Enrollment
1,006
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Orlando, FL
Palmetto Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Palmetto Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120144001452
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 11
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Palmetto Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Florida schools.
- #120 of 128
- schools in Orlando · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21:1
- large classes for Florida
- 71.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Palmetto Elementary has class sizes larger than 81% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Palmetto Elementary ranks #120 of 128 schools in Orlando, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
71.2%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Palmetto Elementary compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Palmetto Elementary
Palmetto Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Orlando, Florida, enrolling 1,006 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 71.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 1,006 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 3,996 Florida schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 605 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #510, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (53%) and Hispanic or Latino (39%) (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1006 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Orange also operates Apopka High (3,446 students) and Timber Creek High (3,383 students) alongside Palmetto Elementary.
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 Palmetto Elementary compares
Palmetto Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21:1 | ▲ 18% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.2% | ▲ 37% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,006 | top 19% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,006
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
71.2%
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
21:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 81% in Florida - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
35.6%
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
$11,578
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 1006 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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
African American 53.2%
Hispanic or Latino 38.7%
White 4.0%
Asian 1.7%
Two or More 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 53.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.5, Palmetto Elementary is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Orange, which includes Palmetto Elementary.
$11,578
Per student
+4%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 53.2%
State 28.8%
Federal 18.0%
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 Palmetto Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apopka High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Timber Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Winter Park High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Colonial High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Windermere High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Palmetto Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,446
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 3,383
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 3,277
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 3,239
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 3,217
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
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 (~1,006 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Palmetto Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Palmetto Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Orange'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 Palmetto Elementary
How many students attend Palmetto Elementary?
Palmetto Elementary has 1,006 students enrolled. It is a public school in Orlando, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Palmetto Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Palmetto Elementary is 21:1, which is 18% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Palmetto Elementary?
71.2% of students at Palmetto Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Palmetto Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Palmetto Elementary is African American at 53.2% of enrollment, in Orlando, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Palmetto Elementary?
Palmetto Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (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 Palmetto Elementary rank among schools in Orlando?
By Resource Investment Index, Palmetto Elementary ranks #120 of 128 schools in Orlando, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Orlando on the city page.
Is Palmetto Elementary a good school?
Palmetto Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% 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 Orange?
Besides Palmetto Elementary, Orange also operates Apopka High (3,446 students), Timber Creek High (3,383 students), and Winter Park High (3,277 students). See the Orange 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.