Enrollment
859
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Wesley Chapel, FL
Watergrass Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Watergrass Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120153007610
👥 S:T ratio 27
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Watergrass Elementary School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median.
- #1 of 8
- schools in Wesley Chapel · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 18.3:1
- students per teacher
- 33.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Watergrass Elementary School has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Watergrass Elementary School ranks #1 of 8 schools in Wesley Chapel, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.3:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.6%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Watergrass Elementary School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Watergrass Elementary School
Watergrass Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Wesley Chapel, Florida, enrolling 859 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 859 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Among 688 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #37, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (39%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%) (diversity index 72/100).
17.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 17.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Pasco also operates Land O' Lakes High School (2,233 students) and Wiregrass Ranch High School (2,218 students) alongside Watergrass 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 Watergrass Elementary School compares
Watergrass 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 | 18.3:1 | ▲ 3% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.6% | ▼ 35% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 859 | top 26% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.3:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
859
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.3:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 66% in Florida - lower ratio than 34% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
17.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$9,640
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.3 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
White 39.0%
Hispanic or Latino 31.1%
African American 15.6%
Two or More 9.5%
Asian 4.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 39.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.6, Watergrass 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 Pasco, which includes Watergrass Elementary School.
$9,640
Per student
-14%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-42%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.3%
State 45.9%
Federal 17.8%
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 Watergrass Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land O' Lakes High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wiregrass Ranch High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sunlake High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| James W. Mitchell High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cypress Creek High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Watergrass Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,233
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,218
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,206
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,201
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 2,006
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
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 (~859 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Watergrass Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Watergrass Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Pasco'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 Watergrass Elementary School
How many students attend Watergrass Elementary School?
Watergrass Elementary School has 859 students enrolled. It is a public school in Wesley Chapel, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Watergrass Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Watergrass Elementary School is 18.3:1, which is 3% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Watergrass Elementary School?
33.6% of students at Watergrass Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Watergrass Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Watergrass Elementary School is White at 39.0% of enrollment, in Wesley Chapel, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Watergrass Elementary School?
Watergrass Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Watergrass Elementary School rank among schools in Wesley Chapel?
By Resource Investment Index, Watergrass Elementary School ranks #1 of 8 schools in Wesley Chapel, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Wesley Chapel on the city page.
Is Watergrass Elementary School a good school?
Watergrass Elementary School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. 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 Pasco?
Besides Watergrass Elementary School, Pasco also operates Land O' Lakes High School (2,233 students), Wiregrass Ranch High School (2,218 students), and Sunlake High School (2,206 students). See the Pasco 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.