South Ocala Elementary School

Q: Is South Ocala Elementary School a good school?

South Ocala Elementary School ranks 1657 th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

South Ocala Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 715 students in grades PK-5 in Ocala, Florida, which is part of the Marion School District, ranked 61 out of 68 districts in the state with a 1-star rating.

The school faces significant challenges, particularly in terms of chronic absenteeism, which ranges from 31.7% to 38.7%, significantly higher than state and district averages. Additionally, South Ocala Elementary's test scores are generally 10-20 percentage points lower than state and district averages across various subjects and grade levels. The school also serves a high percentage of students (around 60%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a population with substantial economic disadvantages. Interestingly, nearby schools like College Park Elementary and Wyomina Park Elementary have similarly high chronic absenteeism rates and low test score performance, suggesting broader challenges in the local area, while schools like Dr. N.H. Jones Elementary and Madison Street Academy of Visual and Performing Arts have significantly higher test scores and lower chronic absenteeism.

To address these issues, the school and district should consider implementing targeted interventions to improve student attendance, providing additional academic support and resources, and exploring partnerships with community organizations and social services to address the broader socioeconomic needs of the school's population. By addressing these key areas, South Ocala Elementary School can work towards improving student outcomes and providing a more equitable and supportive learning environment for its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

1430 SE 24th Rd
Ocala, FL 34471

(352) 671-4750

District: Marion

SchoolDigger Rank:
1657^th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,675

Students who attend South Ocala Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Osceola Middle School
High:	Forest High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.7

Number of students: 710

Racial breakdown:

White:

40.4%

African American:

27.7%

Hispanic:

23.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 62.8%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare South Ocala Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details South Ocala Elementary School ranks worse than 73.4% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 18^th among 32 ranked elementary schools in the Marion School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 28.68. (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 Student population at South Ocala Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (40.4%), African American (27.7%), Hispanic (23.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 62.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Ocala Elementary School is 14.7, which is the 8^th best among 32 elementary schools in the Marion School District. (See more...)

Compare South Ocala Elementary School employs 48 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Ocala Elementary School is $12,675, which is the 8^th highest among 32 elementary schools in the Marion School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Marion:

SchoolDigger ranks Marion 61^st of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for South Ocala Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	75.21	404^th	1688	76.1%
2007	65.30	654^th	1786	63.4%
2008	80.24	310^th	1789	82.7%
2009	73.64	447^th	1847	75.8%
2010	55.54	918^th	1919	52.2%
2011	56.46	919^th	1985	53.7%
2012	54.39	903^rd	1984	54.5%
2013	60.08	796^th	2029	60.8%
2014	50.51	1018^th	2064	50.7%
2016	29.73	1520^th	2087	27.2%
2017	32.21	1439^th	2112	31.9%
2018	30.54	1505^th	2118	28.9%
2019	41.65	1278^th	2182	41.4%
2021	42.05	1265^th	2247	43.7%
2022	31.38	1536^th	2219	30.8%
2023	35.91	1443^rd	2240	35.6%
2024	28.68	1657^th	2256	26.6%

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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Enrollment information for South Ocala Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	553	119	5	16	1	n/a	n/a	0	694
1989	646	122	5	19	1	n/a	n/a	0	793
1990	694	145	3	25	3	n/a	n/a	0	870
1991	794	170	8	29	1	n/a	n/a	0	1002
1992	816	169	5	30	1	n/a	n/a	0	1021
1993	514	149	2	15	1	n/a	n/a	0	681
1994	501	146	3	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	665
1995	536	161	8	25	3	n/a	n/a	0	733
1996	536	161	8	25	3	n/a	n/a	0	733
1997	542	165	8	26	2	n/a	n/a	0	743
1998	496	156	11	31	1	n/a	n/a	0	695
1999	471	177	8	56	0	n/a	n/a	0	712
2000	402	139	7	48	1	n/a	n/a	0	597
2001	392	126	4	47	2	n/a	n/a	0	571
2002	355	108	6	44	4	n/a	n/a	0	517
2003	355	108	6	44	4	n/a	n/a	0	517
2004	371	97	9	51	5	n/a	n/a	0	533
2005	352	79	7	51	5	n/a	n/a	0	494
2006	334	109	9	44	4	n/a	n/a	0	500
2007	322	144	6	53	5	n/a	n/a	16	546
2008	362	164	17	51	3	n/a	n/a	17	614
2009	375	155	8	56	3	n/a	n/a	12	609
2010	337	158	9	57	4	n/a	n/a	18	583
2011	334	175	8	69	4	1	34	0	625
2012	341	177	8	82	1	2	31	0	642
2013	364	184	7	86	0	2	36	0	679
2014	367	181	5	90	0	2	42	0	687
2015	361	194	4	90	0	2	34	0	685
2016	333	188	6	103	0	2	38	0	670
2017	324	214	7	97	0	1	43	0	686
2018	279	230	11	104	0	1	54	0	679
2019	312	211	6	133	1	2	48	0	713
2020	333	189	6	138	0	1	55	0	722
2021	299	168	6	129	0	1	55	0	658
2022	334	197	4	152	0	1	56	0	744
2023	305	190	5	160	0	1	54	0	715
2024	287	197	7	167	1	1	50	0	710

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 South Ocala Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	694	36.0	19.2	29
1989	793	45.0	17.6	29.8
1990	870	50.0	17.4	26.8
1991	1002	56.0	17.8	31.2
1992	1021	57.0	17.9	28.2
1993	681	42.0	16.2	32.7
1994	665	41.0	16.2	32.2
1995	733	44.0	16.7	37.5
1996	733	44.0	16.7	37.5
1997	743	40.0	18.6	39.3
1998	695	41.0	17.0	40
1999	712	40.0	17.8	48.9
2000	597	33.0	18.1	47.6
2001	571	33.0	17.3	52.9
2002	517	35.0	14.8	55.1
2003	517	35.0	14.8	55.1
2004	533	35.0	15.2	56.3
2005	494	37.0	13.4	56.9
2006	500	36.0	13.9	49.6
2007	546	41.0	13.3	52.1
2008	614	45.0	13.6	52.8
2009	609	48.7	13.8	52.6
2010	583	42.0	13.8	61.4
2011	625	47.0	13.2	58.7
2012	642	44.0	14.5	62.1
2013	679	49.0	13.8	62
2014	687	41.0	16.7	44.8
2015	685	45.0	15.2	56.6
2016	670	47.0	14.2	62.2
2017	686	47.0	14.5	60.5
2018	679	48.0	14.1	67.2
2019	713	52.0	13.7	60.3
2020	722	49.0	14.7	55.5
2021	658	45.0	14.6	60.9
2022	744	43.0	17.3	61
2023	715	48.0	14.8	60.4
2024	710	48.0	14.7	62.8

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 South Ocala Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	694	36.0	19.2	29
1989	793	45.0	17.6	29.8
1990	870	50.0	17.4	26.8
1991	1002	56.0	17.8	31.2
1992	1021	57.0	17.9	28.2
1993	681	42.0	16.2	32.7
1994	665	41.0	16.2	32.2
1995	733	44.0	16.7	37.5
1996	733	44.0	16.7	37.5
1997	743	40.0	18.6	39.3
1998	695	41.0	17.0	40
1999	712	40.0	17.8	48.9
2000	597	33.0	18.1	47.6
2001	571	33.0	17.3	52.9
2002	517	35.0	14.8	55.1
2003	517	35.0	14.8	55.1
2004	533	35.0	15.2	56.3
2005	494	37.0	13.4	56.9
2006	500	36.0	13.9	49.6
2007	546	41.0	13.3	52.1
2008	614	45.0	13.6	52.8
2009	609	48.7	13.8	52.6
2010	583	42.0	13.8	61.4
2011	625	47.0	13.2	58.7
2012	642	44.0	14.5	62.1
2013	679	49.0	13.8	62
2014	687	41.0	16.7	44.8
2015	685	45.0	15.2	56.6
2016	670	47.0	14.2	62.2
2017	686	47.0	14.5	60.5
2018	679	48.0	14.1	67.2
2019	713	52.0	13.7	60.3
2020	722	49.0	14.7	55.5
2021	658	45.0	14.6	60.9
2022	744	43.0	17.3	61
2023	715	48.0	14.8	60.4
2024	710	48.0	14.7	62.8

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 South Ocala Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$919 (9.6%)	$8,612 (90.4%)	$9,531
2019	$732 (7.3%)	$9,260 (92.7%)	$9,993
2020	$939 (9.2%)	$9,224 (90.8%)	$10,162
2021	$1,127 (10.3%)	$9,767 (89.7%)	$10,893
2022	$1,932 (17.9%)	$8,846 (82.1%)	$10,778
2023	$2,625 (20.7%)	$10,051 (79.3%)	$12,675

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Ocala 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 1278^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 1443^rd of 2240 Elementary schools	5.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Ocala Elementary School)	56	37	19%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Marion)	44	42	2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (South Ocala Elementary School)	53	44	9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Marion)	49	49
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (South Ocala Elementary School)	52	54	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Marion)	49	50	1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (South Ocala Elementary School)	61	58	3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Marion)	54	58	4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (South Ocala Elementary School)	47	35	12%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Marion)	45	43	2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (South Ocala Elementary School)	49	42	7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Marion)	45	46	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (South Ocala Elementary School)	52	46	6%
5th Grade Science (Marion)	44	43	1%
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	713	715	0.3%
African American	211	190	10%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	6	5	16.7%
Hispanic	133	160	20.3%
Pacific Islander	2	1	50%
White	312	305	2.2%
Two or More Races	48	54	12.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	60.3%	60.4%	0.1%

Schools Near South Ocala 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
South Ocala Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1430 SE 24th Rd	Ocala	34471	Marion County	Marion	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 671-4750	710	48	14.7	62.8%	287 (40.4%)	197 (27.7%)	167 (23.5%)	7 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	50 (7.0%)	28.7	1657^th of 2256 public elementary schools	26.6%		35.9	1443^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	35.6%	214	39.0	50.0	34.0	52.0	53.0	40.0	32.0	$12,675	$2,625	$10,051
Eighth Street Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	513 SE 8th St	Ocala	34471	Marion County	Marion	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 671-7125	386	27	14.2	29.3%	275 (71.2%)	49 (12.7%)	46 (11.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.9%)	90.5	159^th of 2256 public elementary schools	93.0%		87.9	218^th of 2240 public elementary schools	90.3%	59	70.0	70.0	85.0	77.0	80.0	95.0	90.0	$11,877	$1,759	$10,118
Marion Elearning	Public, Virtual	K-5	1614 E Ft King St	Ocala	34471	Marion County	Marion	No	No	Yes	No	(352) 236-0570	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Elc Pk Ese Services	Public	PK	512 SE 3rd St	Ocala	34471	Marion County	Marion	No	No	No	No	(352) 671-6832	27	0		11.1%	2 (7.4%)	8 (29.6%)	16 (59.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.7%)								(n/a)
Wyomina Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	511 NE 12th Ave	Ocala	34470	Marion County	Marion	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 671-6370	579	35	16.5	80.7%	165 (28.5%)	250 (43.2%)	118 (20.4%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (7.1%)	11.3	2120^th of 2256 public elementary schools	6.0%		12.9	2083^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	7.0%	37	30.0	38.0	38.0	32.0	29.0	25.0	26.0	$10,745	$2,141	$8,606
Shady Hill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5959 S Magnolia Ave	Ocala	34471	Marion County	Marion	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 291-4085	683	36	18.9	54.3%	347 (50.8%)	84 (12.3%)	195 (28.6%)	6 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (7.3%)	39.8	1349^th of 2256 public elementary schools	40.2%		60.5	826^th of 2240 public elementary schools	63.1%	523	39.0	58.0	49.0	47.0	71.0	44.0	44.0	$10,152	$1,758	$8,393
Ward-Highlands Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	537 SE 36th Ave	Ocala	34471	Marion County	Marion	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 671-6810	911	59	15.4	56.2%	513 (56.3%)	130 (14.3%)	205 (22.5%)	9 (1.0%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	51 (5.6%)	67.3	692^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	69.3%		64.8	745^th of 2240 public elementary schools	66.7%	53	56.0	56.0	59.0	68.0	70.0	65.0	62.0	$10,959	$1,913	$9,045
Dr N H Jones Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1900 SW 5th St	Ocala	34471	Marion County	Marion	No	Yes	No	No	(352) 671-7260	799	52	15.3	39.3%	256 (32.0%)	239 (29.9%)	170 (21.3%)	78 (9.8%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (6.5%)	86.9	259^th of 2256 public elementary schools	88.5%		87.6	229^th of 2240 public elementary schools	89.8%	30	67.0	85.0	79.0	67.0	80.0	83.0	77.0	$10,302	$1,567	$8,736
Madison Street Academy Of Visual And Performing Arts	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	401 NW Martin Luther King Jr	Ocala	34475	Marion County	Marion	No	Yes	No	No	(352) 671-7250	468	35	13.3	36.5%	265 (56.6%)	70 (15.0%)	90 (19.2%)	9 (1.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (7.1%)	93.3	84^th of 2256 public elementary schools	96.3%		90.3	165^th of 2240 public elementary schools	92.6%	81	83.0	83.0	85.0	84.0	88.0	73.0	78.0	$12,666	$1,896	$10,771
Maplewood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4751 SE 24th St	Ocala	34471	Marion County	Marion	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 671-6820	836	64	13.0	56.3%	419 (50.1%)	174 (20.8%)	192 (23.0%)	12 (1.4%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	36 (4.3%)	53	1018^th of 2256 public elementary schools	54.9%		55.9	950^th of 2240 public elementary schools	57.6%	68	47.0	50.0	51.0	59.0	69.0	59.0	56.0	$14,226	$3,044	$11,183

Frequently Asked Questions about South Ocala Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of South Ocala Elementary School?

Students at South Ocala Elementary School are 40% White, 28% African American, 24% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races.

How many students attend South Ocala Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 710 students attended South Ocala Elementary School.

Is South Ocala Elementary School a good school?

South Ocala Elementary School ranks 1657^th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What schools do graduates of South Ocala Elementary School attend?

Students who attend South Ocala Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Osceola Middle School
High : Forest High School

What district is South Ocala Elementary School in?

Marion

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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.