Manatee Elementary School

Manatee Elementary School in Naples, FL, is a mid-sized school serving 564 students in grades PK-5 within the highly-rated Collier district, where 61% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, reflecting a community with significant economic need.

Manatee Elementary shows a fascinating mix of strengths and challenges. Its 4th grade is a standout, achieving an 85% proficiency in math—the highest among all comparable nearby schools—and a 69% proficiency in English Language Arts (ELA). However, the school struggles with a "3rd-grade wall": only 39% of 3rd graders were proficient in ELA, the lowest score in the comparison group. This stark contrast suggests that while the 4th-grade team is exceptionally effective, the school must urgently address early literacy. On a positive note, 5th-grade science scores are strong and improving, reaching 65% proficiency, which matches the district average and exceeds the state average. The school also invests heavily in its students, with a low student-teacher ratio of 12.7:1 and high per-student spending of $19,230, which can support smaller class sizes and targeted interventions.

Compared to nearby schools, Manatee’s performance is uneven. For instance, Tommie Barfield Elementary School, just 7.58 miles away, is a 5-star school with a 94th percentile ranking and outperforms Manatee in every subject, but it serves a less economically disadvantaged population. Meanwhile, Manatee’s chronic absenteeism rate of 20% is higher than the district average of 17.4% and significantly higher than top-performing schools like Tommie Barfield (6.0%). Overall, Manatee is on a positive trajectory, with its state ranking improving to the 52nd percentile and earning a 3-star rating for the first time since 2020-2021. However, this progress is fragile and depends on addressing the 3rd-grade literacy gap to ensure sustained success.