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Watkins Elementary School

Q: Is Watkins Elementary School a good school?

Watkins Elementary School ranks 1634 th of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public, Magnet Grades PK, KG-5

1634^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,240 Florida Elementary Schools

Better than 27% of Florida elementary schools

Summary

Watkins Elementary School in Pembroke Park, FL, is a small PK-5 school within the Broward district, serving 390 students from a predominantly low-income community. The school has historically struggled academically, ranking in the bottom 30th percentile of Florida elementary schools, but recent data shows a promising upward trend, with its highest rank in three years (27th percentile) driven by strong 3rd Grade English Language Arts and 5th Grade Science scores that now meet or exceed district averages.

The most critical challenge facing Watkins is a severe chronic absenteeism rate of 37.5% in 2023-2024, which is dramatically higher than nearby schools like Championship Academy Of Distinction At Hollywood (6.4%) and Annabel C. Perry Pk-8 (7.1%). This issue is particularly striking when compared to Somerset Academy East Preparatory, located just 1.25 miles away, which serves a higher-poverty population (88% Free/Reduced Lunch) yet boasts a 0% chronic absenteeism rate and ranks in the 80th percentile as a 4-star school. Watkins also spends $16,638 per student—the highest among all nearby schools—yet this funding does not translate into top academic outcomes, suggesting resources may need to be more strategically targeted to address absenteeism and other root causes.

Despite these challenges, Watkins shows positive momentum with three consecutive years of improvement in state rankings and significant year-over-year gains in 3rd Grade ELA (from 28% to 62%) and 5th Grade Science (from 37% to 50%). The school exhibits a unique "V-shaped" performance pattern across grades, with 3rd graders excelling, 4th graders dropping, and 5th graders rebounding, which may indicate curriculum or cohort-specific issues. If the school can tackle its absenteeism crisis, it has strong potential to build on its recent gains and become a much stronger option for families in the Pembroke Park community.

390

Students ?

14.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,638

Per pupil spending ?

63.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3520 SW 52nd Ave
Pembroke Park, FL 33023

(754) 323-7800

District: Broward

Students who attend Watkins Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	McNicol Middle School
High:	Hallandale High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

68.5%

Hispanic:

26.9%

White:

4.1%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Watkins Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 11th percentile in 2016 → 27th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 16 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Florida average (51% vs 62% meeting standards)

!Math scores 15 pts below the Florida average

!Near the bottom of Broward's ranking

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school51%

District avg68%

Florida avg62%

1,634^th of 2,240

Florida public elementary schools ?

Bottom 27%▲ up 16 pts since 2016

From bottom 11% (2016) to bottom 27% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

168^th of 184Elementary Schools in the Broward

23^rd of 70Broward among Florida districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2026	31.5	1634 of 2240	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	28.6	1685 of 2258	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	19.7	1908 of 2256	15.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	18.4	1953 of 2240	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	30.9	1554 of 2219	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	19.0	1859 of 2247	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	38.1	1365 of 2182	37.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	20.8	1771 of 2118	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	26.7	1585 of 2112	25.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	15.0	1865 of 2087	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	17.4	1812 of 2064	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	16.9	1801 of 2029	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	17.5	1710 of 1984	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	23.7	1613 of 1985	18.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	44.8	1145 of 1919	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2009	45.5	1072 of 1847	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2008	35.9	1225 of 1789	31.5%	★★☆☆☆
2007	30.9	1302 of 1786	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	34.0	1159 of 1688	31.3%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts54%-6 vs state

Science50%-10 vs state

Math49%-15 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Excellent school for kids, safe environment, dedicated teachers ready to help. Close Quote

Schools Near Watkins Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				FAST English Language Arts (2026)						FAST Math (2026)						Statewide Science Science (2026)		EOC Algebra 1 (2026)	EOC Geometry (2026)	EOC Biology 1 (2026)	EOC Civics (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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 (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Watkins Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	3520 SW 52nd Ave	Pembroke Park	33023	Broward County	Broward	No	Yes	No	Yes	(754) 323-7800	390	27	14.4	63.1%	16 (4.1%)	267 (68.5%)	105 (26.9%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31.5	1634^th of 2240 public elementary schools	27.1%		28.6	1685^th of 2258 public elementary schools	25.4%	51	62.0	42.0	58.0				45.0	47.0	55.0				50.0						$16,638	$2,038	$14,600
Lake Forest Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3550 SW 48th Ave	Pembroke Park	33023	Broward County	Broward	No	No	No	Yes	(754) 323-6350	555	32	17.3	59.3%	23 (4.1%)	326 (58.7%)	195 (35.1%)	6 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)	48.4	1183^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	47.2%		41.5	1306^th of 2258 public elementary schools	42.2%	123	62.0	48.0	51.0				73.0	61.0	66.0				57.0						$14,038	$2,343	$11,696
Somerset Academy East Preparatory	Public, Charter	K-6	2000 S State Road 7	Miramar	33023	Broward County	Broward	Yes	No	No	Yes	(954) 987-7890	167	11	15.1	88.0%	0 (0.0%)	123 (73.7%)	42 (25.1%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	77.8	437^th of 2240 public elementary schools	80.5%		84	316^th of 2258 public elementary schools	86.0%	121	52.0	83.0	83.0				71.0	97.0	83.0				61.0						$12,056	$958	$11,098
Madie Ives K-8 Preparatory Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	20770 NE 14th Ave	North Miami Beach	33179	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	No	No	Yes	(305) 651-3155	1,083	56	19.3	54.5%	25 (2.3%)	786 (72.6%)	256 (23.6%)	9 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	6 (0.6%)	41	1375^th of 2240 public elementary schools	38.6%		41.5	1307^th of 2258 public elementary schools	42.1%	68	63.0	63.0	63.0	67.0	61.0	75.0	63.0	47.0	33.0	53.0	50.0	76.0	40.0	47.0	69.0	93.0	93.0	76.0	$12,117	$1,769	$10,348
Championship Academy Of Distinction At Hollywood	Public, Charter	K-5	1100 Hillcrest Dr	Hollywood	33021	Broward County	Broward	Yes	No	No	Yes	(954) 924-8006	256	0	15.0	2.7%	22 (8.6%)	77 (30.1%)	154 (60.2%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	32.2	1616^th of 2240 public elementary schools	27.9%		18.3	1967^th of 2258 public elementary schools	12.9%	351	51.0	68.0	44.0				59.0	78.0	38.0				30.0						$9,075	$300	$8,775
Orange Brook Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	715 S 46th Ave	Hollywood	33021	Broward County	Broward	No	No	No	Yes	(754) 323-6750	667	40	16.8	59.5%	39 (5.8%)	373 (55.9%)	231 (34.6%)	10 (1.5%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	12 (1.8%)	45.1	1267^th of 2240 public elementary schools	43.4%		37.8	1425^th of 2258 public elementary schools	36.9%	158	54.0	46.0	59.0				66.0	75.0	54.0				54.0						$13,731	$1,991	$11,740
Annabel C. Perry Pk-8	Public	PK, KG-8	6850 SW 34th St	Miramar	33023	Broward County	Broward	No	No	No	Yes	(754) 323-7050	562	35	16.0	57.7%	28 (5.0%)	422 (75.1%)	98 (17.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.1%)	48.9	1167^th of 2240 public elementary schools	47.9%		32.3	1580^th of 2258 public elementary schools	30.0%	413	65.0	45.0	54.0	70.0	46.0	61.0	81.0	52.0	57.0	70.0	62.0	47.0	53.0	52.0	88.0		94.0	60.0	$15,238	$2,213	$13,024
Miramar Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6831 SW 26th St	Miramar	33023	Broward County	Broward	No	No	No	Yes	(754) 323-6550	380	21	18.0	57.9%	10 (2.6%)	243 (63.9%)	114 (30.0%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	8 (2.1%)	65.4	742^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	66.9%		61.1	857^th of 2258 public elementary schools	62.0%	115	65.0	71.0	61.0				69.0	80.0	83.0				50.0						$14,163	$1,558	$12,605
Gulfstream Academy Of Hallandale Beach	Public	K-8	1000 S W 3rd St	Hallandale Beach	33009	Broward County	Broward	No	No	No	Yes	(754) 323-5950	1,227	64	19.1	47.8%	175 (14.3%)	363 (29.6%)	659 (53.7%)	8 (0.7%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	18 (1.5%)	25.9	1765^th of 2240 public elementary schools	21.2%		24.2	1797^th of 2258 public elementary schools	20.4%	32	43.0	38.0	47.0	54.0	58.0	52.0	59.0	48.0	55.0	38.0	43.0	14.0	53.0	32.0	82.0		91.0	74.0	$11,713	$1,777	$9,936
Hibiscus Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	18701 NW 1st Ave	Miami	33169	Miami-Dade County	Miami-Dade	No	No	No	Yes	(305) 652-3018	339	22	15.4	63.7%	8 (2.4%)	274 (80.8%)	54 (15.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	35.7	1509^th of 2240 public elementary schools	32.6%		41.7	1302^nd of 2258 public elementary schools	42.3%	207	58.0	46.0	72.0				52.0	28.0	72.0				46.0						$14,646	$1,353	$13,293

Frequently Asked Questions about Watkins Elementary School

Is Watkins Elementary School a good school?

Watkins Elementary School ranks 1634^th of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Watkins Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 390 students attended Watkins Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Watkins Elementary School?

Students at Watkins Elementary School are 68% African American, 27% Hispanic, 4% White.

What district is Watkins Elementary School in?

Broward

What schools do graduates of Watkins Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : McNicol Middle School
High : Hallandale High 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.