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Needs Improvement

#3637 of 3,778 schools in FL

Palmetto Elementary School

Elementary School · Polk · Poinciana, FL

A Polk elementary school where students score 4 points below what's typical for similar communities.

315 PALMETTO ST, Poinciana, FL 34759

  • Math 37% vs FL 58% (2024)
  • Reading 38% vs FL 54% (2024)
  • 16.3:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.4Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.92 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics4.9Below Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency37% (2024 FAST)
Reading/ELA Proficiency38.3% (2024 FAST)
Math vs. State Avg-23.5 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-16.9 pts
Overall Proficiency38% (2024 FAST, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)41% (model expectation from 2024 FAST)
vs. Expected-3.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile30th
Resources & Environment3.8Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.3:1
District spending per student$11,242
Chronic Absenteeism69.3%

Students at Palmetto Elementary School score 38% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 41%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 FAST proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. FL average.

Math Proficiency37%(2024 FAST)
School
State
58%(2024 FAST)
ELA Proficiency38%(2024 FAST)
School
State
54%(2024 FAST)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 10 points since 2020, reaching 38% in 2024.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
66%
ELA
57%
2010
Math
65%
ELA
49%
2011
Math
54%
ELA
46%
2012
Math
50%
ELA
47%
2013
ELA
51%
2014
Math
29%
ELA
33%
2015
Math
37%
ELA
33%
2016
Math
41%
ELA
41%
2017
Math
43%
ELA
38%
2018
Math
34%
ELA
29%
2019
Math
34%
ELA
29%
2020*
Math
23%
ELA
32%
2021*
Math
23%
ELA
32%
2022
Math
23%
ELA
33%
2024
Math
37%
ELA
38%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 40% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 39% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 33 test records from FL state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

73.6%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Palmetto Elementary School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 5Car-Dependent
  • Bike 26Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Average575/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$62,373

Median home value

$271,400

Median rent

$1,670/mo

College educated

26.8%

Homeownership

78.1%

Poverty rate

15.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 34759; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Chestnut Elementary School for Science and EngineeringEnrollment path unverified4.8PK–50.4 mi728Compare →
New Jerusalem AcademyPrivate · tuition7.5privatePK–111.9 mi35Compare →
Chosen Generation Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition5.2private1–122.0 mi135Compare →
Laurel Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.2PK–53.1 mi1,049Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Polk

Schools in district
167
Rank in district
#141 of 155
District spending per student
$11,242NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
17.0%Census SAIPE · 2024

Palmetto Elementary School is listed in POLK; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Palmetto Elementary School

Palmetto Elementary School is a public elementary school in Poinciana, FL, part of Polk, serving approximately 473 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 16.3:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.4 out of 10 and ranks #3,637 of 3,778 schools in FL. State assessment records show 40% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 39% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Palmetto Elementary School

What grades does Palmetto Elementary School serve?

Palmetto Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Palmetto Elementary School?

Palmetto Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 473 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Palmetto Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Palmetto Elementary School is 16.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Palmetto Elementary School rank in FL?

Palmetto Elementary School ranks #3,637 of 3,778 schools in FL.

What is Palmetto Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Palmetto Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.4 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Palmetto Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Palmetto Elementary School has 40% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 39% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Palmetto Elementary School a charter school?

No, Palmetto Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Palmetto Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Palmetto Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Palmetto Elementary School?

73.6% of students at Palmetto Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
473
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
29
Type
regular
Setting
Small Suburb
County
Polk County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
69.3%
Area population (ZIP 34759)
41,381
Area average commute
46.5 min
Area median age
42.6
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 FAST · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 FAST. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 FAST · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 FAST. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 34759; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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