Edgar L. Padgett Elementary

Q: Is Edgar L. Padgett Elementary a good school?

Edgar L. Padgett Elementary ranks 1538 th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Edgar L. Padgett Elementary is a public elementary school in Lakeland, Florida, serving 529 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Polk District, which is ranked 57 out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Edgar L. Padgett Elementary faces several challenges, including a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 20.8% in 2019-2020 to 48.8% in 2022-2023. This rate is notably higher than nearby schools, which range from 12.7% to 50.1% chronic absenteeism. The school's test scores are consistently lower than the Polk District and Florida state averages across all grade levels and subjects, with 3rd-grade English Language Arts proficiency at 42%, compared to 49% for Polk and 55% for Florida. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 57.28% to 67.59% over the past three school years, which is significantly higher than the nearby schools.

While Edgar L. Padgett Elementary has seen an increase in spending per student, from $9,020 in 2019-2020 to $10,445 in 2022-2023, this spending level is still lower than some of the nearby schools, such as Kathleen Elementary ($12,034) and Rochelle School of the Arts ($11,296). The school's diverse student population, with 36.86% White, 23.63% African American, and 35.54% Hispanic students, is reflective of the nearby schools as well. However, Edgar L. Padgett Elementary's statewide ranking has declined, from 1017 out of 2118 Florida elementary schools in 2017-2018 (3-star rating) to 1640 out of 2240 in 2022-2023 (1-star rating), indicating a decline in the school's performance relative to other schools in the state.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

110 Leelon Rd
Lakeland, FL 33809

(863) 853-6044

District: Polk

SchoolDigger Rank:
1538^th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,445

Students who attend Edgar L. Padgett Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Lake Gibson Middle School
High:	Lake Gibson Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.8

Number of students: 554

Racial breakdown:

White:

36.8%

Hispanic:

34.3%

African American:

24.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 71.8%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Edgar L. Padgett Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Edgar L. Padgett Elementary ranks worse than 68.2% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 46^th among 85 ranked elementary schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 32.87. (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 Edgar L. Padgett Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (36.8%), Hispanic (34.3%), African American (24%). (See more...)

Compare Details 71.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Edgar L. Padgett Elementary is 17.8. 70 elementary schools in the Polk School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Edgar L. Padgett Elementary employs 31 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Edgar L. Padgett Elementary is $10,445, which is the 43^rd highest among 85 elementary schools in the Polk School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Edgar L. Padgett Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Polk:

SchoolDigger ranks Polk 57^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Edgar L. Padgett Elementary.

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Rank History for Edgar L. Padgett Elementary

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	28.37	1247^th	1688	26.1%
2007	38.80	1161^st	1786	35.0%
2008	42.72	1090^th	1789	39.1%
2009	30.58	1393^rd	1847	24.6%
2010	27.88	1478^th	1919	23.0%
2011	23.50	1621^st	1985	18.3%
2012	30.40	1431^st	1984	27.9%
2013	38.13	1273^rd	2029	37.3%
2014	34.92	1376^th	2064	33.3%
2016	39.85	1270^th	2087	39.1%
2017	44.70	1176^th	2112	44.3%
2018	51.45	1017^th	2118	52.0%
2019	39.46	1331^st	2182	39.0%
2021	28.11	1622^nd	2247	27.8%
2022	24.89	1698^th	2219	23.5%
2023	28.93	1640^th	2240	26.8%
2024	32.87	1538^th	2256	31.8%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a citizen
Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Worst school to send your children too. Principle is terrible and does not back her staff and is very disrespectful to them. I have never seen a worst principle in a school. Need to boot her out and and get someone who cares about there hard working teachers, lunchroom workers and bus drivers. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Edgar L. Padgett Elementary

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	937	40	10	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	1003
1989	1066	52	16	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	1145
1990	1024	36	16	28	0	n/a	n/a	0	1104
1991	1182	44	25	35	1	n/a	n/a	0	1287
1992	644	42	25	24	1	n/a	n/a	0	736
1993	657	111	10	28	0	n/a	n/a	0	806
1994	644	98	7	32	0	n/a	n/a	0	781
1995	638	92	14	27	4	n/a	n/a	0	775
1996	638	92	14	27	4	n/a	n/a	0	775
1997	608	118	15	31	2	n/a	n/a	0	774
1998	641	155	10	26	2	n/a	n/a	0	834
1999	592	173	8	30	3	n/a	n/a	0	806
2000	591	200	7	42	0	n/a	n/a	0	840
2001	566	219	5	47	0	n/a	n/a	0	837
2002	426	135	5	67	0	n/a	n/a	0	633
2003	426	135	5	67	0	n/a	n/a	0	633
2004	403	127	7	65	1	n/a	n/a	0	603
2005	414	113	7	90	0	n/a	n/a	0	624
2006	414	117	7	114	2	n/a	n/a	0	654
2007	365	129	6	129	2	n/a	n/a	24	655
2008	355	127	10	123	2	n/a	n/a	25	642
2009	370	143	11	119	1	n/a	n/a	31	675
2010	355	137	6	131	3	n/a	n/a	38	670
2011	334	149	6	131	3	1	33	0	657
2012	267	147	5	111	1	1	31	0	563
2013	254	108	8	98	2	1	28	0	499
2014	253	122	4	121	1	0	23	0	524
2015	247	134	7	130	1	2	26	0	547
2016	232	138	11	134	1	2	30	0	548
2017	224	143	9	128	0	1	23	0	528
2018	212	135	11	140	0	2	25	0	525
2019	219	160	14	157	1	2	23	0	576
2020	213	144	15	166	1	0	20	0	559
2021	193	122	10	166	1	0	15	0	507
2022	197	122	7	161	1	1	14	0	503
2023	195	125	8	188	1	0	12	0	529
2024	204	133	8	190	1	0	18	0	554

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 Edgar L. Padgett Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1003	44.0	22.7	16.5
1989	1145	52.0	22.0	13.9
1990	1104	55.0	20.0	0
1991	1287	57.0	22.5	17.9
1992	736	37.0	19.8	19.8
1993	806	38.0	21.2	30
1994	781	37.0	21.1	33.3
1995	775	35.0	22.1	33.9
1996	775	35.0	22.1	33.9
1997	774	39.0	19.8	37.1
1998	834	41.0	20.3	37.1
1999	806	43.0	18.7	52.9
2000	840	41.0	20.5	49.8
2001	837	41.0	20.4	49
2002	633	34.0	18.6	57.8
2003	633	34.0	18.6	57.8
2004	603	39.0	15.5	67
2005	624	39.0	16.0	60.4
2006	654	40.0	16.4	63.6
2007	655	42.0	15.6	63.9
2008	642	45.0	14.3	56.4
2009	675	51.7	15.3	71.7
2010	670	43.0	15.5	69.9
2011	657	42.0	15.6	76
2012	563	36.0	15.6	78.5
2013	499	31.0	16.0	78.2
2014	524	32.0	16.3	80
2015	547	33.0	16.5	61.8
2016	548	35.0	15.6	65.3
2017	528	35.0	15.0	64.6
2018	525	36.0	14.5	57.9
2019	576	34.0	16.9	56.9
2020	559	37.0	15.1	55.1
2021	507	38.0	13.3	60.6
2022	503	36.0	13.9	67.6
2023	529	32.0	16.5	57.3
2024	554	31.0	17.8	71.8

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 Edgar L. Padgett Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1003	44.0	22.7	16.5
1989	1145	52.0	22.0	13.9
1990	1104	55.0	20.0	0
1991	1287	57.0	22.5	17.9
1992	736	37.0	19.8	19.8
1993	806	38.0	21.2	30
1994	781	37.0	21.1	33.3
1995	775	35.0	22.1	33.9
1996	775	35.0	22.1	33.9
1997	774	39.0	19.8	37.1
1998	834	41.0	20.3	37.1
1999	806	43.0	18.7	52.9
2000	840	41.0	20.5	49.8
2001	837	41.0	20.4	49
2002	633	34.0	18.6	57.8
2003	633	34.0	18.6	57.8
2004	603	39.0	15.5	67
2005	624	39.0	16.0	60.4
2006	654	40.0	16.4	63.6
2007	655	42.0	15.6	63.9
2008	642	45.0	14.3	56.4
2009	675	51.7	15.3	71.7
2010	670	43.0	15.5	69.9
2011	657	42.0	15.6	76
2012	563	36.0	15.6	78.5
2013	499	31.0	16.0	78.2
2014	524	32.0	16.3	80
2015	547	33.0	16.5	61.8
2016	548	35.0	15.6	65.3
2017	528	35.0	15.0	64.6
2018	525	36.0	14.5	57.9
2019	576	34.0	16.9	56.9
2020	559	37.0	15.1	55.1
2021	507	38.0	13.3	60.6
2022	503	36.0	13.9	67.6
2023	529	32.0	16.5	57.3
2024	554	31.0	17.8	71.8

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 Edgar L. Padgett Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$1,394 (14.2%)	$8,421 (85.8%)	$9,815
2019	$1,239 (14.3%)	$7,412 (85.7%)	$8,651
2020	$998 (11.1%)	$8,022 (88.9%)	$9,020
2021	$1,255 (12.6%)	$8,696 (87.4%)	$9,952
2022	$2,303 (20.1%)	$9,162 (79.9%)	$11,465
2023	$1,843 (17.6%)	$8,602 (82.4%)	$10,445

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Edgar L. Padgett Elementary

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 1331^st of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 1640^th of 2240 Elementary schools	12.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Edgar L. Padgett Elementary)	51	37	14%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	52	48	4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Edgar L. Padgett Elementary)	50	40	10%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Polk)	56	51	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Edgar L. Padgett Elementary)	60	44	16%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	48	46	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Edgar L. Padgett Elementary)	76	51	25%
4th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	56	50	6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Edgar L. Padgett Elementary)	41	39	2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	47	44	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Edgar L. Padgett Elementary)	40	40
5th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	51	40	11%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Edgar L. Padgett Elementary)	40	38	2%
5th Grade Science (Polk)	45	39	6%
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	576	529	8.2%
African American	160	125	21.9%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	14	8	42.9%
Hispanic	157	188	19.7%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	219	195	11%
Two or More Races	23	12	47.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	56.9%	57.3%	0.3%

Schools Near Edgar L. Padgett Elementary

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
Edgar L. Padgett Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	110 Leelon Rd	Lakeland	33809	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 853-6044	554	31	17.8	71.8%	204 (36.8%)	133 (24.0%)	190 (34.3%)	8 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (3.2%)	32.9	1538^th of 2256 public elementary schools	31.8%		28.9	1640^th of 2240 public elementary schools	26.8%	102	42.0	33.0	41.0				46.0	55.0	58.0				44.0					$10,445	$1,843	$8,602
Dr. NE Roberts Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6600 Green Rd	Lakeland	33810	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 815-6633	749	41	18.2	71.8%	307 (41.0%)	143 (19.1%)	265 (35.4%)	10 (1.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (3.1%)	34.5	1502^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	33.4%		32.5	1541^st of 2240 public elementary schools	31.2%	39	48.0	46.0	42.0				58.0	49.0	32.0				44.0					$10,915	$2,038	$8,877
Wendell Watson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6800 Walt Williams Rd	Lakeland	33809	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 853-6060	835	53	15.7	53.2%	406 (48.6%)	129 (15.4%)	257 (30.8%)	7 (0.8%)	10 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (3.1%)	40.5	1331^st of 2256 public elementary schools	41.0%		48.2	1134^th of 2240 public elementary schools	49.4%	197	53.0	50.0	47.0				55.0	50.0	46.0				43.0					$9,926	$1,507	$8,419
North Lakeland Elementary School Of Choice	Public	PK, KG-5	410 Robson St W	Lakeland	33805	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2850	637	44	14.4	79.1%	144 (22.6%)	192 (30.1%)	278 (43.6%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	18 (2.8%)	13.2	2081^st of 2256 public elementary schools	7.8%		12.8	2087^th of 2240 public elementary schools	6.8%	6	34.0	32.0	30.0				36.0	40.0	30.0				28.0					$11,099	$1,987	$9,111
R. Clem Churchwell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	8201 Park Byrd Rd	Lakeland	33810	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 853-6011	686	36	19.0	66.9%	287 (41.8%)	107 (15.6%)	251 (36.6%)	8 (1.2%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	29 (4.2%)	27.1	1707^th of 2256 public elementary schools	24.3%		26.3	1708^th of 2240 public elementary schools	23.8%	1	64.0	26.0	41.0				59.0	30.0	33.0				32.0					$10,095	$1,596	$8,499
Sleepy Hill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2285 Sleepy Hill Rd	Lakeland	33810	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 815-6768	766	50	15.3	76.9%	217 (28.3%)	189 (24.7%)	329 (43.0%)	6 (0.8%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (3.0%)	35.2	1485^th of 2256 public elementary schools	34.2%		46.9	1163^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	48.1%	322	44.0	33.0	50.0				45.0	39.0	62.0				57.0					$11,167	$1,993	$9,173
Griffin Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3315 Kathleen Rd	Lakeland	33810	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 853-6020	411	22	18.6	80.3%	88 (21.4%)	133 (32.4%)	166 (40.4%)	8 (1.9%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	13 (3.2%)	29	1649^th of 2256 public elementary schools	26.9%		20	1894^th of 2240 public elementary schools	15.4%	245	37.0	33.0	41.0				46.0	37.0	50.0				61.0					$11,521	$2,345	$9,177
Achievement Academy	Public, Charter	PK	716 Bella Vista St E	Lakeland	33805	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 683-6504	157	21	7.4	57.3%	53 (33.8%)	34 (21.7%)	63 (40.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.9%)	4 (2.5%)								(n/a)
Kathleen Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3515 Sheretz Rd	Lakeland	33810	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 853-6030	480	33	14.5	80.8%	208 (43.3%)	101 (21.0%)	162 (33.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.9%)	25.1	1763^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	21.9%		19.7	1906^th of 2240 public elementary schools	14.9%	143	45.0	35.0	38.0				50.0	37.0	46.0				38.0					$12,034	$2,477	$9,558
Rochelle School Of The Arts	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	1501 Martin L King Jr Ave	Lakeland	33805	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	Yes	(863) 499-2810	803	57	14.0	58.7%	275 (34.2%)	282 (35.1%)	198 (24.7%)	5 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	42 (5.2%)	50.4	1083^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	52.0%		45.3	1204^th of 2240 public elementary schools	46.3%	121	57.0	56.0	45.0	71.0	70.0	71.0	58.0	60.0	45.0	61.0	61.0	65.0	35.0	51.0	100.0	94.0	90.0	$11,296	$1,484	$9,813

Frequently Asked Questions about Edgar L. Padgett Elementary

What schools do graduates of Edgar L. Padgett Elementary attend?

Students who attend Edgar L. Padgett Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Lake Gibson Middle School
High : Lake Gibson Senior High School

What is the racial makeup of Edgar L. Padgett Elementary?

Students at Edgar L. Padgett Elementary are 37% White, 34% Hispanic, 24% African American, 3% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What district is Edgar L. Padgett Elementary in?

Polk

How many students attend Edgar L. Padgett Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 554 students attended Edgar L. Padgett Elementary.

Is Edgar L. Padgett Elementary a good school?

Edgar L. Padgett Elementary ranks 1538^th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Edgar L. Padgett Elementary!

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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.