Enrollment
430
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Ocala, FL
Fessenden Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Fessenden Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120126001261
👥 S:T ratio 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 14
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Fessenden Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Florida schools.
- #26 of 29
- schools in Ocala · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.6:1
- large classes for Florida
- 75.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Fessenden Elementary School has class sizes larger than 87% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Fessenden Elementary School ranks #26 of 29 schools in Ocala, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.6:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.3%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Fessenden Elementary School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Fessenden Elementary School
Fessenden Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Ocala, Florida, enrolling 430 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.6:1 is larger than about 87% of Florida schools and 27% above the 17.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 75.3% of students qualify for free meals, 45% above the Florida average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 430 puts it in the smaller third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 3,996 Florida schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 638 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #594, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (38%) and African American (30%) (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 430 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 45.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 103 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 430 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Marion also operates West Port High School (3,022 students) and Forest High School (2,387 students) alongside Fessenden 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 Fessenden Elementary School compares
Fessenden 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 | 22.6:1 | ▲ 27% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.3% | ▲ 45% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 430 | top 68% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.6:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
430
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% above the Florida average of 52.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
22.6:1
students per teacher
- 27% above state mean
Top 87% in Florida - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
45.3%
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
$10,818
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 430 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
57
in-school suspensions + 46 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 24.0 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 38.1%
African American 29.8%
White 26.0%
Two or More 5.6%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 38.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.5, Fessenden Elementary School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Marion, which includes Fessenden Elementary School.
$10,818
Per student
-3%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.3%
State 43.3%
Federal 21.4%
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 Fessenden Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Port High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Forest High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Belleview High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Vanguard High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Belleview Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Fessenden Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,022
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 2,387
- Students per teacher
- 25.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,904
- Students per teacher
- 26.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,684
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,600
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
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 (~430 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Fessenden Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Fessenden Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Marion'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 Fessenden Elementary School
How many students attend Fessenden Elementary School?
Fessenden Elementary School has 430 students enrolled. It is a public school in Ocala, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Fessenden Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Fessenden Elementary School is 22.6:1, which is 27% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 44% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Fessenden Elementary School?
75.3% of students at Fessenden Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Fessenden Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Fessenden Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 38.1% of enrollment, in Ocala, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Fessenden Elementary School?
Fessenden Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 Fessenden Elementary School rank among schools in Ocala?
By Resource Investment Index, Fessenden Elementary School ranks #26 of 29 schools in Ocala, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Ocala on the city page.
Is Fessenden Elementary School a good school?
Fessenden Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Florida schools. 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 Marion?
Besides Fessenden Elementary School, Marion also operates West Port High School (3,022 students), Forest High School (2,387 students), and Belleview High School (1,904 students). See the Marion 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.