Socrum Elementary School

Q: Is Socrum Elementary School a good school?

Socrum Elementary School ranks 1634 th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

Socrum Elementary School is a public elementary school in Lakeland, Florida, serving 546 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Polk County School District, which is ranked 57th out of 68 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Socrum Elementary School faces significant challenges, with a chronic absenteeism rate of 40.7% in the 2022-2023 school year, which is much higher than the state average of 27.4%. The school's test scores are consistently lower than the Polk County and Florida state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. Additionally, 64.84% of Socrum Elementary students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a higher proportion of students from low-income families. Despite the higher spending per student at $11,204, the school's performance has been declining, with its statewide ranking dropping from 1,529 out of 2,247 Florida elementary schools in 2020-2021 to 1,634 out of 2,256 schools in 2023-2024.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Winston Academy of Engineering, Socrum Elementary School performs significantly worse in terms of test scores, chronic absenteeism, and overall school rankings. The racial composition of the school's student population has also been changing, with a decrease in the percentage of White students and an increase in the percentage of Hispanic students. These factors, along with the high chronic absenteeism rate and the high percentage of students from low-income families, may be contributing to Socrum Elementary School's poor academic performance, suggesting the need for targeted interventions to improve student outcomes.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

9400 Old Dade City Rd
Lakeland, FL 33810

(863) 853-6050

District: Polk

SchoolDigger Rank:
1634^th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,204

Students who attend Socrum Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Lake Gibson Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.0

Number of students: 546

Racial breakdown:

White:

47.3%

Hispanic:

28.0%

African American:

20.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 64.8%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Socrum Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Socrum Elementary School ranks worse than 72.4% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 52^nd among 85 ranked elementary schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 29.64. (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 Socrum Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (47.3%), Hispanic (28%), African American (20.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 64.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Socrum Elementary School is 16, which is the 37^th best among 85 elementary schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare Socrum Elementary School employs 34 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Socrum Elementary School is $11,204, which is the 24^th highest among 85 elementary schools in the Polk School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Socrum Elementary School 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 Socrum Elementary School.

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Rank History for Socrum Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	21.49	1383^rd	1688	18.1%
2007	46.86	1002^nd	1786	43.9%
2008	49.55	948^th	1789	47.0%
2009	40.24	1197^th	1847	35.2%
2010	40.48	1228^th	1919	36.0%
2011	32.07	1439^th	1985	27.5%
2012	45.49	1103^rd	1984	44.4%
2013	33.01	1404^th	2029	30.8%
2014	24.07	1648^th	2064	20.2%
2016	13.06	1907^th	2087	8.6%
2017	23.76	1675^th	2112	20.7%
2018	30.31	1511^th	2118	28.7%
2019	37.03	1389^th	2182	36.3%
2021	31.57	1529^th	2247	32.0%
2022	16.83	1954^th	2219	11.9%
2023	26.57	1695^th	2240	24.3%
2024	29.64	1634^th	2256	27.6%

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: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a teacher
Thursday, August 17, 2017

This school is steadily climbing the ladder of success. I am proud of the hard work the students, teachers, administration, and support staff have put in to improve Socrum. The year is looking bright! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Socrum Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1992	663	16	9	32	1	n/a	n/a	0	721
1993	498	79	6	27	2	n/a	n/a	0	612
1994	494	78	3	38	2	n/a	n/a	0	615
1995	495	72	8	51	3	n/a	n/a	0	629
1996	495	72	8	51	3	n/a	n/a	0	629
1997	524	68	8	50	2	n/a	n/a	0	652
1998	518	86	9	48	2	n/a	n/a	0	663
1999	537	70	10	53	2	n/a	n/a	0	672
2000	515	55	12	47	1	n/a	n/a	0	630
2001	520	77	10	44	1	n/a	n/a	0	652
2002	512	91	9	36	1	n/a	n/a	0	649
2003	512	91	9	36	1	n/a	n/a	0	649
2004	466	98	8	26	2	n/a	n/a	0	600
2005	468	108	6	40	2	n/a	n/a	0	624
2006	493	91	7	39	0	n/a	n/a	0	630
2007	404	93	13	63	6	n/a	n/a	8	587
2008	394	97	20	66	4	n/a	n/a	16	597
2009	410	100	14	91	2	n/a	n/a	14	631
2010	412	98	14	88	1	n/a	n/a	18	631
2011	396	101	14	90	2	0	19	0	622
2012	359	97	15	78	1	0	16	0	566
2013	384	100	13	75	3	1	13	0	589
2014	392	94	7	95	4	0	9	0	601
2015	362	136	13	98	4	0	15	0	628
2016	351	142	14	106	5	0	10	0	628
2017	290	141	12	97	4	1	12	0	557
2018	298	104	5	114	6	1	7	0	535
2019	303	106	6	109	3	0	8	0	535
2020	313	108	5	116	2	0	5	0	549
2021	252	88	4	106	1	2	4	0	457
2022	260	113	4	133	2	3	8	0	523
2023	258	114	4	153	3	1	13	0	546

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 Socrum Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	721	37.0	19.4	40.2
1993	612	31.0	19.7	45.1
1994	615	34.0	18.1	50.7
1995	629	35.0	18.0	58
1996	629	35.0	18.0	58
1997	652	37.0	17.6	56.7
1998	663	40.0	16.6	55.2
1999	672	42.0	16.0	74.7
2000	630	34.0	18.5	57.1
2001	652	39.0	16.7	69.9
2002	649	38.0	17.1	72.6
2003	649	38.0	17.1	72.6
2004	600	40.0	15.0	70.8
2005	624	43.0	14.5	64.7
2006	630	46.0	13.7	71
2007	587	45.0	13.0	70.6
2008	597	47.0	12.7	67.5
2009	631	48.2	15.4	71
2010	631	37.0	17.0	78.5
2011	622	38.0	16.3	82.8
2012	566	38.0	14.8	82.7
2013	589	38.0	15.5	80.3
2014	601	37.0	16.2	57.7
2015	628	39.0	16.1	60.4
2016	628	36.0	17.4	64.8
2017	557	37.0	15.0	67.5
2018	535	38.0	14.0	60.4
2019	535	36.0	14.8	59.1
2020	549	34.0	16.1	49.7
2021	457	35.0	13.0	67.4
2022	523	34.0	15.3	68.1
2023	546	34.0	16.0	64.8

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 Socrum Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	721	37.0	19.4	40.2
1993	612	31.0	19.7	45.1
1994	615	34.0	18.1	50.7
1995	629	35.0	18.0	58
1996	629	35.0	18.0	58
1997	652	37.0	17.6	56.7
1998	663	40.0	16.6	55.2
1999	672	42.0	16.0	74.7
2000	630	34.0	18.5	57.1
2001	652	39.0	16.7	69.9
2002	649	38.0	17.1	72.6
2003	649	38.0	17.1	72.6
2004	600	40.0	15.0	70.8
2005	624	43.0	14.5	64.7
2006	630	46.0	13.7	71
2007	587	45.0	13.0	70.6
2008	597	47.0	12.7	67.5
2009	631	48.2	15.4	71
2010	631	37.0	17.0	78.5
2011	622	38.0	16.3	82.8
2012	566	38.0	14.8	82.7
2013	589	38.0	15.5	80.3
2014	601	37.0	16.2	57.7
2015	628	39.0	16.1	60.4
2016	628	36.0	17.4	64.8
2017	557	37.0	15.0	67.5
2018	535	38.0	14.0	60.4
2019	535	36.0	14.8	59.1
2020	549	34.0	16.1	49.7
2021	457	35.0	13.0	67.4
2022	523	34.0	15.3	68.1
2023	546	34.0	16.0	64.8

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 Socrum Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$1,544 (16.2%)	$8,006 (83.8%)	$9,550
2019	$1,341 (14.2%)	$8,078 (85.8%)	$9,418
2020	$949 (10.6%)	$7,986 (89.4%)	$8,934
2021	$1,478 (14.2%)	$8,959 (85.8%)	$10,437
2022	$2,360 (22.6%)	$8,094 (77.4%)	$10,454
2023	$1,986 (17.7%)	$9,218 (82.3%)	$11,204

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Socrum 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 1389^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 1695^th of 2240 Elementary schools	12%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Socrum Elementary School)	52	36	16%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	52	48	4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Socrum Elementary School)	67	41	26%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Polk)	56	51	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Socrum Elementary School)	48	33	15%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	48	46	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Socrum Elementary School)	55	52	3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	56	50	6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Socrum Elementary School)	41	33	8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	47	44	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Socrum Elementary School)	49	20	29%
5th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	51	40	11%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Socrum Elementary School)	41	35	6%
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	535	546	2.1%
African American	106	114	7.5%
American Indian	3	3
Asian	6	4	33.3%
Hispanic	109	153	40.4%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	303	258	14.9%
Two or More Races	8	13	62.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	59.1%	64.8%	5.8%

Schools Near Socrum 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)	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 Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Socrum Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	9400 Old Dade City Rd	Lakeland	33810	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 853-6050	546	34	16.0	64.8%	258 (47.3%)	114 (20.9%)	153 (28.0%)	4 (0.7%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	13 (2.4%)	29.6	1634^th of 2256 public elementary schools	27.6%		26.6	1695^th of 2240 public elementary schools	24.3%	61	38.0	36.0	55.0	34.0	50.0	42.0	53.0	$11,204	$1,986	$9,218
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	708	43	16.4	52.7%	292 (41.2%)	102 (14.4%)	277 (39.1%)	9 (1.3%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.6%)	23 (3.2%)	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
Kathleen Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3515 Sheretz Rd	Lakeland	33810	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 853-6030	489	33	14.8	62.8%	218 (44.6%)	94 (19.2%)	166 (33.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.2%)	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
Dr. NE Roberts Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6600 Green Rd	Lakeland	33810	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 815-6633	691	43	16.0	53.7%	303 (43.8%)	128 (18.5%)	237 (34.3%)	6 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.3%)	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
Edgar L. Padgett Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	110 Leelon Rd	Lakeland	33809	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 853-6044	529	32	16.5	57.3%	195 (36.9%)	125 (23.6%)	188 (35.5%)	8 (1.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.3%)	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
Sleepy Hill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2285 Sleepy Hill Rd	Lakeland	33810	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 815-6768	739	51	14.4	66.2%	205 (27.7%)	175 (23.7%)	332 (44.9%)	10 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (2.3%)	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	379	23	16.4	64.9%	95 (25.1%)	126 (33.2%)	142 (37.5%)	7 (1.8%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.8%)	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
Wendell Watson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6800 Walt Williams Rd	Lakeland	33809	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 853-6060	875	59	14.8	40.1%	465 (53.1%)	122 (13.9%)	245 (28.0%)	8 (0.9%)	9 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (3.0%)	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	644	46	14.0	60.9%	159 (24.7%)	193 (30.0%)	273 (42.4%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (2.2%)	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
Winston Academy Of Engineering	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	3415 Swindell Rd	Lakeland	33810	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	Yes	(863) 499-2890	506	27	18.7	38.1%	200 (39.5%)	124 (24.5%)	140 (27.7%)	24 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (3.6%)	78.7	442^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	80.4%		75.6	495^th of 2240 public elementary schools	77.9%	53	75.0	62.0	68.0	78.0	62.0	66.0	71.0	$9,858	$1,339	$8,519

Frequently Asked Questions about Socrum Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Socrum Elementary School attend?

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

High : Lake Gibson Senior High School

What is the racial makeup of Socrum Elementary School?

Students at Socrum Elementary School are 47% White, 28% Hispanic, 21% African American, 2% Two or more races.

Is Socrum Elementary School a good school?

Socrum Elementary School ranks 1634^th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What district is Socrum Elementary School in?

Polk

How many students attend Socrum Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 546 students attended Socrum Elementary School.

Rate Socrum 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.