6	1	22	0	616
2016	196	72	3	298	6	1	26	0	602
2017	203	53	2	292	4	1	21	0	576
2018	199	57	3	295	4	1	25	0	584
2019	183	42	1	276	3	1	26	0	532
2020	200	44	4	303	4	0	17	0	572
2021	168	31	1	266	2	0	23	0	491
2022	198	36	2	256	2	0	24	0	518
2023	201	48	3	261	1	0	16	0	530
2024	231	37	1	267	1	0	11	0	548

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 Central Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	865	41.0	21.0	60.7
1989	684	35.0	19.5	63.7
1990	616	36.0	17.1	64
1991	637	33.0	19.3	69.5
1992	594	32.0	18.5	62.3
1993	606	33.0	18.4	68.3
1994	619	33.0	18.8	62
1995	605	28.0	21.6	64.6
1996	605	28.0	21.6	64.6
1997	519	25.0	20.8	66.5
1998	542	27.0	20.1	67
1999	540	29.0	18.6	68.1
2000	544	29.0	18.8	71.3
2001	583	27.0	21.6	72.9
2002	622	29.0	21.4	69.9
2003	622	29.0	21.4	69.9
2004	626	29.0	21.6	65.8
2005	711	40.0	17.8	67.7
2006	705	41.0	17.2	64.3
2007	717	41.0	17.5	62.3
2008	661	45.0	14.7	61.4
2009	540	41.4	14.6	69.7
2010	544	34.0	16.0	79.6
2011	544	36.0	15.1	76.7
2012	604	37.0	16.3	78.3
2013	575	39.0	14.7	79
2014	593	36.0	16.4	80.8
2015	616	35.0	17.6	83.6
2016	602	40.0	15.0	88.2
2017	576	40.0	14.4	89.2
2018	584	38.0	15.3	88.7
2019	532	32.8	16.2	65.2
2020	572	27.6	20.6	69.8
2021	491	28.9	16.9	64.8
2022	518	29.8	17.3	65.3
2023	530	27.8	19.0	76
2024	548	28.8	19.0	61.3

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 Central Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	865	41.0	21.0	60.7
1989	684	35.0	19.5	63.7
1990	616	36.0	17.1	64
1991	637	33.0	19.3	69.5
1992	594	32.0	18.5	62.3
1993	606	33.0	18.4	68.3
1994	619	33.0	18.8	62
1995	605	28.0	21.6	64.6
1996	605	28.0	21.6	64.6
1997	519	25.0	20.8	66.5
1998	542	27.0	20.1	67
1999	540	29.0	18.6	68.1
2000	544	29.0	18.8	71.3
2001	583	27.0	21.6	72.9
2002	622	29.0	21.4	69.9
2003	622	29.0	21.4	69.9
2004	626	29.0	21.6	65.8
2005	711	40.0	17.8	67.7
2006	705	41.0	17.2	64.3
2007	717	41.0	17.5	62.3
2008	661	45.0	14.7	61.4
2009	540	41.4	14.6	69.7
2010	544	34.0	16.0	79.6
2011	544	36.0	15.1	76.7
2012	604	37.0	16.3	78.3
2013	575	39.0	14.7	79
2014	593	36.0	16.4	80.8
2015	616	35.0	17.6	83.6
2016	602	40.0	15.0	88.2
2017	576	40.0	14.4	89.2
2018	584	38.0	15.3	88.7
2019	532	32.8	16.2	65.2
2020	572	27.6	20.6	69.8
2021	491	28.9	16.9	64.8
2022	518	29.8	17.3	65.3
2023	530	27.8	19.0	76
2024	548	28.8	19.0	61.3

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 Central Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$838 (9.6%)	$7,896 (90.4%)	$8,734
2019	$856 (10.8%)	$7,084 (89.2%)	$7,940
2020	$699 (9.6%)	$6,562 (90.4%)	$7,261
2021	$994 (12.2%)	$7,168 (87.8%)	$8,163
2022	$1,414 (15.4%)	$7,749 (84.6%)	$9,164
2023	$1,914 (19.1%)	$8,091 (80.9%)	$10,005

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Central 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 1463^rd of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 1734^th of 2240 Elementary schools	10.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)	53	44	9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Okeechobee)	59	47	12%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Central Elementary School)	66	45	21%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Okeechobee)	66	53	13%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)	42	41	1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Okeechobee)	46	53	7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Central Elementary School)	56	39	17%
4th Grade Mathematics (Okeechobee)	60	56	4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)	42	41	1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Okeechobee)	50	47	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Central Elementary School)	45	43	2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Okeechobee)	56	40	16%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Central Elementary School)	36	35	1%
5th Grade Science (Okeechobee)	44	42	2%
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	532	530	0.4%
African American	42	48	14.3%
American Indian	3	1	66.7%
Asian	1	3	200%
Hispanic	276	261	5.4%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	183	201	9.8%
Two or More Races	26	16	38.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	65.2%	76%	10.8%

Schools Near Central 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	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
Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	610 SW 5th Ave	Okeechobee	34974	Okeechobee County	Okeechobee	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 462-5077	548	29	19.0	61.3%	231 (42.2%)	37 (6.8%)	267 (48.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.0%)	26.2	1735^th of 2256 public elementary schools	23.1%		25.6	1734^th of 2240 public elementary schools	22.6%	1	38.0	47.0	41.0				51.0	37.0	38.0			39.0				$10,005	$1,914	$8,091
Student Serv./Special Programs	Public	PK	700 SW 2nd Ave	Okeechobee	34974	Okeechobee County	Okeechobee	No	No	No	No	(863) 462-5000	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
South Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2468 SW 7th Ave	Okeechobee	34974	Okeechobee County	Okeechobee	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 462-5087	536	32	16.7	47.6%	311 (58.0%)	31 (5.8%)	161 (30.0%)	6 (1.1%)	6 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (3.9%)	49.8	1096^th of 2256 public elementary schools	51.4%		45.7	1194^th of 2240 public elementary schools	46.7%	98	55.0	47.0	55.0				58.0	45.0	62.0			51.0				$11,211	$2,169	$9,042
North Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3000 NW 10th Ter	Okeechobee	34972	Okeechobee County	Okeechobee	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 462-5100	558	29	19.2	55.9%	250 (44.8%)	19 (3.4%)	273 (48.9%)	6 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.6%)	36.6	1443^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	36.0%		50	1098^th of 2240 public elementary schools	51.0%	345	52.0	37.0	49.0				50.0	53.0	47.0			44.0				$10,145	$1,974	$8,171
Everglades Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3725 SE 8th St	Okeechobee	34974	Okeechobee County	Okeechobee	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 462-5108	774	37	20.9	64.3%	373 (48.2%)	40 (5.2%)	327 (42.2%)	5 (0.6%)	5 (0.6%)	2 (0.3%)	22 (2.8%)	35.9	1461^st of 2256 public elementary schools	35.2%		34.1	1493^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	33.3%	32	45.0	38.0	42.0				70.0	43.0	47.0			47.0				$8,960	$1,869	$7,092
Seminole Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2690 NW 42nd Ave	Okeechobee	34972	Okeechobee County	Okeechobee	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 462-5116	541	33	16.3	62.3%	196 (36.2%)	20 (3.7%)	302 (55.8%)	5 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.1%)	37.1	1425^th of 2256 public elementary schools	36.8%		41.2	1297^th of 2240 public elementary schools	42.1%	128	52.0	47.0	36.0				52.0	60.0	42.0			39.0				$11,854	$2,485	$9,368
Pemayetv Emahakv Charter Our Way School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	100 E Harney Pond Rd NE	Okeechobee	34974	Okeechobee County	Glades	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 467-2501	294	0		1.0%	21 (7.1%)	4 (1.4%)	47 (16.0%)	0 (0.0%)	150 (51.0%)	0 (0.0%)	72 (24.5%)	90.1	177^th of 2256 public elementary schools	92.2%		88.4	209^th of 2240 public elementary schools	90.7%	32	94.0	68.0	83.0	56.0	85.0	70.0	94.0	89.0	94.0	89.0	88.0	75.0	70.0	93.0	96.0	$32,241	$1,565	$30,676

Frequently Asked Questions about Central Elementary School

Is Central Elementary School a good school?

Central Elementary School ranks in the bottom 23.1% of Florida elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Central Elementary School?

Students at Central Elementary School are 49% Hispanic, 42% White, 7% African American, 2% Two or more races.

What district is Central Elementary School in?

Okeechobee

What schools do graduates of Central Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Osceola Middle School
High : Okeechobee High School

How many students attend Central Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 548 students attended Central 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.