Laurel Elementary School

Summary:

Laurel Elementary School is a public elementary school in Poinciana, Florida, serving 1,058 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.

Laurel Elementary School stands out from nearby schools in several key ways. It has a significantly higher percentage of Hispanic (52.55%) and African American (37.15%) students compared to surrounding schools. The school also struggles with high chronic absenteeism rates, reaching 60.5% in the 2022-2023 school year, which is much higher than the 22.6% to 55.7% range of nearby schools. Academically, Laurel Elementary consistently scores lower than the Polk County and Florida state averages on standardized tests, with only 36% of 5th-graders proficient in science compared to 48% for the county and 53% for the state.

Despite higher spending per student ($10,255 in 2022-2023) than the state average, Laurel Elementary has not shown significant improvement in its academic performance over the years. The school's statewide ranking has steadily declined, from 1,651 out of 2,029 Florida elementary schools in 2012-2013 to 1,777 out of 2,256 in 2023-2024. Compared to nearby schools in the Osceola County School District, Laurel Elementary consistently ranks lower on various metrics, including test scores and chronic absenteeism rates. Addressing the underlying issues of poverty and attendance will be crucial in improving student outcomes at this struggling school.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

1851 Laurel Ave
Poinciana, FL 34759

(863) 427-1375

District: Polk

SchoolDigger Rank:
1777^th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,255

Students who attend Laurel Elementary School usually attend:

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

Student/teacher ratio: 18.2

Number of students: 1,058

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

52.6%

African American:

37.1%

White:

7.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 50.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Laurel Elementary School ranks worse than 78.8% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 66^th among 85 ranked elementary schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 24.63. (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 (52.6%), African American (37.1%), White (7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 50.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Laurel Elementary School is 18.2. 71 elementary schools in the Polk School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Laurel Elementary School employs 58 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Laurel Elementary School is $10,255. 43 elementary schools in the Polk School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Laurel 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:

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Rank History for Laurel Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2010	34.58	1349^th	1919	29.7%
2011	25.20	1580^th	1985	20.4%
2012	30.02	1448^th	1984	27.0%
2013	23.08	1651^st	2029	18.6%
2014	12.81	1908^th	2064	7.6%
2016	18.92	1764^th	2087	15.5%
2017	15.19	1906^th	2112	9.8%
2018	10.73	1983^rd	2118	6.4%
2019	5.80	2122^nd	2182	2.7%
2021	14.16	2013^th	2247	10.4%
2022	22.01	1790^th	2219	19.3%
2023	16.73	1990^th	2240	11.2%
2024	24.63	1777^th	2256	21.2%

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:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Laurel Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2008	68	127	9	355	5	n/a	n/a	15	579
2009	52	133	8	323	2	n/a	n/a	25	543
2010	60	127	8	299	0	n/a	n/a	17	511
2011	54	122	12	314	1	2	10	0	515
2012	69	148	10	288	2	1	9	0	527
2013	55	148	12	292	4	1	18	0	530
2014	71	175	8	386	1	0	22	0	663
2015	106	216	5	460	1	4	18	0	810
2016	99	220	5	470	1	5	11	0	811
2017	96	228	4	466	3	2	11	0	810
2018	86	222	6	459	0	1	11	0	785
2019	88	259	10	526	0	1	16	0	900
2020	90	263	12	533	0	1	13	0	912
2021	87	249	8	482	1	2	20	0	849
2022	84	358	14	562	4	1	11	0	1034
2023	74	393	14	556	5	3	13	0	1058

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 Laurel Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	579	39.0	14.8	88.3
2009	543	42.3	15.1	88.4
2010	511	33.0	15.4	90.3
2011	515	33.0	15.6	84.7
2012	527	35.0	15.0	90.1
2013	530	34.0	15.5	83.6
2014	663	39.0	17.0	48.9
2015	810	47.0	17.2	65.4
2016	811	47.0	17.2	77.1
2017	810	46.0	17.6	71.9
2018	785	48.0	16.3	69.6
2019	900	50.0	18.0	68.8
2020	912	47.0	19.4	60.9
2021	849	49.0	17.3	71.3
2022	1034	52.0	19.8	73.3
2023	1058	58.0	18.2	50.4

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 Laurel Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	579	39.0	14.8	88.3
2009	543	42.3	15.1	88.4
2010	511	33.0	15.4	90.3
2011	515	33.0	15.6	84.7
2012	527	35.0	15.0	90.1
2013	530	34.0	15.5	83.6
2014	663	39.0	17.0	48.9
2015	810	47.0	17.2	65.4
2016	811	47.0	17.2	77.1
2017	810	46.0	17.6	71.9
2018	785	48.0	16.3	69.6
2019	900	50.0	18.0	68.8
2020	912	47.0	19.4	60.9
2021	849	49.0	17.3	71.3
2022	1034	52.0	19.8	73.3
2023	1058	58.0	18.2	50.4

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 Laurel Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$1,255 (15.2%)	$6,975 (84.8%)	$8,230
2019	$1,113 (14.6%)	$6,521 (85.4%)	$7,634
2020	$1,260 (16.5%)	$6,372 (83.5%)	$7,631
2021	$1,583 (18.9%)	$6,781 (81.1%)	$8,364
2022	$2,329 (27.4%)	$6,159 (72.6%)	$8,487
2023	$2,157 (21.0%)	$8,098 (79.0%)	$10,255

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Laurel 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 2122^nd of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 1990^th of 2240 Elementary schools	8.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Laurel Elementary School)	34	58	24%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	52	48	4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Laurel Elementary School)	34	47	13%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Polk)	56	51	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Laurel Elementary School)	28	33	5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	48	46	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Laurel Elementary School)	28	37	9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	56	50	6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Laurel Elementary School)	25	35	10%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	47	44	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Laurel Elementary School)	22	26	4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	51	40	11%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Laurel Elementary School)	19	22	3%
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	900	1058	17.6%
African American	259	393	51.7%
American Indian	0	5
Asian	10	14	40%
Hispanic	526	556	5.7%
Pacific Islander	1	3	200%
White	88	74	15.9%
Two or More Races	16	13	18.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	68.8%	50.4%	18.4%

Schools Near Laurel 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
Laurel Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1851 Laurel Ave	Poinciana	34759	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 427-1375	1,058	58	18.2	50.4%	74 (7.0%)	393 (37.1%)	556 (52.6%)	14 (1.3%)	5 (0.5%)	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
Palmetto Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	315 Palmetto St	Poinciana	34759	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 427-6012	513	34	15.0	51.9%	57 (11.1%)	96 (18.7%)	350 (68.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	6 (1.2%)	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	736	44	16.7	62.0%	80 (10.9%)	182 (24.7%)	447 (60.7%)	8 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	17 (2.3%)	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
Sandhill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1801 Tyner Rd	Haines City	33844	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 419-3166	991	60	16.5	54.6%	167 (16.9%)	204 (20.6%)	583 (58.8%)	15 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	21 (2.1%)	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
Koa Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5000 Koa St	Kissimmee	34758	Osceola County	Osceola	No	No	No	Yes	(407) 518-1161	667	45	14.9	63.0%	48 (7.2%)	183 (27.4%)	405 (60.7%)	7 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (3.6%)	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
Bridgeprep Academy Osceola County	Public, Charter	K-8	4851 Koa St	Kissimmee	34758	Osceola County	Osceola	Yes	No	No	Yes	(407) 588-7976	619	38	16.2	82.6%	53 (8.6%)	174 (28.1%)	366 (59.1%)	11 (1.8%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	12 (1.9%)	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
Poinciana Academy Of Fine Arts	Public	PK, KG-5	4201 Rhododendron Ave	Kissimmee	34758	Osceola County	Osceola	No	No	No	Yes	(407) 343-4500	632	43	14.6	66.0%	38 (6.0%)	175 (27.7%)	378 (59.8%)	8 (1.3%)	3 (0.5%)	2 (0.3%)	28 (4.4%)	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	530	32	16.5	61.7%	52 (9.8%)	118 (22.3%)	341 (64.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.6%)	15 (2.8%)	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
Eastside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1820 Johnson Ave E	Haines City	33844	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 421-3254	615	33	18.6	66.3%	36 (5.9%)	139 (22.6%)	431 (70.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.1%)	28.8	1654^th of 2256 public elementary schools	26.7%		22	1837^th of 2240 public elementary schools	18.0%	183	29.0	30.0	44.0				36.0	41.0	71.0				62.0						$11,181	$2,200	$8,981
Bellalago Charter Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	3651 Pleasant Hill Rd	Kissimmee	34746	Osceola County	Osceola	Yes	No	No	Yes	(407) 933-1690	1,162	63	18.4	45.1%	178 (15.3%)	266 (22.9%)	637 (54.8%)	34 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.3%)	43 (3.7%)	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

Frequently Asked Questions about Laurel Elementary School

How many students attend Laurel Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,058 students attended Laurel Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Laurel Elementary School?

Students at Laurel Elementary School are 53% Hispanic, 37% African American, 7% White, 1% Asian, 1% Two or more races.

What district is Laurel Elementary School in?

Polk

Is Laurel Elementary School a good school?

Laurel Elementary School ranks in the bottom 21.2% of Florida elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Laurel Elementary School attend?

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

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