FloridaSchoolsWENDELL WATSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

WENDELL WATSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

PublicRegular
LAKELAND, Florida · POLK
Teachers53.0FTE
Ratio15.8:1students per teacher
Students835enrolled
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students835
Grade Span
Student:Teacher15.8:1
Free/Reduced Lunch53%
Title INo
SectorPublic
Student : Teacher
17.0:1
7.6%vs prior yrUS avg 15.4:1
Teacher FTE
45
15.1%vs prior yr
Enrollment
764
8.5%vs prior yr
Years of Data
5
2020–2024
Counselors
1:785
5.0%vs prior yrASCA max 1:250
Nurses
1:393
52.5%vs prior yrNASN max 1:750
Psychologists
NASP max 1:500
Social Workers
SSWAA max 1:250
Trends & 5-year history below

Pupil : Teacher Ratio — 5-Year Trend

14.6:115.1:115.6:116.2:116.7:117.2:12020202120222023202415.4:115.3:114.8:115.8:117.0:1This schoolUS public-school avg

Enrollment & Teacher FTE

755781807832858884444750545760202020212022202320247858428758357645155595345EnrollmentTeacher FTE

Year-by-year workforce

Metric20202021202220232024Nat Avg
Enrollment785842875835764
Teacher FTE5155595345
Pupil : Teacher ratio15.4:115.3:114.8:115.8:117.0:115.4:1

What These Numbers Mean

Teacher FTE

Full-Time Equivalent counts part-time teachers proportionally. One full-time teacher = 1.0 FTE; two half-time teachers also = 1.0 FTE. This is the standard federal reporting unit.

Pupil : Teacher ratio

NCES-reported ratio divides total enrollment by teacher FTE. It is NOT the same as average class size — schools with specialists, coaches, and resource teachers will show lower ratios than typical class sizes.

How to read the trend

A falling pupil:teacher ratio (line going down) means more staffing per student — generally a positive signal. A rising line can indicate budget pressure or fast enrollment growth outpacing hiring. Always compare to the US average (dashed grey).

Historical data spans 20202024 from NCES CCD.

Student Support & Wellbeing

Non-teaching staff who support student mental health, physical health, and behavioural needs. Lower pupil-to-staff ratios mean more one-on-one access.

Counselors & Social Workers — staff to pupils (recommended 1:250)

1:01:1781:3571:5351:7141:8922015201720201:8261:8261:785Counselor : PupilsSocial Worker : PupilsRecommended 1:250

Nurses & Psychologists — staff to pupils

1:01:1781:3571:5351:7141:8922015201720201:8261:393Nurse : PupilsNASN 1:750Psychologist : PupilsNASP 1:500

Support staffing & ratios — year by year

Metric201520172020Nat Avg
Counselors (FTE)111
Nurses (FTE)012
Psychologists (FTE)000
Social Workers (FTE)000
Counselor : Pupils1:8261:8261:7851:250
Nurse : Pupils1:8261:3931:750
Psychologist : Pupils1:500
Social Worker : Pupils1:250

Why these ratios matter

Counselors (ASCA 250:1)

School counselors support academic planning, college & career readiness, and social-emotional wellbeing. The American School Counselor Association recommends no more than 250 students per counselor.

Nurses (NASN 750:1)

School nurses manage chronic conditions, medications, immunisations, and emergencies. The National Association of School Nurses recommends at least 1 full-time nurse per 750 students (more for high-need populations).

Psychologists (NASP 500:1)

School psychologists assess learning & behavioural needs, run mental-health interventions, and coordinate special-education services. NASP recommends 500:1 or lower.

Social workers (SSWAA 250:1)

School social workers bridge home-school relationships, address attendance & trauma, and connect families to community resources. SSWAA recommends 250:1.

Source: US Dept of Education CRDC (20152020) — Civil Rights Data Collection.