Enrollment
731
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Cutler Bay, FL
Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120039003049
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 44
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median.
- #3 of 5
- schools in Cutler Bay · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.7:1
- students per teacher
- 60.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School ranks #3 of 5 schools in Cutler Bay, FL.
School address
District: Miami-Dade · Florida
NCES ID 120039003049 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.7:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.3%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School
Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Cutler Bay, Florida, enrolling 731 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 60.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 731 students, its enrollment sits close to the Florida median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 1,067 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #425.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (77%) and African American (16%) (diversity index 38/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 731 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 19.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Miami-Dade also operates John a. Ferguson Senior High (4,291 students) and Coral Reef Senior High School (3,399 students) alongside Dr. Edward L. Whigham 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 Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School compares
Dr. Edward L. Whigham 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 | 18.7:1 | ▲ 5% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.3% | ▲ 16% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 731 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.7:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
731
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% 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
18.7:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 69% in Florida - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
22.4%
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
$12,258
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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 731 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 77.2%
African American 15.6%
White 5.2%
Asian 1.1%
Two or More 1.0%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 77.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.7, Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School is less mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Miami-Dade, which includes Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School.
$12,258
Per student
+10%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.2%
State 23.3%
Federal 19.5%
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 Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John a. Ferguson Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Coral Reef Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Dade Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Miami Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hialeah Gardens Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 4,291
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 3,399
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 3,382
- Students per teacher
- 27.7:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 3,100
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 3,009
- Students per teacher
- 28.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
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 (~731 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Miami-Dade'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 Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School
How many students attend Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School?
Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School has 731 students enrolled. It is a public school in Cutler Bay, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School is 18.7:1, which is 5% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 19% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School?
60.3% of students at Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 77.2% of enrollment, in Cutler Bay, FL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School?
Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical 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 Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School rank among schools in Cutler Bay?
By Resource Investment Index, Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School ranks #3 of 5 schools in Cutler Bay, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Cutler Bay on the city page.
Is Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School a good school?
Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School earns 35/100 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 Miami-Dade?
Besides Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School, Miami-Dade also operates John a. Ferguson Senior High (4,291 students), Coral Reef Senior High School (3,399 students), and South Dade Senior High School (3,382 students). See the Miami-Dade 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.