Enrollment
745
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Starke, FL
Southside Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Southside Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120012000072
👥 S:T ratio 12
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 9
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southside Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Florida schools.
- #4 of 5
- schools in Starke · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.9:1
- large classes for Florida
- 70.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Southside Elementary School has class sizes larger than 84% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southside Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 schools in Starke, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.9:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
70.7%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southside Elementary School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southside Elementary School
Southside Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Starke, Florida, enrolling 745 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 70.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 745 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 3,996 Florida schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 935 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #841, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (57%) and African American (25%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 745 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 22.8% 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.
Bradford also operates Bradford High School (785 students) and Starke Elementary School (568 students) alongside Southside 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 Southside Elementary School compares
Southside 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 | 21.9:1 | ▲ 23% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.7% | ▲ 36% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 745 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.9:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
745
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
70.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% 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
21.9:1
students per teacher
- 23% above state mean
Top 84% in Florida - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
36.4%
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
$10,715
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 745 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 81 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.8 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
White 57.4%
African American 24.7%
Two or More 10.2%
Hispanic or Latino 7.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 57.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.3, Southside 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 Bradford, which includes Southside Elementary School.
$10,715
Per student
-4%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.2%
State 50.0%
Federal 22.8%
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 Southside Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bradford High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Starke Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bradford Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lawtey Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rainbow Center | Smaller | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Southside Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 785
- Students per teacher
- 28:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 568
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 408
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 257
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 64
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 30/100
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 (~745 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southside Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Southside Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Bradford'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 Southside Elementary School
How many students attend Southside Elementary School?
Southside Elementary School has 745 students enrolled. It is a public school in Starke, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southside Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southside Elementary School is 21.9:1, which is 23% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 39% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southside Elementary School?
70.7% of students at Southside Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southside Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Southside Elementary School is White at 57.4% of enrollment, in Starke, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southside Elementary School?
Southside Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 Southside Elementary School rank among schools in Starke?
By Resource Investment Index, Southside Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 schools in Starke, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Starke on the city page.
Is Southside Elementary School a good school?
Southside Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% 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 Bradford?
Besides Southside Elementary School, Bradford also operates Bradford High School (785 students), Starke Elementary School (568 students), and Bradford Middle School (408 students). See the Bradford 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.