Palmetto Elementary School

Summary:

Palmetto Elementary School is a public elementary school in Poinciana, Florida, serving 513 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Polk District, which is ranked 57 out of 68 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Palmetto Elementary School faces significant challenges compared to nearby schools. The school has consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 25.2% to 55.7%, which is much higher than the state and district averages. Academically, Palmetto's proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics are lower than the Polk District and Osceola District averages across all grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, Palmetto's 3rd grade ELA proficiency was 41%, compared to 49% in the Polk District and 55% statewide. The school's per-student spending is higher than nearby schools, ranging from $9,024 to $11,739 per student, but its performance still lags behind.

Palmetto Elementary's challenges are not unique, as several nearby schools, such as Laurel Elementary School, Reedy Creek Elementary School, and Bellalago Charter Academy, outperform Palmetto in academic measures. The high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, as well as the school's chronic absenteeism rates, may be contributing factors to its lower performance. Addressing these issues will require targeted interventions and support to improve student outcomes at Palmetto Elementary School.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

315 Palmetto St
Poinciana, FL 34759

(863) 427-6012

District: Polk

SchoolDigger Rank:
1871^st of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,739

Students who attend Palmetto Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Lake Marion Creek Middle School
High:	Haines City Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.3

Number of students: 473

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

68.3%

African American:

20.3%

White:

8.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 73.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Palmetto Elementary School ranks worse than 82.9% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 68^th among 85 ranked elementary schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 21.32. (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 Racial makeup is: Hispanic (68.3%), African American (20.3%), White (8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 73.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Palmetto Elementary School is 16.3. 45 elementary schools in the Polk School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Palmetto Elementary School employs 29 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Palmetto Elementary School is $11,739, which is the 16^th highest among 85 elementary schools in the Polk School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Palmetto 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.)

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Rank History for Palmetto Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2009	28.41	1424^th	1847	22.9%
2010	27.05	1495^th	1919	22.1%
2011	24.50	1596^th	1985	19.6%
2012	30.44	1430^th	1984	27.9%
2013	26.65	1581^st	2029	22.1%
2014	34.83	1382^nd	2064	33.0%
2016	14.87	1870^th	2087	10.4%
2017	16.28	1882^nd	2112	10.9%
2018	15.62	1881^st	2118	11.2%
2019	9.18	2070^th	2182	5.1%
2021	14.61	2003^rd	2247	10.9%
2022	10.42	2090^th	2219	5.8%
2023	15.92	2005^th	2240	10.5%
2024	21.32	1871^st	2256	17.1%

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 Palmetto Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2008	73	142	6	381	8	n/a	n/a	42	652
2009	76	140	3	369	7	n/a	n/a	56	651
2010	67	167	4	494	9	n/a	n/a	58	799
2011	85	144	8	530	6	2	20	0	795
2012	96	157	9	502	2	4	14	0	784
2013	81	146	7	515	2	2	17	0	770
2014	96	114	5	521	1	4	10	0	751
2015	92	140	7	519	1	9	11	0	779
2016	78	138	7	489	1	6	7	0	726
2017	49	129	8	460	1	6	8	0	661
2018	37	101	5	394	1	4	9	0	551
2019	43	111	1	452	1	6	6	0	620
2020	46	130	0	429	1	6	7	0	619
2021	47	133	1	355	2	3	7	0	548
2022	49	127	3	360	2	4	6	0	551
2023	57	96	1	350	1	2	6	0	513
2024	38	96	3	323	3	1	9	0	473

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 Palmetto Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	652	45.5	14.3	92
2009	651	56.4	13.6	90.8
2010	799	54.0	14.8	88.8
2011	795	57.0	13.9	80.9
2012	784	56.0	14.0	84.1
2013	770	53.0	14.5	84.8
2014	751	50.0	15.0	48.3
2015	779	48.0	16.2	65
2016	726	51.0	14.2	74.8
2017	661	46.0	14.3	74.1
2018	551	42.0	13.1	72.6
2019	620	39.0	15.8	70.8
2020	619	37.0	16.7	58.2
2021	548	38.0	14.4	73.5
2022	551	35.0	15.7	73
2023	513	34.0	15.0	51.9
2024	473	29.0	16.3	73.6

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 Palmetto Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	652	45.5	14.3	92
2009	651	56.4	13.6	90.8
2010	799	54.0	14.8	88.8
2011	795	57.0	13.9	80.9
2012	784	56.0	14.0	84.1
2013	770	53.0	14.5	84.8
2014	751	50.0	15.0	48.3
2015	779	48.0	16.2	65
2016	726	51.0	14.2	74.8
2017	661	46.0	14.3	74.1
2018	551	42.0	13.1	72.6
2019	620	39.0	15.8	70.8
2020	619	37.0	16.7	58.2
2021	548	38.0	14.4	73.5
2022	551	35.0	15.7	73
2023	513	34.0	15.0	51.9
2024	473	29.0	16.3	73.6

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 Palmetto Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$1,284 (13.6%)	$8,123 (86.4%)	$9,407
2019	$1,124 (13.6%)	$7,157 (86.4%)	$8,280
2020	$1,528 (16.9%)	$7,496 (83.1%)	$9,024
2021	$1,820 (18.3%)	$8,120 (81.7%)	$9,940
2022	$3,125 (29.6%)	$7,443 (70.4%)	$10,567
2023	$2,791 (23.8%)	$8,947 (76.2%)	$11,739

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Palmetto 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 2070^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 2005^th of 2240 Elementary schools	5.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Palmetto Elementary School)	35	36	1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	52	48	4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Palmetto Elementary School)	32	26	6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Polk)	56	51	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Palmetto Elementary School)	21	31	10%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	48	46	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Palmetto Elementary School)	37	21	16%
4th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	56	50	6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Palmetto Elementary School)	27	33	6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	47	44	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Palmetto Elementary School)	32	20	12%
5th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	51	40	11%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Palmetto Elementary School)	34	20	14%
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	620	513	17.3%
African American	111	96	13.5%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	452	350	22.6%
Pacific Islander	6	2	66.7%
White	43	57	32.6%
Two or More Races	6	6
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	70.8%	51.9%	19%

Schools Near Palmetto 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)		EOC Algebra 1 (2024)	EOC Geometry (2024)	EOC Biology 1 (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 Biology 1 End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Palmetto Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	315 Palmetto St	Poinciana	34759	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 427-6012	473	29	16.3	73.6%	38 (8.0%)	96 (20.3%)	323 (68.3%)	3 (0.6%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	9 (1.9%)	21.3	1871^st of 2256 public elementary schools	17.1%		15.9	2005^th of 2240 public elementary schools	10.5%	134	41.0	29.0	45.0				41.0	32.0	38.0				47.0						$11,739	$2,791	$8,947
Chestnut Elementary School For Science And Engineering	Public	PK, KG-5	4300 Chestnut St	Kissimmee	34759	Polk County	Osceola	No	No	No	Yes	(407) 870-4862	728	44	16.5	65.5%	74 (10.2%)	184 (25.3%)	444 (61.0%)	8 (1.1%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	14 (1.9%)	30.9	1597^th of 2256 public elementary schools	29.2%		21.5	1852^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	17.3%	255	56.0	38.0	43.0				57.0	32.0	37.0				41.0						$10,923	$2,211	$8,712
Laurel Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1851 Laurel Ave	Poinciana	34759	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 427-1375	1,049	60	17.4	74.7%	66 (6.3%)	412 (39.3%)	536 (51.1%)	15 (1.4%)	4 (0.4%)	3 (0.3%)	13 (1.2%)	24.6	1777^th of 2256 public elementary schools	21.2%		16.7	1990^th of 2240 public elementary schools	11.2%	213	41.0	42.0	48.0				40.0	43.0	38.0				36.0						$10,255	$2,157	$8,098
Bridgeprep Academy Osceola County	Public, Charter	K-8	4851 Koa St	Kissimmee	34758	Osceola County	Osceola	Yes	No	No	Yes	(407) 588-7976	746	22	33.9	80.0%	51 (6.8%)	255 (34.2%)	406 (54.4%)	14 (1.9%)	3 (0.4%)	2 (0.3%)	15 (2.0%)	17.1	1980^th of 2256 public elementary schools	12.2%		14.6	2037^th of 2240 public elementary schools	9.1%	57	42.0	43.0	23.0	41.0	26.0	38.0	62.0	38.0	7.0	23.0	32.0	36.0	7.0	20.0	45.0			64.0	$9,157	$951	$8,206
Koa Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5000 Koa St	Kissimmee	34758	Osceola County	Osceola	No	No	No	Yes	(407) 518-1161	710	41	17.3	65.2%	50 (7.0%)	193 (27.2%)	429 (60.4%)	6 (0.8%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.4%)	27 (3.8%)	19.2	1929^th of 2256 public elementary schools	14.5%		13.3	2076^th of 2240 public elementary schools	7.3%	147	40.0	33.0	43.0				39.0	21.0	47.0				34.0						$11,018	$2,525	$8,493
Poinciana Academy Of Fine Arts	Public	PK, KG-5	4201 Rhododendron Ave	Kissimmee	34758	Osceola County	Osceola	No	No	No	Yes	(407) 343-4500	592	39	15.1	70.9%	38 (6.4%)	182 (30.7%)	341 (57.6%)	4 (0.7%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	24 (4.1%)	11.9	2111^th of 2256 public elementary schools	6.4%		11.6	2113^th of 2240 public elementary schools	5.7%	2	41.0	27.0	36.0				31.0	32.0	18.0				31.0						$12,241	$2,219	$10,022
Deerwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3701 Marigold Ave	Kissimmee	34758	Osceola County	Osceola	No	No	No	Yes	(407) 870-2400	490	32	15.3	68.0%	39 (8.0%)	129 (26.3%)	308 (62.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	13 (2.7%)	17.5	1973^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	12.5%		23.1	1797^th of 2240 public elementary schools	19.8%	176	47.0	37.0	40.0				38.0	29.0	29.0				30.0						$11,998	$2,251	$9,747
Bellalago Charter Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	3651 Pleasant Hill Rd	Kissimmee	34746	Osceola County	Osceola	Yes	No	No	Yes	(407) 933-1690	1,157	65	17.9	48.4%	198 (17.1%)	283 (24.5%)	588 (50.8%)	37 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.5%)	45 (3.9%)	38.3	1386^th of 2256 public elementary schools	38.6%		35.8	1447^th of 2240 public elementary schools	35.4%	61	51.0	57.0	52.0	45.0	48.0	44.0	49.0	52.0	40.0	44.0	50.0	42.0	42.0	44.0	69.0	89.0	100.0	68.0	$9,207	$1,491	$7,716
Mater Brighton Lakes	Public, Charter	K-8	3200 Pleasant Hill Rd	Kissimmee	34746	Osceola County	Osceola	Yes	No	No	Yes	(407) 931-0325	1,316	60	21.9	75.3%	106 (8.1%)	224 (17.0%)	928 (70.5%)	19 (1.4%)	10 (0.8%)	2 (0.2%)	27 (2.1%)	29.9	1627^th of 2256 public elementary schools	27.9%		25	1745^th of 2240 public elementary schools	22.1%	118	49.0	46.0	46.0	46.0	40.0	48.0	54.0	40.0	38.0	38.0	45.0	49.0	39.0	15.0	57.0		82.0	53.0	$8,503	$946	$7,556
Sandhill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1801 Tyner Rd	Haines City	33844	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 419-3166	1,017	62	16.4	72.9%	165 (16.2%)	210 (20.6%)	604 (59.4%)	12 (1.2%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	23 (2.3%)	17	1981^st of 2256 public elementary schools	12.2%		12.5	2096^th of 2240 public elementary schools	6.4%	115	39.0	31.0	34.0				46.0	38.0	35.0				30.0						$9,175	$1,573	$7,602

Frequently Asked Questions about Palmetto Elementary School

Is Palmetto Elementary School a good school?

Palmetto Elementary School ranks in the bottom 17.1% of Florida elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Palmetto Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Lake Marion Creek Middle School
High : Haines City Senior High School

What is the racial makeup of Palmetto Elementary School?

Students at Palmetto Elementary School are 68% Hispanic, 20% African American, 8% White, 2% Two or more races.

What district is Palmetto Elementary School in?

Polk

How many students attend Palmetto Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 473 students attended Palmetto 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.