Enrollment
652
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Orange Park, FL
W E Cherry Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for W E Cherry Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120030000322
👥 S:T ratio 59
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
W E Cherry Elementary School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of Florida schools.
- #8 of 15
- schools in Orange Park · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.3:1
- small classes for Florida
- 93.8%
- free-lunch eligible
W E Cherry Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 93% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, W E Cherry Elementary School ranks #8 of 15 schools in Orange Park, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
63.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.3:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-42% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
93.8%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+80% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How W E Cherry Elementary School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at W E Cherry Elementary School
W E Cherry Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Orange Park, Florida, enrolling 652 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.3:1, W E Cherry Elementary School is leaner than roughly 93% of Florida schools and 42% under the state's 17.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 93.8% of students qualify for free meals, 80% above the Florida average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 652 students, its enrollment sits close to the Florida median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Among 176 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #19, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (38%) and African American (25%) (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 408 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Clay also operates Oakleaf High School (2,307 students) and Middleburg High School (1,866 students) alongside W E Cherry 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 W E Cherry Elementary School compares
W E Cherry 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 | 10.3:1 | ▼ 42% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 93.8% | ▲ 80% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 652 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.3:1
Leaner classes than 87% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
652
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
93.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 80% 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
10.3:1
students per teacher
- 42% below state mean
Top 7% in Florida - lower ratio than 93% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
33.3%
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
$9,847
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
Counselors1.6 FTE
Per 408 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
14
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.4 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
White 38.2%
African American 25.3%
Hispanic or Latino 24.7%
Two or More 9.5%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 38.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.0, W E Cherry 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 Clay, which includes W E Cherry Elementary School.
$9,847
Per student
-12%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.3%
State 53.9%
Federal 14.9%
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 W E Cherry Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakleaf High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Middleburg High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Orange Park High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ridgeview High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Clay High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to W E Cherry Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,307
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,866
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,844
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,792
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,776
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
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 (~652 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on W E Cherry Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare W E Cherry Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Clay'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 W E Cherry Elementary School
How many students attend W E Cherry Elementary School?
W E Cherry Elementary School has 652 students enrolled. It is a public school in Orange Park, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at W E Cherry Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at W E Cherry Elementary School is 10.3:1, which is 42% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 34% 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 W E Cherry Elementary School?
93.8% of students at W E Cherry Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of W E Cherry Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at W E Cherry Elementary School is White at 38.2% of enrollment, in Orange Park, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for W E Cherry Elementary School?
W E Cherry Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical 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 W E Cherry Elementary School rank among schools in Orange Park?
By Resource Investment Index, W E Cherry Elementary School ranks #8 of 15 schools in Orange Park, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Orange Park on the city page.
Is W E Cherry Elementary School a good school?
W E Cherry Elementary School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% 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 Clay?
Besides W E Cherry Elementary School, Clay also operates Oakleaf High School (2,307 students), Middleburg High School (1,866 students), and Orange Park High School (1,844 students). See the Clay 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.