James E. Stephens Academy

Q: Is James E. Stephens Academy a good school?

James E. Stephens Academy ranks 1309 th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

James E. Stephens Elementary School is a public elementary school in Bartow, Florida, serving 356 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Polk School District, which is ranked 57 out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

James E. Stephens Elementary has a significantly higher percentage of African American (47.19%) and Hispanic (31.18%) students compared to nearby schools like Purcell Elementary, Scott Lake Elementary, and Highlands Grove Elementary, which tend to have a higher percentage of White students. The school also has consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, reaching 55.1% in the 2022-2023 school year, and consistently underperforms the Polk district and Florida state averages in proficiency rates for English Language Arts and Mathematics across all grade levels.

Additionally, James E. Stephens has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, reaching 68.54% in the 2022-2023 school year, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom 25% of Florida elementary schools, with a ranking of 1309 out of 2256 schools in 2023-2024 and a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. These factors suggest the need for targeted interventions and support to address the unique challenges faced by the school and its student population.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

1350 Maple Ave N
Bartow, FL 33830

(863) 534-7455

District: Polk

SchoolDigger Rank:
1309^th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,850

Students who attend James E. Stephens Academy usually attend:

Middle:	Bartow Middle School
High:	Bartow Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.2

Number of students: 356

Racial breakdown:

African American:

47.2%

Hispanic:

31.2%

White:

18.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 68.5%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare James E. Stephens Academy to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details James E. Stephens Academy ranks worse than 58% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 31^st among 85 ranked elementary schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 41.19. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Student population at James E. Stephens Academy is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (47.2%), Hispanic (31.2%), White (18%). (See more...)

Compare Details 68.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James E. Stephens Academy is 14.2, which is the 12^th best among 85 elementary schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare James E. Stephens Academy employs 25 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at James E. Stephens Academy is $15,850, which is the highest among 86 elementary schools in the Polk School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

James E. Stephens Academy 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.)

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Rank History for James E. Stephens Academy

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	38.60	1082^nd	1688	35.9%
2007	23.95	1436^th	1786	19.6%
2008	20.19	1506^th	1789	15.8%
2009	19.08	1580^th	1847	14.5%
2010	22.01	1588^th	1919	17.2%
2011	27.33	1541^st	1985	22.4%
2012	25.46	1550^th	1984	21.9%
2013	29.75	1493^rd	2029	26.4%
2014	18.27	1794^th	2064	13.1%
2016	14.87	1869^th	2087	10.4%
2017	15.42	1899^th	2112	10.1%
2018	10.47	1988^th	2118	6.1%
2019	7.39	2101^st	2182	3.7%
2021	15.26	1978^th	2247	12.0%
2022	9.53	2109^th	2219	5.0%
2023	12.33	2099^th	2240	6.3%
2024	41.19	1309^th	2256	42.0%

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 James E. Stephens Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	211	120	0	5	4	n/a	n/a	0	340
1989	289	291	9	15	4	n/a	n/a	0	608
1990	289	259	2	13	1	n/a	n/a	0	564
1991	293	286	3	20	0	n/a	n/a	0	602
1992	289	303	6	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	610
1993	254	248	5	20	0	n/a	n/a	0	527
1994	275	147	6	29	0	n/a	n/a	0	457
1995	296	189	7	44	1	n/a	n/a	0	537
1996	296	189	7	44	1	n/a	n/a	0	537
1997	299	164	7	37	2	n/a	n/a	0	509
1998	276	164	7	50	2	n/a	n/a	0	499
1999	256	138	7	50	1	n/a	n/a	0	452
2000	255	148	7	53	1	n/a	n/a	0	464
2001	205	155	3	64	2	n/a	n/a	0	429
2002	254	180	6	69	0	n/a	n/a	0	509
2003	254	180	6	69	0	n/a	n/a	0	509
2004	282	185	16	72	0	n/a	n/a	0	555
2005	273	183	10	58	0	n/a	n/a	0	524
2006	296	190	7	79	0	n/a	n/a	0	572
2007	279	158	6	80	0	n/a	n/a	21	544
2008	278	177	11	83	0	n/a	n/a	34	583
2009	265	197	8	99	0	n/a	n/a	39	608
2010	147	139	4	123	0	n/a	n/a	33	446
2011	126	139	6	151	1	0	7	0	430
2012	111	132	6	133	1	0	7	0	390
2013	94	135	6	132	2	0	8	0	377
2014	113	126	1	122	2	0	13	0	377
2015	128	110	4	105	2	0	9	0	358
2016	103	110	2	125	3	1	7	0	351
2017	104	101	1	111	1	1	6	0	325
2018	113	136	2	122	0	0	7	0	380
2019	126	172	2	113	1	1	11	0	426
2020	102	166	1	97	0	1	8	0	375
2021	66	151	2	89	0	1	7	0	316
2022	77	158	1	91	0	1	10	0	338
2023	64	168	0	111	0	0	13	0	356

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 James E. Stephens Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	340	21.0	16.1	37.9
1989	608	33.0	18.4	45.9
1990	564	31.0	18.1	14.2
1991	602	33.0	18.2	53.7
1992	610	32.0	19.0	47.9
1993	527	29.0	18.2	51.2
1994	457	28.0	16.3	48.4
1995	537	30.0	17.9	57.9
1996	537	30.0	17.9	57.9
1997	509	30.0	17.0	55.4
1998	499	32.0	15.6	53.9
1999	452	30.0	15.1	63.9
2000	464	27.0	17.2	59.7
2001	429	27.0	15.9	64.8
2002	509	28.0	18.2	67
2003	509	28.0	18.2	67
2004	555	36.0	15.4	64.9
2005	524	38.0	13.8	70
2006	572	36.0	15.9	65.7
2007	544	40.0	13.6	72.1
2008	583	43.0	13.6	72.9
2009	608	49.4	14.5	75
2010	446	32.0	13.9	89.1
2011	430	29.0	14.8	81.2
2012	390	26.0	15.0	87.2
2013	377	25.0	15.0	81.2
2014	377	24.0	15.7	65
2015	358	23.0	15.5	71.5
2016	351	21.0	16.7	73.5
2017	325	24.0	13.5	74.2
2018	380	25.0	15.2	72.1
2019	426	27.0	15.7	73.7
2020	375	25.0	15.0	70.1
2021	316	28.0	11.2	82.3
2022	338	25.0	13.5	80.2
2023	356	25.0	14.2	68.5

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 James E. Stephens Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	340	21.0	16.1	37.9
1989	608	33.0	18.4	45.9
1990	564	31.0	18.1	14.2
1991	602	33.0	18.2	53.7
1992	610	32.0	19.0	47.9
1993	527	29.0	18.2	51.2
1994	457	28.0	16.3	48.4
1995	537	30.0	17.9	57.9
1996	537	30.0	17.9	57.9
1997	509	30.0	17.0	55.4
1998	499	32.0	15.6	53.9
1999	452	30.0	15.1	63.9
2000	464	27.0	17.2	59.7
2001	429	27.0	15.9	64.8
2002	509	28.0	18.2	67
2003	509	28.0	18.2	67
2004	555	36.0	15.4	64.9
2005	524	38.0	13.8	70
2006	572	36.0	15.9	65.7
2007	544	40.0	13.6	72.1
2008	583	43.0	13.6	72.9
2009	608	49.4	14.5	75
2010	446	32.0	13.9	89.1
2011	430	29.0	14.8	81.2
2012	390	26.0	15.0	87.2
2013	377	25.0	15.0	81.2
2014	377	24.0	15.7	65
2015	358	23.0	15.5	71.5
2016	351	21.0	16.7	73.5
2017	325	24.0	13.5	74.2
2018	380	25.0	15.2	72.1
2019	426	27.0	15.7	73.7
2020	375	25.0	15.0	70.1
2021	316	28.0	11.2	82.3
2022	338	25.0	13.5	80.2
2023	356	25.0	14.2	68.5

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 James E. Stephens Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$1,422 (14.0%)	$8,706 (86.0%)	$10,128
2019	$1,394 (14.1%)	$8,501 (85.9%)	$9,895
2020	$1,992 (17.8%)	$9,185 (82.2%)	$11,177
2021	$2,228 (18.2%)	$10,047 (81.9%)	$12,274
2022	$3,791 (27.2%)	$10,145 (72.8%)	$13,936
2023	$3,745 (23.6%)	$12,106 (76.4%)	$15,850

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on James E. Stephens Academy

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 2101^st of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 2099^th of 2240 Elementary schools	2.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (James E. Stephens Academy)	30	16	14%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	52	48	4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (James E. Stephens Academy)	30	24	6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Polk)	56	51	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (James E. Stephens Academy)	31	33	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	48	46	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (James E. Stephens Academy)	25	20	5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	56	50	6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (James E. Stephens Academy)	24	19	5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	47	44	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (James E. Stephens Academy)	39	29	10%
5th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	51	40	11%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (James E. Stephens Academy)	25	33	8%
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	426	356	16.4%
African American	172	168	2.3%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	2	0	100%
Hispanic	113	111	1.8%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	126	64	49.2%
Two or More Races	11	13	18.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	73.7%	68.5%	5.2%

Schools Near James E. Stephens Academy

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 English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
James E. Stephens Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	1350 Maple Ave N	Bartow	33830	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 534-7455	356	25	14.2	68.5%	64 (18.0%)	168 (47.2%)	111 (31.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.7%)	41.2	1309^th of 2256 public elementary schools	42.0%		12.3	2099^th of 2240 public elementary schools	6.3%	790	54.0	22.0	36.0		69.0	59.0	32.0		50.0	$15,850	$3,745	$12,106
Bartow Elementary Academy	Public, Magnet	K-5	590 Wilson Ave S	Bartow	33830	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	No	(863) 534-7410	518	34	15.2	31.1%	274 (52.9%)	106 (20.5%)	97 (18.7%)	11 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	29 (5.6%)	73.2	568^th of 2256 public elementary schools	74.8%		62.8	779^th of 2240 public elementary schools	65.2%	211	75.0	62.0	56.0		70.0	74.0	64.0		58.0	$12,119	$1,482	$10,636
Floral Avenue Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1530 Floral Ave S	Bartow	33830	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 534-7420	611	36	16.9	55.8%	307 (50.2%)	113 (18.5%)	169 (27.7%)	5 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (2.6%)	38.8	1375^th of 2256 public elementary schools	39.1%		33.8	1498^th of 2240 public elementary schools	33.1%	123	40.0	41.0	55.0		32.0	64.0	57.0		49.0	$10,089	$1,763	$8,326
South Pointe Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	9525 State Hwy 653	Winter Haven	33884	Polk County	Polk	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(863) 317-8317																			(n/a)	52.0	44.0	42.0		53.0	50.0	41.0		29.0
Spessard L Holland Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2342 Ef Griffin Rd	Bartow	33830	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 648-3031	766	49	15.6	51.7%	323 (42.2%)	185 (24.2%)	203 (26.5%)	21 (2.7%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.5%)	29 (3.8%)	40.6	1328^th of 2256 public elementary schools	41.1%		36.4	1432^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	36.1%	104	54.0	46.0	50.0		42.0	47.0	59.0		49.0	$10,173	$1,627	$8,547
Highland City Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5355 9th Street SE	Highland City	33846	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 648-3540	425	31	13.7	48.2%	213 (50.1%)	42 (9.9%)	127 (29.9%)	11 (2.6%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (7.1%)	58.8	886^th of 2256 public elementary schools	60.7%		42.1	1285^th of 2240 public elementary schools	42.6%	399	70.0	54.0	48.0		73.0	44.0	63.0		60.0	$12,217	$1,734	$10,483
Mi Escuela Montessori	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	2130 E. Edgewood Drive	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 934-2780	202	18	11.4	47.0%	78 (38.6%)	7 (3.5%)	97 (48.0%)	5 (2.5%)	3 (1.5%)	1 (0.5%)	11 (5.4%)	32.8	1540^th of 2256 public elementary schools	31.7%		31.1	1582^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	29.4%	42	34.0	61.0	47.0	71.0	15.0	30.0	37.0	64.0	53.0	$10,756	$2,208	$8,549
Valleyview Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2900 State Rd 540a E	Lakeland	33813	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 648-3535	861	51	16.8	31.8%	490 (56.9%)	121 (14.1%)	175 (20.3%)	52 (6.0%)	5 (0.6%)	2 (0.2%)	16 (1.9%)	84.4	313^th of 2256 public elementary schools	86.1%		83.2	334^th of 2240 public elementary schools	85.1%	21	70.0	71.0	73.0		76.0	76.0	74.0		66.0	$9,589	$1,090	$8,499
Scott Lake Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1140 County Road 540a E	Lakeland	33813	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 648-3520	727	48	15.1	36.2%	433 (59.6%)	78 (10.7%)	173 (23.8%)	18 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.4%)	68.5	676^th of 2256 public elementary schools	70.0%		62.6	782^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	65.1%	106	65.0	59.0	58.0		76.0	66.0	59.0		55.0	$10,771	$1,706	$9,066
Highlands Grove Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4510 Lakeland Highlands Rd	Lakeland	33813	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 648-3002	731	46	15.8	35.8%	407 (55.7%)	92 (12.6%)	183 (25.0%)	23 (3.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (3.3%)	72.9	576^th of 2256 public elementary schools	74.5%		82.2	361^st of 2240 public elementary schools	83.9%	215	67.0	53.0	59.0		73.0	57.0	82.0		74.0	$10,707	$1,431	$9,277

Frequently Asked Questions about James E. Stephens Academy

What schools do graduates of James E. Stephens Academy attend?

Students who attend James E. Stephens Academy usually go on to attend:

Middle : Bartow Middle School
High : Bartow Senior High School

What district is James E. Stephens Academy in?

Polk

How many students attend James E. Stephens Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 356 students attended James E. Stephens Academy.

Is James E. Stephens Academy a good school?

James E. Stephens Academy ranks 1309^th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of James E. Stephens Academy?

Students at James E. Stephens Academy are 47% African American, 31% Hispanic, 18% White, 4% Two or more races.

Rate James E. Stephens Academy!

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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.