James A. Long Elementary School

Summary:

James A. Long Elementary School is a public elementary school in Palatka, Florida, serving 552 students from kindergarten to 6th grade, and is part of the Putnam School District, which is ranked 59 out of 68 districts in the state.

The school faces significant challenges, including a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students (66.12% receive free or reduced-price lunch), consistently low academic performance (with 3rd-grade proficiency rates in 2023-2024 at just 23% in English Language Arts and 24% in Math, compared to state averages of 55% and 60%), and extremely high chronic absenteeism rates (ranging from 41.2% to 53.5% in recent years). While nearby schools like Middleton-Burney Elementary, Robert H. Jenkins Junior Elementary, and Browning-Pearce Elementary also struggle with low performance and high absenteeism, James A. Long Elementary consistently ranks lower than these schools and has a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students.

One bright spot in the Putnam School District is The Children's Reading Center, a public charter school that stands out with significantly higher academic performance and a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. This suggests that alternative educational models may be effective in addressing the challenges faced by schools like James A. Long Elementary.

Detail:

Public K-6

1400 Old Jacksonville Rd
Palatka, FL 32177

(386) 329-0575

District: Putnam

SchoolDigger Rank:
1776^th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,232

Students who attend James A. Long Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Palatka Junior - Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.4

Number of students: 542

Racial breakdown:

White:

54.1%

African American:

35.1%

Hispanic:

7.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 74.5%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare James A. Long Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details James A. Long Elementary School ranks worse than 78.7% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 5^th among 9 ranked elementary schools in the Putnam School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 24.64. (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 Racial makeup is: White (54.1%), African American (35.1%), Hispanic (7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 74.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James A. Long Elementary School is 16.4, which is the 2^nd best among 9 elementary schools in the Putnam School District. (See more...)

Compare James A. Long Elementary School employs 33 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at James A. Long Elementary School is $11,232, which is the 4^th highest among 9 elementary schools in the Putnam School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

James A. Long Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Putnam:

SchoolDigger ranks Putnam 59^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for James A. Long Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	11.66	1539^th	1688	8.8%
2007	23.98	1434^th	1786	19.7%
2008	36.65	1212^th	1789	32.3%
2009	44.38	1092^nd	1847	40.9%
2010	37.35	1285^th	1919	33.0%
2011	33.23	1405^th	1985	29.2%
2012	25.48	1549^th	1984	21.9%
2013	11.65	1907^th	2029	6.0%
2014	33.96	1415^th	2064	31.4%
2016	47.08	1104^th	2087	47.1%
2017	50.99	1041^st	2112	50.7%
2018	53.65	952^nd	2118	55.1%
2019	40.65	1303^rd	2182	40.3%
2021	25.27	1693^rd	2247	24.7%
2022	30.09	1570^th	2219	29.2%
2023	29.70	1618^th	2240	27.8%
2024	24.64	1776^th	2256	21.3%

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 A. Long Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	212	163	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	375
1989	204	143	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	347
1990	382	233	0	2	5	n/a	n/a	0	622
1991	418	245	0	2	2	n/a	n/a	0	667
1992	438	263	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	704
1993	413	249	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	664
1994	377	238	0	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	623
1995	387	264	0	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	658
1996	387	264	0	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	658
1997	348	256	0	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	609
1998	351	259	2	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	618
1999	345	246	0	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	597
2000	362	252	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	617
2001	336	237	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	576
2002	311	226	0	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	542
2003	311	226	0	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	542
2004	300	220	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	520
2005	314	229	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	547
2006	294	220	2	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	524
2007	309	202	2	12	0	n/a	n/a	4	529
2008	328	190	2	15	0	n/a	n/a	15	550
2009	311	189	0	13	0	n/a	n/a	12	525
2010	291	189	0	15	0	n/a	n/a	16	511
2011	261	198	0	16	0	1	7	0	483
2012	286	233	0	12	0	3	10	0	544
2013	282	258	0	16	1	3	7	0	567
2014	359	219	1	27	1	2	12	0	621
2015	388	213	2	24	0	2	12	0	641
2016	435	192	5	28	3	0	18	0	681
2017	428	171	4	23	1	0	9	0	636
2018	443	176	3	30	1	0	15	0	668
2019	446	168	1	31	1	0	24	0	671
2020	329	157	2	36	0	0	16	0	540
2021	273	138	2	31	2	1	17	0	464
2022	328	174	2	26	0	1	21	0	552
2023	296	201	2	35	0	0	18	0	552
2024	293	190	2	38	0	0	19	0	542

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 A. Long Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	375	20.0	18.7	64.3
1989	347	22.0	15.7	61.4
1990	622	34.0	18.2	66.6
1991	667	40.0	16.6	66.7
1992	704	38.0	18.5	60.9
1993	664	38.0	17.5	65.7
1994	623	39.0	16.0	64.5
1995	658	38.0	17.3	51.2
1996	658	38.0	17.3	51.2
1997	609	39.0	15.6	63.2
1998	618	38.0	16.3	62.9
1999	597	35.0	17.1	71.4
2000	617	37.0	16.7	69.4
2001	576	35.0	16.5	67.4
2002	542	35.0	15.5	75.5
2003	542	35.0	15.5	75.5
2004	520	36.0	14.4	63.5
2005	547	35.0	15.6	75.7
2006	524	36.0	14.6	77.9
2007	529	35.0	15.1	78.9
2008	550	38.0	14.5	79.4
2009	525	33.3	16.2	80.5
2010	511	33.0	15.4	85.5
2011	483	33.0	14.6	83.4
2012	544	32.0	17.0	81.6
2013	567	34.0	16.6	81.8
2014	621	37.0	16.7	75.8
2015	641	39.0	16.4	71.3
2016	681	40.0	17.0	58.7
2017	636	38.0	16.7	60.5
2018	668	39.0	17.1	56
2019	671	36.0	18.6	63.6
2020	540	30.0	18.0	67.4
2021	464	27.0	17.1	55
2022	552	31.0	17.8	70.1
2023	552	30.0	18.4	66.1
2024	542	33.0	16.4	74.5

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 A. Long Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	375	20.0	18.7	64.3
1989	347	22.0	15.7	61.4
1990	622	34.0	18.2	66.6
1991	667	40.0	16.6	66.7
1992	704	38.0	18.5	60.9
1993	664	38.0	17.5	65.7
1994	623	39.0	16.0	64.5
1995	658	38.0	17.3	51.2
1996	658	38.0	17.3	51.2
1997	609	39.0	15.6	63.2
1998	618	38.0	16.3	62.9
1999	597	35.0	17.1	71.4
2000	617	37.0	16.7	69.4
2001	576	35.0	16.5	67.4
2002	542	35.0	15.5	75.5
2003	542	35.0	15.5	75.5
2004	520	36.0	14.4	63.5
2005	547	35.0	15.6	75.7
2006	524	36.0	14.6	77.9
2007	529	35.0	15.1	78.9
2008	550	38.0	14.5	79.4
2009	525	33.3	16.2	80.5
2010	511	33.0	15.4	85.5
2011	483	33.0	14.6	83.4
2012	544	32.0	17.0	81.6
2013	567	34.0	16.6	81.8
2014	621	37.0	16.7	75.8
2015	641	39.0	16.4	71.3
2016	681	40.0	17.0	58.7
2017	636	38.0	16.7	60.5
2018	668	39.0	17.1	56
2019	671	36.0	18.6	63.6
2020	540	30.0	18.0	67.4
2021	464	27.0	17.1	55
2022	552	31.0	17.8	70.1
2023	552	30.0	18.4	66.1
2024	542	33.0	16.4	74.5

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 A. Long Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$920 (12.6%)	$6,367 (87.4%)	$7,287
2019	$1,090 (14.4%)	$6,480 (85.6%)	$7,570
2020	$1,032 (11.5%)	$7,941 (88.5%)	$8,973
2021	$1,900 (18.7%)	$8,269 (81.3%)	$10,169
2022	$2,504 (23.9%)	$7,970 (76.1%)	$10,473
2023	$3,176 (28.3%)	$8,055 (71.7%)	$11,232

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on James A. Long 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 1303^rd of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 1618^th of 2240 Elementary schools	12.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (James A. Long Elementary School)	56	37	19%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Putnam)	41	34	7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (James A. Long Elementary School)	53	37	16%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Putnam)	46	41	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (James A. Long Elementary School)	50	47	3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Putnam)	43	49	6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (James A. Long Elementary School)	62	43	19%
4th Grade Mathematics (Putnam)	53	52	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (James A. Long Elementary School)	52	41	11%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Putnam)	42	42
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (James A. Long Elementary School)	44	35	9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Putnam)	44	37	7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (James A. Long Elementary School)	49	42	7%
5th Grade Science (Putnam)	38	42	4%
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	671	552	17.7%
African American	168	201	19.6%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	1	2	100%
Hispanic	31	35	12.9%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	446	296	33.6%
Two or More Races	24	18	25%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	63.6%	66.1%	2.5%

Schools Near James A. Long 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 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 A. Long Elementary School	Public	K-6	1400 Old Jacksonville Rd	Palatka	32177	Putnam County	Putnam	No	No	No	Yes	(386) 329-0575	542	33	16.4	74.5%	293 (54.1%)	190 (35.1%)	38 (7.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.5%)	24.6	1776^th of 2256 public elementary schools	21.3%		29.7	1618^th of 2240 public elementary schools	27.8%	158	23.0	49.0	48.0	56.0	24.0	41.0	34.0	48.0	36.0	$11,232	$3,176	$8,055
Putnam Virtual Instruction Program	Public, Virtual	K-5	200 Reid St	Palatka	32177	Putnam County	Putnam	No	No	Yes	No	(386) 329-0536	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Putnam Virtual Instruction Program (District Provided)	Public, Virtual	K-5	200 Reid St	Palatka	32177	Putnam County	Putnam	No	No	Yes	No	(386) 329-0536	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Teen Parent Pk Child Care Program	Public	PK	200 Reid St	Palatka	32177	Putnam County	Putnam	No	No	No	No	(386) 329-0536	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
William D. Moseley Elementary School	Public	K-6	1100 Husson Ave	Palatka	32177	Putnam County	Putnam	No	No	No	Yes	(386) 329-0562	585	33	17.7	86.8%	143 (24.4%)	324 (55.4%)	75 (12.8%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (6.8%)	13.1	2084^th of 2256 public elementary schools	7.6%		12.7	2088^th of 2240 public elementary schools	6.8%	4	33.0	22.0	41.0	43.0	27.0	29.0	29.0	45.0	24.0	$10,958	$3,263	$7,695
The Children's Reading Center	Public, Charter	K-6	7901 Saint Johns Ave	Palatka	32177	Putnam County	Putnam	Yes	No	No	Yes	(386) 326-2762	260	11	23.6	47.3%	157 (60.4%)	67 (25.8%)	17 (6.5%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.5%)	84.5	307^th of 2256 public elementary schools	86.4%		93.1	93^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	95.8%	214	67.0	76.0	68.0	92.0	62.0	88.0	74.0	96.0	82.0	$9,318	$3,600	$5,718
Kelley Smith Elementary School	Public	K-6	141 Kelley Smith School Rd	Palatka	32177	Putnam County	Putnam	No	No	No	Yes	(386) 329-0568	752	40	18.8	62.6%	417 (55.5%)	252 (33.5%)	50 (6.6%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (3.9%)	48	1138^th of 2256 public elementary schools	49.6%		53.8	996^th of 2240 public elementary schools	55.5%	142	44.0	56.0	46.0	56.0	47.0	74.0	51.0	75.0	45.0	$10,901	$3,149	$7,753
Browning-Pearce Elementary School	Public	K-6	100 Bear Blvd	San Mateo	32187	Putnam County	Putnam	No	No	No	Yes	(386) 329-0557	664	38	17.4	77.7%	390 (58.7%)	107 (16.1%)	121 (18.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (6.6%)	23.9	1802^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	20.1%		25.9	1722^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	23.1%	80	41.0	32.0	42.0	63.0	37.0	31.0	31.0	65.0	29.0	$11,770	$3,492	$8,279
South Woods Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4750 Sr 206 W	Elkton	32033	St. Johns County	St. Johns	No	No	No	Yes	(904) 547-8610	694	47	14.7	72.3%	468 (67.4%)	105 (15.1%)	69 (9.9%)	3 (0.4%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (6.6%)	34	1516^th of 2256 public elementary schools	32.8%		22.5	1815^th of 2240 public elementary schools	19.0%	299	47.0	51.0	33.0		48.0	53.0	43.0		44.0	$12,791	$2,587	$10,203
Robert H. Jenkins Junior Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	251 S State Road 315	Interlachen	32148	Putnam County	Putnam	No	No	No	Yes	(386) 684-2130	869	48	18.2	80.1%	644 (74.1%)	43 (4.9%)	138 (15.9%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (4.5%)	28.2	1678^th of 2256 public elementary schools	25.6%		34.1	1494^th of 2240 public elementary schools	33.3%	184	43.0	31.0	38.0	48.0	42.0	44.0	43.0	61.0	38.0	$10,209	$2,995	$7,214

Frequently Asked Questions about James A. Long Elementary School

What district is James A. Long Elementary School in?

Putnam

What schools do graduates of James A. Long Elementary School attend?

Students who attend James A. Long Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Palatka Junior - Senior High School

Is James A. Long Elementary School a good school?

James A. Long Elementary School ranks in the bottom 21.3% of Florida elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of James A. Long Elementary School?

Students at James A. Long Elementary School are 54% White, 35% African American, 7% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

How many students attend James A. Long Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 542 students attended James A. Long Elementary School.

Rate James A. Long 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.