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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:
1735th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,005 Help


Students who attend Central Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Osceola Middle School
High:    Okeechobee High School

Student/teacher ratio:  19.0 Help
Number of students:  530

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
49.2%
White:
37.9%
African American:
9.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  76% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
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...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 26.22. (See more...)
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (49.2%), White (37.9%), African American (9.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 76% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 19, which is the highest among 5 elementary schools in the Okeechobee School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Central Elementary School employs 27.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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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 64th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Central Elementary School

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

Data source: test scores: Florida Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Central Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    





Data source: Florida Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Central Elementary School

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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

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

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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

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

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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

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

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal 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 1463rd of 2182 Elementary schoolsRanks 1734th 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)5344
 9%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Okeechobee)5947
 12%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5853
 5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Central Elementary School)6645
 21%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Okeechobee)6653
 13%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)6258
 4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)4241
 1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Okeechobee)4653
 7%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5857
 1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Central Elementary School)5639
 17%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Okeechobee)6056
 4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)6461
 3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)4241
 1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Okeechobee)5047
 3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5655
 1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Central Elementary School)4543
 2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Okeechobee)5640
 16%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)6052
 8%
5th Grade Science (Central Elementary School)3635
 1%
   5th Grade Science (Okeechobee)4442
 2%
   5th Grade Science (Florida)5351
 2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students532530
 0.4%
African American4248
 14.3%
American Indian31
 66.7%
Asian13
 200%
Hispanic276261
 5.4%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White183201
 9.8%
Two or More Races2616
 38.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients65.2%76%
 10.8%

Schools Near Central Elementary School








Frequently Asked Questions about Central Elementary School

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

Middle : Osceola Middle School
High : Okeechobee High School

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

Students at Central Elementary School are 49% Hispanic, 38% White, 9% African American, 3% Two or more races.

In the 2022-23 school year, 530 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.




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