Enrollment
336
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Bartow, FL
James E. Stephens Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for James E. Stephens Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120159001791
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James E. Stephens Elementary School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of Florida schools.
- #2 of 9
- schools in Bartow · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.4:1
- small classes for Florida
- 68.5%
- free-lunch eligible
James E. Stephens Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 82% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James E. Stephens Elementary School ranks #2 of 9 schools in Bartow, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.4:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.5%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James E. Stephens Elementary School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at James E. Stephens Elementary School
James E. Stephens Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Bartow, Florida, enrolling 336 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 68.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 336 puts it in the smaller third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 414 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #203.
Its student body is led by African American (41%) and Hispanic or Latino (32%) (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 336 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 63.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 81 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 336 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Polk also operates Haines City Senior High School (3,105 students) and Davenport High School (2,731 students) alongside James E. Stephens 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 James E. Stephens Elementary School compares
James E. Stephens 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 | 13.4:1 | ▼ 25% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.5% | ▲ 32% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 336 | top 76% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
336
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% 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
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 25% below state mean
Top 18% in Florida - lower ratio than 82% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
63.1%
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
$11,454
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 336 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
21
in-school suspensions + 60 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 24.1 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
African American 41.1%
Hispanic or Latino 31.5%
White 22.0%
Two or More 3.9%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 41.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.2, James E. Stephens 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 Polk, which includes James E. Stephens Elementary School.
$11,454
Per student
+3%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.2%
State 43.8%
Federal 21.0%
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 James E. Stephens Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haines City Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Davenport High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Winter Haven Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ridge Community High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| George W. Jenkins Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James E. Stephens Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,105
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,731
- Students per teacher
- 32.1:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 2,648
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,632
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 2,469
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
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 (~336 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James E. Stephens Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare James E. Stephens Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Polk'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 James E. Stephens Elementary School
How many students attend James E. Stephens Elementary School?
James E. Stephens Elementary School has 336 students enrolled. It is a public school in Bartow, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James E. Stephens Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at James E. Stephens Elementary School is 13.4:1, which is 25% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 15% lower 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 James E. Stephens Elementary School?
68.5% of students at James E. Stephens Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James E. Stephens Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at James E. Stephens Elementary School is African American at 41.1% of enrollment, in Bartow, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James E. Stephens Elementary School?
James E. Stephens Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 James E. Stephens Elementary School rank among schools in Bartow?
By Resource Investment Index, James E. Stephens Elementary School ranks #2 of 9 schools in Bartow, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Bartow on the city page.
Is James E. Stephens Elementary School a good school?
James E. Stephens Elementary School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% 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 Polk?
Besides James E. Stephens Elementary School, Polk also operates Haines City Senior High School (3,105 students), Davenport High School (2,731 students), and Winter Haven Senior High School (2,648 students). See the Polk 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.