West Elementary School

Q: Is West Elementary School a good school?

West Elementary School ranks 1460 th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

West Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Arcadia, Florida, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 795 students. The school is part of the Desoto District, which is ranked 67th out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. West Elementary School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Florida elementary schools, with a ranking between 1460 and 1935 out of around 2,200-2,300 schools over the past several years.

West Elementary School faces significant challenges in terms of academic performance, student demographics, and resource allocation compared to both nearby and higher-performing schools. The school has consistently underperformed the state and district averages in English Language Arts, Math, and Science proficiency, with 5th-grade Science proficiency at 43% compared to the state average of 53% and the district average of 43%. Additionally, West Elementary has much higher rates of chronic absenteeism, ranging from 23.4% to 31.5%, compared to the nearby Nocatee Elementary School and Memorial Elementary School, which have rates ranging from 22.5% to 28.9%.

When comparing West Elementary School to higher-performing schools in the nearby Sarasota and Charlotte districts, such as Atwater Elementary and Deep Creek Elementary, the differences in academic achievement, student demographics, and resource allocation become even more pronounced. Addressing the underlying issues at West Elementary, such as high rates of chronic absenteeism and economic disadvantage, will be crucial in improving the overall performance of the school.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

304 W Imogene St
Arcadia, FL 34266

(863) 494-3155

District: Desoto

SchoolDigger Rank:
1460^th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,157

Students who attend West Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Desoto Middle School
High:	Desoto County High School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.5

Number of students: 684

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

44.6%

White:

42.1%

African American:

9.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 72.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details West Elementary School ranks worse than 64.7% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks first among 3 ranked elementary schools in the Desoto School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 35.93. (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: Hispanic (44.6%), White (42.1%), African American (9.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 72.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at West Elementary School is 17.5, which is the lowest among 4 elementary schools in the Desoto School District! (See more...)

Compare West Elementary School employs 39 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at West Elementary School is $11,157. 2 elementary schools in the Desoto School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Desoto:

SchoolDigger ranks Desoto 67^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for West Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	56.81	745^th	1688	55.9%
2007	66.86	620^th	1786	65.3%
2008	69.36	552^nd	1789	69.1%
2009	63.28	706^th	1847	61.8%
2010	49.30	1051^st	1919	45.2%
2011	38.25	1300^th	1985	34.5%
2012	36.61	1285^th	1984	35.2%
2013	26.76	1576^th	2029	22.3%
2014	24.18	1645^th	2064	20.3%
2016	23.53	1655^th	2087	20.7%
2017	14.77	1917^th	2112	9.2%
2018	20.20	1779^th	2118	16.0%
2019	22.45	1775^th	2182	18.7%
2021	19.25	1855^th	2247	17.4%
2022	17.18	1935^th	2219	12.8%
2023	20.83	1880^th	2240	16.1%
2024	35.93	1460^th	2256	35.3%

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 West Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	392	100	6	33	0	n/a	n/a	0	531
1989	422	170	4	55	0	n/a	n/a	0	651
1990	445	184	1	53	3	n/a	n/a	0	686
1991	491	172	6	45	1	n/a	n/a	0	715
1992	529	153	4	55	1	n/a	n/a	0	742
1993	522	166	3	58	5	n/a	n/a	0	754
1994	506	180	3	45	4	n/a	n/a	0	738
1995	509	178	2	74	3	n/a	n/a	0	766
1996	509	178	2	74	3	n/a	n/a	0	766
1997	564	201	1	93	3	n/a	n/a	0	862
1998	532	194	2	77	3	n/a	n/a	0	808
1999	513	179	2	85	1	n/a	n/a	0	780
2000	504	203	3	100	0	n/a	n/a	0	810
2001	508	182	3	103	0	n/a	n/a	0	796
2002	434	149	0	140	0	n/a	n/a	0	723
2003	434	149	0	140	0	n/a	n/a	0	723
2004	434	120	2	166	0	n/a	n/a	0	722
2005	411	124	1	180	0	n/a	n/a	0	716
2006	424	98	3	195	0	n/a	n/a	0	720
2007	435	82	3	206	0	n/a	n/a	8	734
2008	485	87	1	228	0	n/a	n/a	16	817
2009	520	113	4	242	0	n/a	n/a	15	894
2010	526	134	1	291	0	n/a	n/a	23	975
2011	523	138	1	283	0	0	25	0	970
2012	477	131	0	252	0	0	23	0	883
2013	457	129	0	276	0	0	27	0	889
2014	404	116	2	281	0	0	19	0	822
2015	421	116	3	286	1	0	20	0	847
2016	404	108	3	299	1	0	20	0	835
2017	402	93	5	306	0	0	30	0	836
2018	388	80	5	299	1	0	31	0	804
2019	425	84	2	308	2	2	30	0	853
2020	422	96	2	347	3	4	33	0	907
2021	338	92	1	308	2	3	23	0	767
2022	355	89	2	309	1	3	21	0	780
2023	364	79	4	330	0	0	18	0	795
2024	288	67	2	305	0	0	22	0	684

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 West Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	531	38.0	13.9	51.6
1989	651	39.0	16.6	53.3
1990	686	40.0	17.1	59.2
1991	715	41.0	17.4	58.2
1992	742	41.0	18.0	50.8
1993	754	41.0	18.4	55.4
1994	738	42.0	17.6	8
1995	766	40.0	19.2	55
1996	766	40.0	19.2	55
1997	862	45.0	19.2	56.6
1998	808	48.0	16.8	42.9
1999	780	45.0	17.3	65.3
2000	810	48.0	16.9	66.3
2001	796	49.0	16.2	63.8
2002	723	49.0	14.8	65.7
2003	723	49.0	14.8	65.7
2004	722	50.0	14.4	69.1
2005	716	50.0	14.3	66.9
2006	720	51.0	14.1	60.6
2007	734	53.0	13.8	59.1
2008	817	57.0	14.3	63.5
2009	894	66.3	15.0	68.3
2010	975	61.0	15.9	74.1
2011	970	83.0	11.6	73.7
2012	883	56.0	15.7	72.6
2013	889	57.0	15.5	76.4
2014	822	55.0	14.9	66.5
2015	847	44.0	19.2	61.7
2016	835	51.0	16.3	66.6
2017	836	52.0	16.0	65.6
2018	804	49.0	16.4	3.6
2019	853	44.0	19.3	62.4
2020	907	48.0	18.8	60
2021	767	46.0	16.6	64.8
2022	780	46.0	16.9	65.6
2023	795	45.0	17.6	73.3
2024	684	39.0	17.5	72.8

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 West Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	531	38.0	13.9	51.6
1989	651	39.0	16.6	53.3
1990	686	40.0	17.1	59.2
1991	715	41.0	17.4	58.2
1992	742	41.0	18.0	50.8
1993	754	41.0	18.4	55.4
1994	738	42.0	17.6	8
1995	766	40.0	19.2	55
1996	766	40.0	19.2	55
1997	862	45.0	19.2	56.6
1998	808	48.0	16.8	42.9
1999	780	45.0	17.3	65.3
2000	810	48.0	16.9	66.3
2001	796	49.0	16.2	63.8
2002	723	49.0	14.8	65.7
2003	723	49.0	14.8	65.7
2004	722	50.0	14.4	69.1
2005	716	50.0	14.3	66.9
2006	720	51.0	14.1	60.6
2007	734	53.0	13.8	59.1
2008	817	57.0	14.3	63.5
2009	894	66.3	15.0	68.3
2010	975	61.0	15.9	74.1
2011	970	83.0	11.6	73.7
2012	883	56.0	15.7	72.6
2013	889	57.0	15.5	76.4
2014	822	55.0	14.9	66.5
2015	847	44.0	19.2	61.7
2016	835	51.0	16.3	66.6
2017	836	52.0	16.0	65.6
2018	804	49.0	16.4	3.6
2019	853	44.0	19.3	62.4
2020	907	48.0	18.8	60
2021	767	46.0	16.6	64.8
2022	780	46.0	16.9	65.6
2023	795	45.0	17.6	73.3
2024	684	39.0	17.5	72.8

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 West Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$1,338 (14.8%)	$7,677 (85.2%)	$9,015
2019	$988 (11.5%)	$7,605 (88.5%)	$8,593
2020	$1,210 (13.1%)	$8,016 (86.9%)	$9,227
2021	$1,579 (14.7%)	$9,134 (85.3%)	$10,712
2022	$3,083 (25.8%)	$8,884 (74.2%)	$11,968
2023	$2,859 (25.6%)	$8,299 (74.4%)	$11,157

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on West 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 1775^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 1880^th of 2240 Elementary schools	2.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (West Elementary School)	42	35	7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Desoto)	34	37	3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (West Elementary School)	45	43	2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Desoto)	40	43	3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (West Elementary School)	38	34	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Desoto)	37	35	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (West Elementary School)	47	42	5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Desoto)	51	45	6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (West Elementary School)	46	33	13%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Desoto)	41	30	11%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (West Elementary School)	35	26	9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Desoto)	43	29	14%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (West Elementary School)	44	18	26%
5th Grade Science (Desoto)	36	29	7%
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	853	795	6.8%
African American	84	79	6%
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	2	4	100%
Hispanic	308	330	7.1%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	425	364	14.4%
Two or More Races	30	18	40%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	62.4%	73.3%	11%

Schools Near West 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
West Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	304 W Imogene St	Arcadia	34266	DeSoto County	Desoto	No	No	No	No	(863) 494-3155	684	39	17.5	72.8%	288 (42.1%)	67 (9.8%)	305 (44.6%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.2%)	35.9	1460^th of 2256 public elementary schools	35.3%		20.8	1880^th of 2240 public elementary schools	16.1%	420	44.0	29.0	43.0	61.0	46.0	65.0	43.0	$11,157	$2,859	$8,299
Teen Parent Pk Child Care Program	Public	PK	310 W Whidden St	Arcadia	34266	DeSoto County	Desoto	No	No	No	No	(863) 993-1333	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Memorial Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	851 E Hickory St	Arcadia	34266	DeSoto County	Desoto	No	No	No	No	(863) 494-0755	820	42	19.5	73.5%	201 (24.5%)	135 (16.5%)	450 (54.9%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	29 (3.5%)	25.1	1765^th of 2256 public elementary schools	21.8%		30.7	1595^th of 2240 public elementary schools	28.8%	170	33.0	31.0	34.0	44.0	49.0	54.0	42.0	$11,181	$3,470	$7,711
Nocatee Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4846 SW Shores Ave	Nocatee	34268	DeSoto County	Desoto	No	No	No	No	(863) 494-4511	416	22	18.9	81.3%	106 (25.5%)	29 (7.0%)	261 (62.7%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.3%)	30.3	1611^th of 2256 public elementary schools	28.6%		28.1	1657^th of 2240 public elementary schools	26.0%	46	40.0	34.0	45.0	47.0	50.0	51.0	45.0	$14,673	$3,856	$10,816
Atwater Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4701 Huntsville Ave	North Port	34288	Sarasota County	Sarasota	No	No	No	Yes	(941) 257-2317	853	61	13.9	66.4%	528 (61.9%)	83 (9.7%)	164 (19.2%)	8 (0.9%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	66 (7.7%)	71	618^th of 2256 public elementary schools	72.6%		69.8	632^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	71.8%	14	79.0	62.0	57.0	76.0	64.0	53.0	63.0	$12,288	$1,581	$10,707
Deep Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	26900 Harbor View Rd	Pt Charlotte	33983	Charlotte County	Charlotte	No	No	No	Yes	(941) 255-7535	767	50	15.3	55.5%	502 (65.4%)	78 (10.2%)	122 (15.9%)	14 (1.8%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (6.3%)	62.6	808^th of 2256 public elementary schools	64.2%		67.7	669^th of 2240 public elementary schools	70.1%	139	62.0	51.0	67.0	64.0	62.0	60.0	53.0	$11,212	$1,409	$9,802
Kingsway Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	23300 Quasar Blvd	Port Charlotte	33980	Charlotte County	Charlotte	No	No	No	Yes	(941) 255-7590	587	38	15.4	62.9%	326 (55.5%)	77 (13.1%)	124 (21.1%)	15 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	42 (7.2%)	36.4	1448^th of 2256 public elementary schools	35.8%		50.5	1083^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	51.7%	365	49.0	53.0	54.0	40.0	54.0	39.0	38.0	$13,378	$1,664	$11,713
Zolfo Springs Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3215 School House Rd	Zolfo Springs	33890	Hardee County	Hardee	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 773-5473	550	38	14.4	72.2%	202 (36.7%)	11 (2.0%)	321 (58.4%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.0%)	35.5	1474^th of 2256 public elementary schools	34.7%		37.9	1387^th of 2240 public elementary schools	38.1%	87	51.0	49.0	34.0	56.0	52.0	43.0	40.0	$11,274	$2,746	$8,529

Frequently Asked Questions about West Elementary School

What district is West Elementary School in?

Desoto

What is the racial makeup of West Elementary School?

Students at West Elementary School are 45% Hispanic, 42% White, 10% African American, 3% Two or more races.

How many students attend West Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 684 students attended West Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of West Elementary School attend?

Students who attend West Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Desoto Middle School
High : Desoto County High School

Is West Elementary School a good school?

West Elementary School ranks 1460^th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

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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.