Enrollment
614
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Palmetto, FL
James Tillman Elementary Magnet School
Federal NCES profile for James Tillman Elementary Magnet School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120123001239
👥 S:T ratio 21
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 3
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James Tillman Elementary Magnet School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of Florida schools.
- #10 of 10
- schools in Palmetto · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.8:1
- large classes for Florida
- 71.3%
- free-lunch eligible
James Tillman Elementary Magnet School has class sizes larger than 76% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Tillman Elementary Magnet School ranks #10 of 10 schools in Palmetto, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.8:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
71.3%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James Tillman Elementary Magnet School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at James Tillman Elementary Magnet School
James Tillman Elementary Magnet School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Palmetto, Florida, enrolling 614 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 71.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 614 students, its enrollment sits close to the Florida median campus size.
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 951 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 (45%) and African American (28%) (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 614 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Manatee also operates Lakewood Ranch High School (2,422 students) and Parrish Community High School (2,266 students) alongside James Tillman Elementary Magnet 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 Tillman Elementary Magnet School compares
James Tillman Elementary Magnet 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 | 19.8:1 | ▲ 11% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.3% | ▲ 37% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 614 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.8:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
614
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
71.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% 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
19.8:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 76% in Florida - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
38.9%
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
$10,900
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 614 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
80
in-school suspensions + 39 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.4 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 45.0%
African American 27.9%
White 18.7%
Two or More 6.5%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 45.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.0, James Tillman Elementary Magnet School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Manatee, which includes James Tillman Elementary Magnet School.
$10,900
Per student
-2%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 58.3%
State 25.8%
Federal 15.9%
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 Tillman Elementary Magnet School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood Ranch High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Parrish Community High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Palmetto High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Manatee School for the Arts | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Manatee High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James Tillman Elementary Magnet School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,422
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,266
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 2,185
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 2,051
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,998
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
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 (~614 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James Tillman Elementary Magnet School's federal record.
- Compare James Tillman Elementary Magnet School against another school. Compare schools
- Manatee'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 Tillman Elementary Magnet School
How many students attend James Tillman Elementary Magnet School?
James Tillman Elementary Magnet School has 614 students enrolled. It is a public school in Palmetto, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Tillman Elementary Magnet School?
The student-teacher ratio at James Tillman Elementary Magnet School is 19.8:1, which is 11% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 26% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James Tillman Elementary Magnet School?
71.3% of students at James Tillman Elementary Magnet School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James Tillman Elementary Magnet School?
The largest demographic group at James Tillman Elementary Magnet School is Hispanic or Latino at 45.0% of enrollment, in Palmetto, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Tillman Elementary Magnet School?
James Tillman Elementary Magnet 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 James Tillman Elementary Magnet School rank among schools in Palmetto?
By Resource Investment Index, James Tillman Elementary Magnet School ranks #10 of 10 schools in Palmetto, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Palmetto on the city page.
Is James Tillman Elementary Magnet School a good school?
James Tillman Elementary Magnet School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% 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 Manatee?
Besides James Tillman Elementary Magnet School, Manatee also operates Lakewood Ranch High School (2,422 students), Parrish Community High School (2,266 students), and Palmetto High School (2,185 students). See the Manatee 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.