Enrollment
355
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · St Petersburg, FL
John M. Sexton Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for John M. Sexton Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120156003253
👥 S:T ratio 58
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John M. Sexton Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of Florida schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Florida schools.
- #11 of 26
- schools in St Petersburg · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.4:1
- small classes for Florida
- 64.8%
- free-lunch eligible
John M. Sexton Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 93% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John M. Sexton Elementary School ranks #11 of 26 schools in St Petersburg, FL.
School address
NCES ID 120156003253 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.4:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-42% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.8%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+25% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John M. Sexton Elementary School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at John M. Sexton Elementary School
John M. Sexton Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in St Petersburg, Florida, enrolling 355 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.4:1, John M. Sexton Elementary School is leaner than roughly 93% of Florida schools and 42% under the state's 17.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 64.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 355 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 467 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #187.
Its student body is led by White (39%) and African American (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 73/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 355 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Pinellas also operates Palm Harbor University High (2,413 students) and Largo High School (2,058 students) alongside John M. Sexton 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 John M. Sexton Elementary School compares
John M. Sexton 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 | 10.4:1 | ▼ 42% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.8% | ▲ 25% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 355 | top 74% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.4:1
Leaner classes than 87% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
355
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% 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
10.4:1
students per teacher
- 42% below state mean
Top 7% in Florida - lower ratio than 93% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
44.2%
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
$11,582
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 355 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 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
White 38.9%
African American 23.9%
Hispanic or Latino 23.1%
Two or More 8.5%
Asian 5.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 38.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.8, John M. Sexton 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 Pinellas, which includes John M. Sexton Elementary School.
$11,582
Per student
+4%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 56.7%
State 25.1%
Federal 18.3%
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 John M. Sexton Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Harbor University High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Largo High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Lake High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dixie M. Hollins High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| St. Petersburg High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John M. Sexton Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,413
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,058
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 1,980
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,934
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,736
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
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 (~355 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John M. Sexton Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare John M. Sexton Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Pinellas'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 John M. Sexton Elementary School
How many students attend John M. Sexton Elementary School?
John M. Sexton Elementary School has 355 students enrolled. It is a public school in St Petersburg, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John M. Sexton Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at John M. Sexton Elementary School is 10.4:1, which is 42% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 34% 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 John M. Sexton Elementary School?
64.8% of students at John M. Sexton Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John M. Sexton Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at John M. Sexton Elementary School is White at 38.9% of enrollment, in St Petersburg, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John M. Sexton Elementary School?
John M. Sexton 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 John M. Sexton Elementary School rank among schools in St Petersburg?
By Resource Investment Index, John M. Sexton Elementary School ranks #11 of 26 schools in St Petersburg, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in St Petersburg on the city page.
Is John M. Sexton Elementary School a good school?
John M. Sexton Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of Florida schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Pinellas?
Besides John M. Sexton Elementary School, Pinellas also operates Palm Harbor University High (2,413 students), Largo High School (2,058 students), and East Lake High School (1,980 students). See the Pinellas 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.