Wards Creek Elementary School

Q: Is Wards Creek Elementary School a good school?

Wards Creek Elementary School ranks 393 rd of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Wards Creek Elementary School is a public elementary school in St. Augustine, Florida, serving 954 students in grades PK-5 and part of the highly-ranked St. Johns District. The school stands out for its diverse student population, strong academic performance, and increased spending per student, though it faces challenges with rising chronic absenteeism.

Wards Creek has a more diverse student body compared to nearby schools, with higher percentages of Hispanic (16.46%) and Asian (9.12%) students. Academically, the school consistently performs above the state average on standardized tests, with 63% of 5th-graders proficient in science versus the 53% state average. However, Wards Creek's chronic absenteeism rate has risen significantly from 4.8% to 16.2%, higher than the state average. The school also has a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (18.87%) than the state, indicating a relatively higher socioeconomic status of its population.

Compared to nearby high-performing schools like Palencia Elementary and Patriot Oaks Academy, Wards Creek's academic performance is on par or slightly lower, but its chronic absenteeism rate is notably higher. The school's increased spending per student, from $8,846 to $9,945, suggests strong resources, but the decline in its statewide ranking from 185th to 393rd raises questions about addressing any underlying factors affecting student outcomes.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

6555 State Road 16
St Augustine, FL 32092

(904) 547-8730

District: St. Johns

SchoolDigger Rank:
393^rd of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,945

Students who attend Wards Creek Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Pacetti Bay Middle School
High:	Tocoi Creek High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.3

Number of students: 1,210

Racial breakdown:

White:

55.0%

Hispanic:

17.4%

Asian:

15.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 20.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Wards Creek Elementary School ranks better than 82.6% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 19^th among 26 ranked elementary schools in the St. Johns School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 80.51. (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 Wards Creek Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (55%), Hispanic (17.4%), Asian (15.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 20.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Wards Creek Elementary School is 15.3, which is the 14^th best among 26 elementary schools in the St. Johns School District. (See more...)

Compare Wards Creek Elementary School employs 78.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Wards Creek Elementary School is $9,945, which is the 11^th highest among 26 elementary schools in the St. Johns School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Wards Creek Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

St. Johns:

SchoolDigger ranks St. Johns 4^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Wards Creek Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2010	89.53	111^th	1919	94.2%
2011	88.68	135^th	1985	93.2%
2012	91.81	101^st	1984	94.9%
2013	87.08	202^nd	2029	90.0%
2014	85.06	255^th	2064	87.6%
2016	91.04	134^th	2087	93.6%
2017	83.28	308^th	2112	85.4%
2018	86.44	242^nd	2118	88.6%
2019	88.96	185^th	2182	91.5%
2021	87.74	246^th	2247	89.1%
2022	83.57	328^th	2219	85.2%
2023	82.64	353^rd	2240	84.2%
2024	80.51	393^rd	2256	82.6%

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:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Wards Creek Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2008	548	36	19	52	3	n/a	n/a	5	663
2009	563	42	21	52	3	n/a	n/a	17	698
2010	601	32	23	59	3	n/a	n/a	0	718
2011	609	26	21	70	3	0	12	0	741
2012	635	24	21	64	1	0	18	0	763
2013	654	22	21	74	1	1	24	0	797
2014	663	25	16	73	0	1	27	0	805
2015	723	27	19	88	0	0	35	0	892
2016	733	21	22	85	0	2	32	0	895
2017	705	24	19	84	0	1	41	0	874
2018	634	17	12	90	1	1	43	0	798
2019	549	21	14	89	1	1	43	0	718
2020	538	27	11	97	3	1	44	0	721
2021	469	22	8	89	1	0	51	0	640
2022	535	28	27	136	1	1	61	0	789
2023	600	31	87	157	3	1	75	0	954
2024	665	47	189	211	4	1	93	0	1210

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 Wards Creek Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	663	42.0	15.8	13.4
2009	698	48.3	15.7	12.5
2010	718	44.5	16.1	12
2011	741	49.0	15.1	14.4
2012	763	50.0	15.2	13.9
2013	797	53.0	15.0	15.7
2014	805	55.0	14.6	16.9
2015	892	57.0	15.6	21.2
2016	895	54.0	16.5	20.8
2017	874	56.0	15.6	23
2018	798	51.0	15.6	22.7
2019	718	45.0	15.9	23.4
2020	721	42.8	16.8	20.9
2021	640	40.8	15.6	26.1
2022	789	48.8	16.1	16.9
2023	954	66.6	14.3	18.9
2024	1210	78.8	15.3	20.6

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 Wards Creek Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	663	42.0	15.8	13.4
2009	698	48.3	15.7	12.5
2010	718	44.5	16.1	12
2011	741	49.0	15.1	14.4
2012	763	50.0	15.2	13.9
2013	797	53.0	15.0	15.7
2014	805	55.0	14.6	16.9
2015	892	57.0	15.6	21.2
2016	895	54.0	16.5	20.8
2017	874	56.0	15.6	23
2018	798	51.0	15.6	22.7
2019	718	45.0	15.9	23.4
2020	721	42.8	16.8	20.9
2021	640	40.8	15.6	26.1
2022	789	48.8	16.1	16.9
2023	954	66.6	14.3	18.9
2024	1210	78.8	15.3	20.6

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 Wards Creek Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$337 (4.1%)	$7,904 (95.9%)	$8,241
2019	$347 (4.1%)	$8,101 (95.9%)	$8,448
2020	$352 (4.0%)	$8,494 (96.0%)	$8,846
2021	$489 (5.0%)	$9,299 (95.0%)	$9,786
2022	$329 (3.6%)	$8,816 (96.4%)	$9,145
2023	$468 (4.7%)	$9,478 (95.3%)	$9,945

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Wards Creek 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 185^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 353^rd of 2240 Elementary schools	7.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Wards Creek Elementary School)	77	73	4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (St. Johns)	78	76	2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Wards Creek Elementary School)	85	78	7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (St. Johns)	82	80	2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Wards Creek Elementary School)	79	71	8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (St. Johns)	77	76	1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Wards Creek Elementary School)	81	72	9%
4th Grade Mathematics (St. Johns)	82	81	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Wards Creek Elementary School)	77	77
5th Grade English Language Arts (St. Johns)	76	75	1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Wards Creek Elementary School)	85	68	17%
5th Grade Mathematics (St. Johns)	80	76	4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Wards Creek Elementary School)	72	61	11%
5th Grade Science (St. Johns)	73	70	3%
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	718	954	32.9%
African American	21	31	47.6%
American Indian	1	3	200%
Asian	14	87	521.4%
Hispanic	89	157	76.4%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	549	600	9.3%
Two or More Races	43	75	74.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	23.4%	18.9%	4.5%

Schools Near Wards Creek 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
Wards Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6555 State Road 16	St Augustine	32092	St. Johns County	St. Johns	No	No	No	No	(904) 547-8730	1,210	79	15.3	20.6%	665 (55.0%)	47 (3.9%)	211 (17.4%)	189 (15.6%)	4 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	93 (7.7%)	80.5	393^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	82.6%		82.6	353^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	84.2%	40	73.0	68.0	69.0				74.0	70.0	70.0				63.0						$9,945	$468	$9,478
Mill Creek Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	3750 International Golf Pkwy	St Augustine	32092	St. Johns County	St. Johns	No	No	No	No	(904) 547-3720	1,988	110	18.0	18.5%	1,330 (66.9%)	105 (5.3%)	294 (14.8%)	73 (3.7%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	183 (9.2%)	78.3	455^th of 2256 public elementary schools	79.8%		81.9	365^th of 2240 public elementary schools	83.7%	90	70.0	72.0	65.0	64.0	58.0	64.0	69.0	79.0	72.0	74.0	79.0	81.0	61.0	66.0	100.0			88.0	$8,002	$331	$7,670
Picolata Crossing Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2675 Pacetti Rd	St Augustine	32092	St. Johns County	St. Johns	No	No	No	No	(904) 547-4160	1,000	63	15.8	22.9%	666 (66.6%)	36 (3.6%)	186 (18.6%)	21 (2.1%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	88 (8.8%)	83.3	331^st of 2256 public elementary schools	85.3%		81.8	369^th of 2240 public elementary schools	83.5%	38	72.0	65.0	69.0				82.0	74.0	68.0				72.0						$8,776	$437	$8,338
Timberlin Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	555 Pine Tree Ln	St Augustine	32092	St. Johns County	St. Johns	No	No	No	No	(904) 547-7400	1,345	82	16.4	10.3%	920 (68.4%)	36 (2.7%)	212 (15.8%)	80 (5.9%)	3 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	93 (6.9%)	84.9	303^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	86.6%		89	196^th of 2240 public elementary schools	91.3%	107	77.0	76.0	70.0				82.0	78.0	68.0				62.0						$8,795	$442	$8,353
Liberty Pines Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	10901 Russell Sampson Rd	Saint Johns	32259	St. Johns County	St. Johns	No	No	No	No	(904) 547-7900	1,948	113	17.2	16.3%	1,246 (64.0%)	62 (3.2%)	341 (17.5%)	155 (8.0%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	142 (7.3%)	83.8	324^th of 2256 public elementary schools	85.6%		84.2	307^th of 2240 public elementary schools	86.3%	17	74.0	70.0	69.0	68.0	73.0	74.0	77.0	73.0	74.0	85.0	66.0	83.0	71.0	82.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	97.0	$7,917	$352	$7,565
Patriot Oaks Academy	Public	K-8	475 Longleaf Pine Pkwy	Saint Johns	32259	St. Johns County	St. Johns	No	No	No	No	(904) 547-4050	1,466	88	16.6	8.5%	922 (62.9%)	35 (2.4%)	160 (10.9%)	254 (17.3%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.2%)	91 (6.2%)	88.6	215^th of 2256 public elementary schools	90.5%		90.6	160^th of 2240 public elementary schools	92.9%	55	82.0	73.0	71.0	78.0	81.0	90.0	87.0	84.0	73.0	88.0	68.0	95.0	69.0	83.0	98.0	100.0		98.0	$8,895	$437	$8,457
Therapeutic Learning Center	Public, Charter	PK	2109 Arc Dr	St Augustine	32084	St. Johns County	St. Johns	Yes	No	No	No	(904) 824-8932	15	1	15.0		12 (80.0%)	2 (13.3%)	1 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Palencia Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	355 Palencia Village Dr	St Augustine	32095	St. Johns County	St. Johns	No	No	No	No	(904) 547-4010	708	48	14.8	16.4%	527 (74.4%)	20 (2.8%)	80 (11.3%)	29 (4.1%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	49 (6.9%)	89.8	186^th of 2256 public elementary schools	91.8%		90.7	154^th of 2240 public elementary schools	93.1%	32	86.0	78.0	78.0				92.0	75.0	70.0				70.0						$9,331	$473	$8,858
Freedom Crossing Academy	Public	K-8	1365 Shetland Dr	Saint Johns	32259	St. Johns County	St. Johns	No	No	No	No	(904) 547-4231	1,955	115	17.0	12.9%	1,249 (63.9%)	80 (4.1%)	329 (16.8%)	159 (8.1%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.2%)	133 (6.8%)	80.6	391^st of 2256 public elementary schools	82.7%		87.7	226^th of 2240 public elementary schools	89.9%	165	73.0	66.0	72.0	75.0	71.0	74.0	80.0	72.0	61.0	78.0	79.0	91.0	64.0	72.0	100.0	100.0		99.0	$8,277	$404	$7,871
Cunningham Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1205 Roberts Rd	Saint Johns	32259	St. Johns County	St. Johns	No	No	No	No	(904) 547-7860	722	50	14.5	10.8%	511 (70.8%)	35 (4.8%)	90 (12.5%)	38 (5.3%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	46 (6.4%)	88	229^th of 2256 public elementary schools	89.8%		83	338^th of 2240 public elementary schools	84.9%	109	76.0	74.0	71.0				86.0	73.0	84.0				67.0						$10,965	$979	$9,985

Frequently Asked Questions about Wards Creek Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Wards Creek Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Wards Creek Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Pacetti Bay Middle School
High : Tocoi Creek High School

What is the racial makeup of Wards Creek Elementary School?

Students at Wards Creek Elementary School are 55% White, 17% Hispanic, 16% Asian, 8% Two or more races, 4% African American.

What district is Wards Creek Elementary School in?

St. Johns

How many students attend Wards Creek Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,210 students attended Wards Creek Elementary School.

Is Wards Creek Elementary School a good school?

Wards Creek Elementary School ranks 393^rd of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

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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.