Enrollment
1,078
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Saint Cloud, FL
Hickory Tree Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Hickory Tree Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120147002448
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 71
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hickory Tree Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Florida schools.
- #2 of 6
- schools in Saint Cloud · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.1:1
- large classes for Florida
- 40.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Hickory Tree Elementary School has class sizes larger than 81% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hickory Tree Elementary School ranks #2 of 6 schools in Saint Cloud, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
51.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.1:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.3%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hickory Tree Elementary School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hickory Tree Elementary School
Hickory Tree Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Saint Cloud, Florida, enrolling 1,078 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 40.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 1,078 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 686 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #234.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (49%) and White (39%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1078 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
11.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Osceola also operates Tohopekaliga (2,929 students) and Celebration High School (2,681 students) alongside Hickory Tree 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 Hickory Tree Elementary School compares
Hickory Tree 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 | 21.1:1 | ▲ 19% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.3% | ▼ 23% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,078 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.1:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,078
Bigger than 92% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.1:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 81% in Florida - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
11.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$9,818
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 1078 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 26 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.6 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 49.0%
White 38.9%
African American 6.8%
Two or More 4.0%
Asian 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 49.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.2, Hickory Tree 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 Osceola, which includes Hickory Tree Elementary School.
$9,818
Per student
-12%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.5%
State 42.2%
Federal 14.3%
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 Hickory Tree Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tohopekaliga | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Celebration High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Harmony High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| St. Cloud High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Poinciana High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hickory Tree Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,929
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 2,681
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,673
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,596
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 2,573
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
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 (~1,078 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hickory Tree Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Hickory Tree Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Osceola'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 Hickory Tree Elementary School
How many students attend Hickory Tree Elementary School?
Hickory Tree Elementary School has 1,078 students enrolled. It is a public school in Saint Cloud, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hickory Tree Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Hickory Tree Elementary School is 21.1:1, which is 19% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hickory Tree Elementary School?
40.3% of students at Hickory Tree Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hickory Tree Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Hickory Tree Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 49.0% of enrollment, in Saint Cloud, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hickory Tree Elementary School?
Hickory Tree Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Hickory Tree Elementary School rank among schools in Saint Cloud?
By Resource Investment Index, Hickory Tree Elementary School ranks #2 of 6 schools in Saint Cloud, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Saint Cloud on the city page.
Is Hickory Tree Elementary School a good school?
Hickory Tree Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% 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 Osceola?
Besides Hickory Tree Elementary School, Osceola also operates Tohopekaliga (2,929 students), Celebration High School (2,681 students), and Harmony High School (2,673 students). See the Osceola 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.