- Enrollment
- 2,416
- Students per teacher
- 30.2:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gainesville, FL
Lake Forest Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Lake Forest Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120003000005
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 64
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lake Forest Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of Florida schools.
- #2 of 22
- schools in Gainesville · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.8:1
- small classes for Florida
- 89.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Lake Forest Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 86% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lake Forest Elementary School ranks #2 of 22 schools in Gainesville, FL.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-44 students YoY
Lake Forest Elementary School shrank from 330 students in 2022-23 to 286 in 2023-24 (-13.3%).
Teacher FTE added 21.5 → 25.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-44 students YoY 120003000005 · Gainesville, FL Other · SMALL · TRAD
268 enr · 12.8:1 · 89.1% lunch · RII 46
Nearest enrollment peer: F. W. Buchholz High School (2,416 students)
Lake Forest Elementary School shrank from 330 students in 2022-23 to 286 in 2023-24 (-13.3%). Teacher FTE added 21.5 → 25.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Florida schools → · Find another →
Lake Forest Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- F. W. Buchholz
F. W. Buchholz High School
2,416 students
- Gainesville Hi
Gainesville High School
1,825 students
- Eastside High
Eastside High School
1,291 students
- Santa Fe High
Santa Fe High School
1,132 students
- Kanapaha Middl
Kanapaha Middle School
1,014 students
- This school 268
Lake Forest Elementary School
268 students
What this shows Lake Forest Elementary School reports 268 students on the CCD universe file.
How Lake Forest Elementary School compares
Lake Forest Elementary School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.8:1 | ▼ 28% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 89.1% | ▲ 71% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 268 | top 81% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.8:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
268
Bigger than 28% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
89.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 71% 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
12.8:1
students per teacher
- 28% below state mean
Top 14% in Florida - lower ratio than 86% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
67.5%
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
$11,075
per pupil, district-wide
- below Florida avg of $12,081
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 179 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 28 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 78.0%
Hispanic or Latino 8.6%
White 8.2%
Two or More 4.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 78.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.6, Lake Forest Elementary School is less mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Alachua reports $11,075 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Lake Forest Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| F. W. Buchholz High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gainesville High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eastside High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Santa Fe High School | Larger | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
| Kanapaha Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lake Forest Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,825
- Students per teacher
- 29:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,291
- Students per teacher
- 30.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,132
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,014
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~268 students)
Frequently asked questions about Lake Forest Elementary School
How many students attend Lake Forest Elementary School?
Lake Forest Elementary School has 268 students enrolled. It is a public school in Gainesville, FL. CCD year-over-year: 330 (2022-23) → 286 (2023-24), down 44.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lake Forest Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Lake Forest Elementary School is 12.8:1, which is 28% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 18% 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 Lake Forest Elementary School?
89.1% of students at Lake Forest Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lake Forest Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Lake Forest Elementary School is African American at 78.0% of enrollment, in Gainesville, FL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lake Forest Elementary School?
Lake Forest Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Lake Forest Elementary School rank among schools in Gainesville?
By Resource Investment Index, Lake Forest Elementary School ranks #2 of 22 schools in Gainesville, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Gainesville on the city page.
What other schools are in Alachua?
Besides Lake Forest Elementary School, Alachua also operates F. W. Buchholz High School (2,416 students), Gainesville High School (1,825 students), and Eastside High School (1,291 students). See the Alachua district page for the complete list.