Enrollment
866
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Kissimmee, FL
Mater Palms Academy
Federal NCES profile for Mater Palms Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 120147008617Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mater Palms Academy earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Florida schools.
- #8 of 11
- elementary schools in Kissimmee · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.6:1
- large classes for Florida
- 66.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Mater Palms Academy has class sizes larger than 83% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mater Palms Academy ranks #8 of 11 elementary schools in Kissimmee, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.6:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.0%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mater Palms Academy compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mater Palms Academy
Mater Palms Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized charter elementary school in Kissimmee, Florida, enrolling 866 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 66.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 866 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 91% of the 3,996 Florida schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 894 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #750, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (71%) and White (19%) (diversity index 46/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 866 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Osceola also operates Tohopekaliga (2,929 students) and Celebration High School (2,681 students) alongside Mater Palms Academy.
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 Mater Palms Academy compares
Mater Palms Academy on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.6:1 | ▲ 21% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.0% | ▲ 27% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 866 | top 26% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.6:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
866
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% 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
21.6:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 83% in Florida - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
33.0%
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
$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 866 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
29
in-school suspensions + 43 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.3 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 70.7%
White 18.9%
African American 6.9%
Two or More 1.8%
Asian 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 70.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.9, Mater Palms Academy is less mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Osceola, which includes Mater Palms Academy.
$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 Mater Palms Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tohopekaliga | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Celebration High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Harmony High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| St. Cloud High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Poinciana High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mater Palms Academy'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 elementary 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 (~866 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mater Palms Academy's federal record.
- Compare Mater Palms Academy 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 Mater Palms Academy
How many students attend Mater Palms Academy?
Mater Palms Academy has 866 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Kissimmee, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mater Palms Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Mater Palms Academy is 21.6:1, which is 21% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mater Palms Academy?
66.0% of students at Mater Palms Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mater Palms Academy?
The largest demographic group at Mater Palms Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 70.7% of enrollment, in Kissimmee, FL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mater Palms Academy?
Mater Palms Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (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 Mater Palms Academy rank among elementary schools in Kissimmee?
By Resource Investment Index, Mater Palms Academy ranks #8 of 11 elementary schools in Kissimmee, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Kissimmee on the city page.
Is Mater Palms Academy a good school?
Mater Palms Academy earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% 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 Mater Palms Academy, 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.