- Enrollment
- 1,864
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Panama City, FL
Merriam Cherry Street Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Merriam Cherry Street Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120009000043
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Merriam Cherry Street Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% of Florida schools.
- #11 of 22
- schools in Panama City · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.3:1
- small classes for Florida
- 72.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Merriam Cherry Street Elementary has class sizes smaller than 74% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Merriam Cherry Street Elementary ranks #11 of 22 schools in Panama City, FL.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+19 students YoY
Merriam Cherry Street Elementary grew from 362 students in 2022-23 to 381 in 2023-24 (+5.2%).
Teacher FTE added 24.0 → 24.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+19 students YoY 120009000043 · Panama City, FL Other · SMALL · TRAD
343 enr · 14.3:1 · 72.1% lunch · RII 36
Nearest enrollment peer: A. Crawford Mosley High School (1,864 students)
Merriam Cherry Street Elementary grew from 362 students in 2022-23 to 381 in 2023-24 (+5.2%). Teacher FTE added 24.0 → 24.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Florida schools → · Find another →
Merriam Cherry Street Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- A. Crawford Mo
A. Crawford Mosley High School
1,864 students
- Deane Bozeman
Deane Bozeman School
1,690 students
- J.R. Arnold Hi
J.R. Arnold High School
1,629 students
- Rutherford Hig
Rutherford High School
1,394 students
- Bay High Schoo
Bay High School
1,289 students
- This school 343
Merriam Cherry Street Elementary
343 students
What this shows Merriam Cherry Street Elementary reports 343 students on the CCD universe file.
How Merriam Cherry Street Elementary compares
Merriam Cherry Street Elementary is a growing 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 | 14.3:1 | ▼ 20% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.1% | ▲ 39% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 343 | top 75% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
343
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
72.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% 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
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 20% below state mean
Top 26% in Florida - lower ratio than 74% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
82.2%
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
$11,117
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 343 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
86
in-school suspensions + 71 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 25.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 45.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 39.9%
African American 36.7%
Hispanic or Latino 13.4%
Two or More 9.0%
Asian 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 39.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.0, Merriam Cherry Street Elementary is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Bay reports $11,117 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Merriam Cherry Street Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Crawford Mosley High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Deane Bozeman School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| J.R. Arnold High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rutherford High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bay High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Merriam Cherry Street Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,690
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,629
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 1,394
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 1,289
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 11/100
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 (~343 students)
Frequently asked questions about Merriam Cherry Street Elementary
How many students attend Merriam Cherry Street Elementary?
Merriam Cherry Street Elementary has 343 students enrolled. It is a public school in Panama City, FL. CCD year-over-year: 362 (2022-23) → 381 (2023-24), up 19.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Merriam Cherry Street Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Merriam Cherry Street Elementary is 14.3:1, which is 20% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 9% 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 Merriam Cherry Street Elementary?
72.1% of students at Merriam Cherry Street Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Merriam Cherry Street Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Merriam Cherry Street Elementary is White at 39.9% of enrollment, in Panama City, 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 Merriam Cherry Street Elementary?
Merriam Cherry Street Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 Merriam Cherry Street Elementary rank among schools in Panama City?
By Resource Investment Index, Merriam Cherry Street Elementary ranks #11 of 22 schools in Panama City, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Panama City on the city page.
What other schools are in Bay?
Besides Merriam Cherry Street Elementary, Bay also operates A. Crawford Mosley High School (1,864 students), Deane Bozeman School (1,690 students), and J.R. Arnold High School (1,629 students). See the Bay district page for the complete list.