Ponce De Leon Elementary School

Summary:

Ponce De Leon Elementary School is a public elementary school in Clearwater, Florida, serving 568 students in grades PK-5 and part of the Pinellas School District, which is ranked 23rd out of 68 districts in the state.

Ponce De Leon stands out for its diverse student population, with a higher percentage of African American (30.99%) and Hispanic (35.56%) students compared to nearby schools like Ridgecrest Elementary and Plato Seminole. However, the school faces challenges, including consistently high chronic absenteeism rates ranging from 34.0% to 48.1% over the past few years, significantly higher than the surrounding schools. Academically, Ponce De Leon's proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Math are generally lower than the Pinellas district and Florida state averages, though its 5th-grade science proficiency rate is higher than the district and state.

Ponce De Leon's diverse student population and high percentage of economically disadvantaged students, with 76.86% to 79.23% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, suggest the need for targeted interventions and support to address any achievement gaps and ensure equitable educational opportunities. While the school's spending per student, ranging from $14,197 to $15,200 over the past few years, is higher than nearby schools, the impact on student outcomes may be limited, underscoring the importance of data-driven decision-making and community engagement to improve the school's overall performance.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 1301 Ponce De Leon Blvd
       Clearwater, FL  33756


(727) 588-3573

District: Pinellas

SchoolDigger Rank:
789th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,687 Help


Students who attend Ponce De Leon Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Largo Middle School
High:    Largo High School

Student/teacher ratio:  12.0 Help
Number of students:  568

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
35.6%
African American:
31.0%
White:
24.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  79.2% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Ponce De Leon Elementary School ranks better than 65% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 43rd among 90 ranked elementary schools in the Pinellas School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 63.32. (See more...)
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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
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Compare Details Student population at Ponce De Leon Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (35.6%), African American (31%), White (24.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 79.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ponce De Leon Elementary School is 12, which is the 11th best among 90 elementary schools in the Pinellas School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Ponce De Leon Elementary School employs 47 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ponce De Leon Elementary School is $14,687, which is the 28th highest among 90 elementary schools in the Pinellas School District.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Ponce De Leon Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Pinellas:

SchoolDigger ranks Pinellas 23rd of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Ponce De Leon Elementary School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools FL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 40.61 1035th 1688 38.7%
2007 38.64 1164th 1786 34.8%
2008 39.31 1144th 1789 36.1%
2009 42.66 1137th 1847 38.4%
2010 41.48 1202nd 1919 37.4%
2011 29.18 1516th 1985 23.6%
2012 19.24 1682nd 1984 15.2%
2013 17.04 1796th 2029 11.5%
2014 20.12 1750th 2064 15.2%
2016 21.88 1694th 2087 18.8%
2017 20.89 1752nd 2112 17.0%
2018 9.17 2016th 2118 4.8%
2019 17.12 1910th 2182 12.5%
2021 35.53 1430th 2247 36.4%
2022 34.95 1446th 2219 34.8%
2023 25.77 1728th 2240 22.9%
2024 63.32 789th 2256 65.0%
See the entire list of Florida Elementary School Rankings!

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

Ponce De Leon 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 Ponce De Leon 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 417 111 1 3 0 n/a n/a 0 532
1989 400 101 1 4 1 n/a n/a 0 507
1990 417 105 2 7 1 n/a n/a 0 532
1991 393 113 2 4 2 n/a n/a 0 514
1992 441 114 4 4 2 n/a n/a 0 565
1993 449 94 6 6 2 n/a n/a 0 557
1994 446 115 7 9 2 n/a n/a 0 579
1995 450 93 6 19 1 n/a n/a 0 569
1996 450 93 6 19 1 n/a n/a 0 569
1997 475 122 16 35 0 n/a n/a 0 648
1998 505 126 17 38 2 n/a n/a 0 688
1999 485 130 16 51 3 n/a n/a 0 685
2000 489 113 8 54 4 n/a n/a 0 668
2001 486 131 8 56 3 n/a n/a 0 684
2002 506 118 6 76 5 n/a n/a 0 711
2003 506 118 6 76 5 n/a n/a 0 711
2004 461 117 4 70 4 n/a n/a 0 656
2005 468 102 7 80 4 n/a n/a 0 661
2006 471 109 10 66 3 n/a n/a 0 659
2007 389 97 17 85 5 n/a n/a 66 659
2008 348 103 19 119 2 n/a n/a 64 655
2009 367 120 22 133 3 n/a n/a 76 721
2010 348 137 27 154 5 n/a n/a 68 739
2011 292 134 23 186 2 9 40 0 686
2012 243 144 26 170 2 8 40 0 633
2013 217 153 19 177 1 3 36 0 606
2014 209 154 18 185 1 1 28 0 596
2015 185 133 18 196 0 2 22 0 556
2016 185 156 21 207 1 2 21 0 593
2017 177 157 20 208 0 5 17 0 584
2018 155 178 12 193 0 4 10 0 552
2019 152 169 11 180 0 3 9 0 524
2020 145 169 12 179 0 3 15 0 523
2021 141 147 15 172 0 3 19 0 497
2022 138 149 12 208 0 2 35 0 544
2023 138 176 13 202 1 1 37 0 568

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 Ponce De Leon Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 532 32.0 16.6 41.5
1989 507 32.0 15.8 24.1
1990 532 31.0 17.1 42.5
1991 514 30.0 17.1 43.2
1992 565 33.0 17.1 40.7
1993 557 32.0 17.4 36.4
1994 579 33.0 17.5 41.8
1995 569 35.0 16.3 41.5
1996 569 35.0 16.3 41.5
1997 648 39.0 16.6 46.1
1998 688 39.0 17.6 45.1
1999 685 43.0 15.9 57.2
2000 668 43.0 15.5 53
2001 684 44.0 15.5 53.4
2002 711 41.0 17.3 54.3
2003 711 41.0 17.3 54.3
2004 656 42.0 15.6 57.8
2005 661 42.0 15.7 57.3
2006 659 40.0 16.5 51.4
2007 659 42.0 15.7 63.1
2008 655 46.0 14.2 65.3
2009 721 56.7 14.4 68.4
2010 739 51.0 14.4 74.7
2011 686 50.0 13.7 70.8
2012 633 53.0 11.9 78.4
2013 606 49.0 12.3 83.2
2014 596 48.0 12.4 55
2015 556 49.0 11.3 65.6
2016 593 51.0 11.6 75.4
2017 584 50.0 11.6 73.6
2018 552 48.0 11.5 80.3
2019 524 38.0 13.7 76.1
2020 523 42.0 12.4 75.7
2021 497 38.0 13.0 76.9
2022 544 41.0 13.2 78.9
2023 568 47.0 12.0 79.2

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 Ponce De Leon Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 532 32.0 16.6 41.5
1989 507 32.0 15.8 24.1
1990 532 31.0 17.1 42.5
1991 514 30.0 17.1 43.2
1992 565 33.0 17.1 40.7
1993 557 32.0 17.4 36.4
1994 579 33.0 17.5 41.8
1995 569 35.0 16.3 41.5
1996 569 35.0 16.3 41.5
1997 648 39.0 16.6 46.1
1998 688 39.0 17.6 45.1
1999 685 43.0 15.9 57.2
2000 668 43.0 15.5 53
2001 684 44.0 15.5 53.4
2002 711 41.0 17.3 54.3
2003 711 41.0 17.3 54.3
2004 656 42.0 15.6 57.8
2005 661 42.0 15.7 57.3
2006 659 40.0 16.5 51.4
2007 659 42.0 15.7 63.1
2008 655 46.0 14.2 65.3
2009 721 56.7 14.4 68.4
2010 739 51.0 14.4 74.7
2011 686 50.0 13.7 70.8
2012 633 53.0 11.9 78.4
2013 606 49.0 12.3 83.2
2014 596 48.0 12.4 55
2015 556 49.0 11.3 65.6
2016 593 51.0 11.6 75.4
2017 584 50.0 11.6 73.6
2018 552 48.0 11.5 80.3
2019 524 38.0 13.7 76.1
2020 523 42.0 12.4 75.7
2021 497 38.0 13.0 76.9
2022 544 41.0 13.2 78.9
2023 568 47.0 12.0 79.2

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 Ponce De Leon Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018 $1,577 (13.5%) $10,103 (86.5%) $11,680
2019 $1,846 (14.3%) $11,056 (85.7%) $12,902
2020 $1,927 (12.7%) $13,273 (87.3%) $15,200
2021 $2,069 (14.6%) $12,128 (85.4%) $14,197
2022 $2,711 (18.3%) $12,119 (81.7%) $14,829
2023 $2,354 (16.0%) $12,333 (84.0%) $14,687

Data source: Florida Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ponce De Leon 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 1910th of 2182 Elementary schoolsRanks 1728th of 2240 Elementary schools
 10.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Ponce De Leon Elementary School)4339
 4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pinellas)5652
 4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5853
 5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Ponce De Leon Elementary School)3940
 1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Pinellas)6260
 2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)6258
 4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Ponce De Leon Elementary School)2521
 4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Pinellas)5657
 1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5857
 1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Ponce De Leon Elementary School)3837
 1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Pinellas)6465
 1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)6461
 3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Ponce De Leon Elementary School)3659
 23%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Pinellas)5458
 4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5655
 1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Ponce De Leon Elementary School)4347
 4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Pinellas)6058
 2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)6052
 8%
5th Grade Science (Ponce De Leon Elementary School)4345
 2%
   5th Grade Science (Pinellas)5460
 6%
   5th Grade Science (Florida)5351
 2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students524568
 8.4%
African American169176
 4.1%
American Indian01
Asian1113
 18.2%
Hispanic180202
 12.2%
Pacific Islander31
 66.7%
White152138
 9.2%
Two or More Races937
 311.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients76.1%79.2%
 3.1%


Schools Near Ponce De Leon Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Ponce De Leon Elementary School

Students at Ponce De Leon Elementary School are 36% Hispanic, 31% African American, 24% White, 7% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Students who attend Ponce De Leon Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Largo Middle School
High : Largo High School

Ponce De Leon Elementary School ranks 789th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 568 students attended Ponce De Leon 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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