Lake Forest Elementary School

Summary:

Lake Forest Elementary School is a public elementary school in Gainesville, Florida, serving 330 students in grades PK-5 and part of the Alachua District, which is ranked 43 out of 68 districts in the state and rated 2 stars out of 5.

While Lake Forest Elementary shares the same district and overall rating as nearby schools like The One Room School House Project and Boulware Springs Charter, it consistently underperforms them across key metrics. The school has a significantly higher percentage of African American students (78.79%) compared to surrounding schools, and it struggles with the highest chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 41.6% to 56.7%. Academically, Lake Forest students perform significantly below district and state averages in English Language Arts, Math, and Science, despite the school having the highest spending per student, ranging from $11,953 to $17,845 per year.

These challenges suggest systemic issues that need to be addressed, such as the root causes of chronic absenteeism, the effective allocation of resources, and the presence of racial disparities. While the data paints a concerning picture, the high spending per student and the presence of nearby higher-performing schools indicate that there may be opportunities for improvement through targeted interventions, community engagement, and collaboration with successful schools.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

4401 SE 4th Ave
Gainesville, FL 32641

(352) 955-6710

District: Alachua

SchoolDigger Rank:
1870^th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,449

Students who attend Lake Forest Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Eastside High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.4

Number of students: 286

Racial breakdown:

African American:

76.2%

White:

10.5%

Hispanic:

7.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 92.7%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Lake Forest Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Lake Forest Elementary School ranks worse than 82.9% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 23^rd among 28 ranked elementary schools in the Alachua School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 21.4. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (76.2%), White (10.5%), Hispanic (7.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 92.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Alachua School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Lake Forest Elementary School is 11.4, which is the 2^nd best among 28 elementary schools in the Alachua School District. (See more...)

Compare Lake Forest Elementary School employs 25 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Lake Forest Elementary School is $15,449, which is the highest among 35 elementary schools in the Alachua School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Lake Forest Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Alachua:

SchoolDigger ranks Alachua 43^rd of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Lake Forest Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	8.02	1597^th	1688	5.4%
2007	16.69	1564^th	1786	12.4%
2008	6.98	1720^th	1789	3.9%
2009	3.36	1821^st	1847	1.4%
2010	9.72	1810^th	1919	5.7%
2011	6.88	1918^th	1985	3.4%
2012	6.08	1935^th	1984	2.5%
2013	10.56	1925^th	2029	5.1%
2014	4.81	2028^th	2064	1.7%
2016	2.36	2074^th	2087	0.6%
2017	13.40	1941^st	2112	8.1%
2018	8.84	2020^th	2118	4.6%
2019	3.67	2147^th	2182	1.6%
2021	6.38	2197^th	2247	2.2%
2022	5.65	2176^th	2219	1.9%
2023	8.94	2153^rd	2240	3.9%
2024	21.40	1870^th	2256	17.1%

See the entire list of Florida Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Florida Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Florida Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Lake Forest Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	255	258	3	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	521
1989	263	297	2	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	571
1990	272	316	2	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	599
1991	279	312	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	597
1992	260	297	0	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	564
1993	288	321	0	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	621
1994	260	342	0	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	612
1995	235	353	0	8	4	n/a	n/a	0	600
1996	235	353	0	8	4	n/a	n/a	0	600
1997	219	378	2	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	607
1998	210	386	2	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	609
1999	170	391	0	14	0	n/a	n/a	0	575
2000	159	353	0	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	522
2001	138	312	0	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	455
2002	115	303	1	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	425
2003	115	303	1	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	425
2004	101	275	1	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	383
2005	89	274	0	7	2	n/a	n/a	0	372
2006	82	308	0	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	395
2007	58	311	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	28	401
2008	54	280	0	10	0	n/a	n/a	23	367
2009	45	336	0	8	0	n/a	n/a	20	409
2010	37	340	0	9	0	n/a	n/a	22	408
2011	43	303	0	7	1	0	25	0	379
2012	42	274	0	14	1	0	22	0	353
2013	31	242	0	17	0	0	21	0	311
2014	22	260	0	3	0	0	15	0	300
2015	28	276	1	3	1	0	16	0	325
2016	72	375	3	13	2	0	24	0	489
2017	40	279	0	11	0	0	22	0	352
2018	37	322	0	10	0	0	23	0	392
2019	38	358	0	12	0	0	12	0	420
2020	44	340	1	9	0	0	29	0	423
2021	35	271	0	11	0	0	16	0	333
2022	36	283	2	8	1	1	9	0	340
2023	34	260	1	18	1	0	16	0	330
2024	30	218	2	21	1	1	13	0	286

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Lake Forest Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	521	37.0	14.0	56.4
1989	571	35.0	16.3	68.3
1990	599	36.0	16.6	69.6
1991	597	37.0	16.1	73.5
1992	564	38.0	14.8	59.6
1993	621	40.0	15.5	65.4
1994	612	40.0	15.3	69
1995	600	42.0	14.3	69.7
1996	600	42.0	14.3	69.7
1997	607	43.0	14.1	75.1
1998	609	44.0	13.8	72.7
1999	575	41.0	14.0	86.8
2000	522	39.0	13.4	86.6
2001	455	37.0	12.3	91.2
2002	425	33.0	12.9	93.6
2003	425	33.0	12.9	93.6
2004	383	32.0	12.0	90.6
2005	372	33.0	11.3	92.5
2006	395	34.0	11.6	92.7
2007	401	29.0	13.8	88.2
2008	367	31.5	11.7	92.7
2009	409	36.9	13.2	96.7
2010	408	33.0	12.3	97.7
2011	379	34.0	11.1	90.5
2012	353	30.0	11.7	92.1
2013	311	26.0	11.9	95.5
2014	300	27.0	11.1	94.7
2015	325	25.0	13.0	84.6
2016	489	35.0	13.9	85.9
2017	352	24.0	14.6	88.9
2018	392	27.0	14.5	90.6
2019	420	23.0	18.2	86.7
2020	423	28.0	15.1	88.7
2021	333	25.0	13.3	91
2022	340	28.5	11.9	92.1
2023	330	21.5	15.3	92.1
2024	286	25.0	11.4	92.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Lake Forest Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	521	37.0	14.0	56.4
1989	571	35.0	16.3	68.3
1990	599	36.0	16.6	69.6
1991	597	37.0	16.1	73.5
1992	564	38.0	14.8	59.6
1993	621	40.0	15.5	65.4
1994	612	40.0	15.3	69
1995	600	42.0	14.3	69.7
1996	600	42.0	14.3	69.7
1997	607	43.0	14.1	75.1
1998	609	44.0	13.8	72.7
1999	575	41.0	14.0	86.8
2000	522	39.0	13.4	86.6
2001	455	37.0	12.3	91.2
2002	425	33.0	12.9	93.6
2003	425	33.0	12.9	93.6
2004	383	32.0	12.0	90.6
2005	372	33.0	11.3	92.5
2006	395	34.0	11.6	92.7
2007	401	29.0	13.8	88.2
2008	367	31.5	11.7	92.7
2009	409	36.9	13.2	96.7
2010	408	33.0	12.3	97.7
2011	379	34.0	11.1	90.5
2012	353	30.0	11.7	92.1
2013	311	26.0	11.9	95.5
2014	300	27.0	11.1	94.7
2015	325	25.0	13.0	84.6
2016	489	35.0	13.9	85.9
2017	352	24.0	14.6	88.9
2018	392	27.0	14.5	90.6
2019	420	23.0	18.2	86.7
2020	423	28.0	15.1	88.7
2021	333	25.0	13.3	91
2022	340	28.5	11.9	92.1
2023	330	21.5	15.3	92.1
2024	286	25.0	11.4	92.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Lake Forest Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$1,217 (11.6%)	$9,250 (88.4%)	$10,467
2019	$1,223 (12.0%)	$8,994 (88.0%)	$10,217
2020	$1,839 (15.4%)	$10,114 (84.6%)	$11,953
2021	$3,484 (20.9%)	$13,175 (79.1%)	$16,660
2022	$3,701 (20.7%)	$14,145 (79.3%)	$17,845
2023	$3,674 (23.8%)	$11,775 (76.2%)	$15,449

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Lake Forest Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 2147^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 2153^rd of 2240 Elementary schools	2.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Lake Forest Elementary School)	30	26	4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Alachua)	57	50	7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Lake Forest Elementary School)	27	18	9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Alachua)	58	52	6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Lake Forest Elementary School)	14	15	1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Alachua)	55	55
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Lake Forest Elementary School)	15	17	2%
4th Grade Mathematics (Alachua)	60	58	2%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Lake Forest Elementary School)	18	28	10%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Alachua)	55	51	4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Lake Forest Elementary School)	27	21	6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Alachua)	57	48	9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Lake Forest Elementary School)	20	26	6%
5th Grade Science (Alachua)	55	51	4%
5th Grade Science (Florida)	53	51	2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	420	330	21.4%
African American	358	260	27.4%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	12	18	50%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	38	34	10.5%
Two or More Races	12	16	33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	86.7%	92.1%	5.5%

Schools Near Lake Forest Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				FAST English Language Arts (2024)			FAST Math (2024)			Statewide Science Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Lake Forest Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4401 SE 4th Ave	Gainesville	32641	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 955-6710	286	25	11.4	92.7%	30 (10.5%)	218 (76.2%)	21 (7.3%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	13 (4.5%)	21.4	1870^th of 2256 public elementary schools	17.1%		8.9	2153^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	3.9%	283	35.0	46.0	35.0	33.0	38.0	41.0	41.0	$15,449	$3,674	$11,775
Scholars For Success	Public	1-5	2802 NE 8th Ave	Gainesville	32641	Alachua County	Alachua	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(352) 955-7300	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Alachua Virtual Instruction Program (District Provided)	Public, Virtual	PK, KG-5	2802 NE 8th Ave	Gainesville	32641	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	Yes	No	(352) 955-7584	39	0	76.0	35.9%	15 (38.5%)	12 (30.8%)	8 (20.5%)	1 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (7.7%)								(n/a)								$9,572	$787	$8,784
Early Learning Academy At Duval	Public	PK-K	2106 NE 8th Ave	Gainesville	32641	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 955-6703	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Joseph Williams Elementary School	Public, Magnet	K-5	1245 SE 7th Ave	Gainesville	32641	Alachua County	Alachua	No	Yes	No	Yes	(352) 955-6719	458	29	15.6	68.6%	36 (7.9%)	298 (65.1%)	20 (4.4%)	74 (16.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.3%)	35.1	1488^th of 2256 public elementary schools	34.0%		36.3	1433^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	36.0%	55	40.0	44.0	55.0	38.0	46.0	50.0	50.0	$10,448	$1,742	$8,707
W. A. Metcalfe Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1250 NE 18th Ave	Gainesville	32609	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 955-6713	444	35	12.6	87.2%	27 (6.1%)	367 (82.7%)	24 (5.4%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.4%)	6.3	2209^th of 2256 public elementary schools	2.1%		5.3	2199^th of 2240 public elementary schools	1.8%	10	28.0	30.0	22.0	26.0	25.0	27.0	19.0	$10,705	$2,173	$8,531
Caring & Sharing Learning School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	1951 SE 4th St	Gainesville	32641	Alachua County	Alachua	Yes	No	No	Yes	(352) 372-1004	320	13	24.6	75.9%	1 (0.3%)	296 (92.5%)	10 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.1%)	59	885^th of 2256 public elementary schools	60.8%		64	754^th of 2240 public elementary schools	66.3%	131	74.0	53.0	50.0	91.0	53.0	56.0	32.0	$9,571	$1,549	$8,022
Boulware Springs Charter	Public, Charter	K-5	1303 NE 23rd Ave	Gainesville	32609	Alachua County	Alachua	Yes	No	No	Yes	(352) 244-9732	158	13	12.1	66.5%	38 (24.1%)	97 (61.4%)	10 (6.3%)	3 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (6.3%)	75.6	513^th of 2256 public elementary schools	77.3%		82.6	354^th of 2240 public elementary schools	84.2%	159	67.0	50.0	67.0	89.0	85.0	58.0	58.0	$9,407	$1,296	$8,110
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	3500 NE 15th St	Gainesville	32609	Alachua County	Alachua	No	Yes	No	Yes	(352) 955-6715	420	29	14.5	91.2%	14 (3.3%)	358 (85.2%)	25 (6.0%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.8%)	4.3	2229^th of 2256 public elementary schools	1.2%		6.2	2190^th of 2240 public elementary schools	2.2%	39	5.0	21.0	22.0	5.0	17.0	33.0	22.0	$14,496	$3,404	$11,093
Fearnside Family Services Center	Public	PK	3600 NE 15th St	Gainesville	32609	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	No	No	(352) 955-6875	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Lake Forest Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Lake Forest Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Lake Forest Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Eastside High School

Is Lake Forest Elementary School a good school?

Lake Forest Elementary School ranks in the bottom 17.1% of Florida elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Lake Forest Elementary School?

Students at Lake Forest Elementary School are 76% African American, 10% White, 7% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races.

What district is Lake Forest Elementary School in?

Alachua

How many students attend Lake Forest Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 286 students attended Lake Forest Elementary School.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.