Enrollment
547
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Clewiston, FL
Central Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Central Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 20/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120078000887
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 16
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Elementary School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median.
- #4 of 4
- schools in Clewiston · Resource Index
- 20
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.6:1
- students per teacher
- 70.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Elementary School has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #4 of 4 schools in Clewiston, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.6:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
70.9%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Elementary School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Elementary School
Central Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Clewiston, Florida, enrolling 547 students.
At 16.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Florida median, within a few percentage points of the 17.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 70.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 547 students, its enrollment sits close to the Florida median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 3,996 Florida schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 904 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #870, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (54%) and White (23%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 547 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Hendry spends $8,011 per pupil, 28% below the Florida average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Hendry also operates Digital Academy of Florida (6,069 students) and Labelle High School (1,422 students) alongside Central Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Central Elementary School compares
Central Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.6:1 | ▼ 7% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.9% | ▲ 36% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 547 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.6:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
547
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
70.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% above the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.6:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 51% in Florida - lower ratio than 49% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
33.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$8,011
per pupil, district-wide
- below Florida avg of $11,167
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 547 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
13
in-school suspensions + 21 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 54.3%
White 23.4%
African American 18.5%
Two or More 2.6%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 54.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.5, Central Elementary School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hendry, which includes Central Elementary School.
$8,011
Per student
-28%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-52%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 15.9%
State 64.8%
Federal 19.3%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Central Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Academy of Florida | Larger | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
| Labelle High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Clewiston High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Country Oaks Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Labelle Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 6,069
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 85/100
- Enrollment
- 1,422
- Students per teacher
- 29:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 966
- Students per teacher
- 27.6:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 935
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 830
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Florida, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~547 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Central Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Hendry's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Central Elementary School
How many students attend Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has 547 students enrolled. It is a public school in Clewiston, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 16.6:1, which is 7% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Elementary School?
70.9% of students at Central Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Central Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 54.3% of enrollment, in Clewiston, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 20/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Central Elementary School rank among schools in Clewiston?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #4 of 4 schools in Clewiston, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Clewiston on the city page.
Is Central Elementary School a good school?
Central Elementary School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Hendry?
Besides Central Elementary School, Hendry also operates Digital Academy of Florida (6,069 students), Labelle High School (1,422 students), and Clewiston High School (966 students). See the Hendry district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.